Tales of Japanese tea

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time

Smiley hojicha latte

2012-02-15T17:04:00.001+09:00

I am into hojicha latte since I introduced therecipes on this blog and I have been trying some other conditions. I would like to share an improved recipe thatI discovered. Most recipes are good with sugar, but this combinationhas a well balanced flavor of tea and milk even it is not sweetened. It will make you smile (^-^)

Ingredients

Hojicha leaves: 3g

Hot water: 40ml/1.4oz

Hot milk: 120ml/4.2oz

Sugar: optional

Items

Ippukuwan (big tea cup)

Tea whisk

Small teapot

Procedure

1. Whisk the hot milk (120ml/4.2oz) in the ippukuwan until it gets foamy

2. Brew the hojicha for 30sec

Put tea leaves (3g) into the teapot and add boiling water (50ml/1.4oz)

Steep it for 30sec

3. Pour the brewed hojicha into the ippukuwan

I drew a smiley face as I poured the tea.

Smile!

Note

If you want to sweeten, you could brew it longer like 45sec for richer flavor.

You need to rinse well the teawhiskimmediately to prevent molding and to avoided smell.

My hojicha-latte recipe

2012-02-10T22:24:00.001+09:00

Once I have tried hojicha-latte at Starbucks. Hojicha is roasted greentea. I pretty liked the new tea beveragewith the roasted flavor. It was milderthan cafe latte and more like English tea with milk.

I wanted to have it at home. So, I tried preparing it in three differentconditions to find out a good recipe on my own.

	A	B	C
Method	Brew tea with boiling water first. Then add milk into the brewed tea in a cup.		Brew tea with only hot milk, not water
Tea leaves	2g	4g	3g
Boiled water	50ml / 1.7oz		-
Hot milk	50ml / 1.7oz		100ml / 3.5oz
Brewing time	60sec	30sec	60sec
	This is pretty similar with “B, but slightly milder.	This is close to the one at the Starbucks.	This is rich with the milky flavor.

You can double the amount of theingredients if you want it plenty.

You can add sugar if you want.

It was two years ago, so I don’t exactlyremember the taste of Starbucks hojicha latte. But, I guess “A” and “B” are similar to it. However, I liked the “C” most among thethree. “C” has the richest flavor withmilky taste.

Hojicha latte is not bitter so I think itcan be enjoyed by people who don’t like the bitterness of green tea.

Note

I don’t have a milk-foam maker, so I whiskedhot milk with a bamboo teawhisk. Youneed to rinse well the teawhisk immediately to prevent molding and to avoided smell.

I don’t recommend using milk in yourJapanese teapot. Especially, non-glazedteapots (such as yakishime or red clay) can absorb smells. Also, milk contains fat and I’m not sure whateffect of the fat to those teapots. Iused a porcelain bowl and mesh basket to brew the tea with milk.

Wabi, exquisite beauty in simplicity

2012-02-08T17:14:00.002+09:00

Not many Japanese can explain what exactly “wabi”is. If you look it up in a dictionary,it says something like the following.

Wabi is the exquisite beauty, discoveredand appreciated in simplicity and calmness.

Many people know of “wabi-sabi” or “wabi”,and know a general meaning. But once itcomes to explaining the essential idea, most of them will have a hard time.

I found an interesting idea about “wabi” ina book, “利休に帰れ(Return to Rikyu)” written by a monk froma famous temple in Kyoto.

Wabi is to appreciate and limit things atthe same time. For example, people haveto kill other lives to live. You mighthave to kill ten cows, but you try to bear with eight. You save two. You make the eight work like ten. That is the idea of wabi. You don’tneed more than what you need.

Expensive items imported from China were highly valued at the beginning of the tea history. Such as bronze vases, celadon tea bowls or ivorytea scoops. Wabi sprit made people thinksimple wares will be fine for The Way of Tea. Rustic tea bowls and *bamboo vase and teascoop become appreciated inWabi Tea. The tea room is simple and it doesn’thave any unnecessary stuff inside. That’swhy a simple flower displayed in a tea room can be so brilliant. People find the exquisite beauty in eliminatingunnecessary details.

*Bamboo was a reasonable material and youcould get it anywhere.

Modern life is surrounded by so many things. Why don’t you enjoy your tea with only whatyou need. You might find peace and beauty there.

Reason for fake charcoal

2012-02-06T22:42:00.000+09:00

The other day, I went to the citizens’ teaceremony held at the cultural center in my town, Seto. It is casual and pretty much reasonable soanybody can attend. What interestingabout the cultural center is that there is a nice classic tea room inside a concretebuilding. While inside the traditional tearoom, you will forget that you are in the modern building.

When I attended the ceremony last year, Iwas disappointed that the heath used was not real charcoal. A charcoal-imitation electric stove wasused. This year again, it was not realcharcoal in the heath. But this time, Ifound out the reason behind it. The hosttold me that there is a regulation for using fire inside the building. I don’t know if it is for public building orconcrete architecture, anyhow they had to use electric stove. Nevertheless, I still appreciate the nice tearoom and the opportunity for casual tea ceremony.

Can you see the heath underneath? It has some false charcoal figure with red hotwire. This is not exactly the one used in the ceremony, but something likethis.

Tea cups for Japanese tea enthusiasts

2012-01-31T17:33:00.000+09:00

What particular criterion do you have foryour tea cups? It could be its usability, color, size,material or production region.

I made three cups for my shop with my owndesign; sencha cup (65ml/2.3oz),small sencha cup (30ml/1.1oz) and gyokuro cup (15ml/0.5oz). Their overall designs are extremely simple,but I was meticulous on some details, such as the bisque finish (non-glazedfinish) and the engraved mark at the bottom. Among them, the greatest feature that I stick with was the slimness. I made the rim so thin that you can even seethrough the silhouette of your fingers when placing it on bright background.

This slenderness creates a very refinedlook and atmosphere, which full-bodied daily cups can never have. This is why these cups are for tea enthusiasts. Imagine having your fine tea in a slime-wallcup, you will have a totally different impression from the tea setting. The fine tea will look much classier for yourprivate time or tea with your guests. Ididn’t want to make just an ordinary cup, and the thinness was my answer.

So, what is your preference on your cups?

Here are the three cups that I designed. They are available for sale on our shop. You can jump to our shop by clicking the picture of each product.

Wabi-Iki thin sencha cup (65ml/2.3oz)

Wabi-Iki thin small sencha cup (30ml/1.1oz)

Wabi-Iki thin gyokuro cup (15ml/0.5oz)

13 types of Japanese tea

2012-01-27T17:41:00.000+09:00

How many types of Japanese tea have youtried? Sencha, Gyokuro, Matcha …

When I studied to become a Japanese TeaAdviser, I learned that there are 13 major types. They are all made of tea plants. Have you ever seen them all? I actually collected all of them andphotographed them in both leaf and brewed form. Wanna see them?

I created a Facebook page (FB) for my teaware shop, “Everyone’s Tea”. I wouldlike to provide basic Japanese tea information for beginners at “Japanese Tea101” on FB. I also want people to sharetheir delights in tea on our FB.

Please post your memorable photos regardingJapanese tea. I’d be happy to have ourFB filled with pleasurable photos from all over the world!

I want to fascinate lives overseas with Japanesetea. Would you help me get other people knowour FB by clicking the “like” button? Thanks!

If youwant to see the photos and descriptions of the 13 types of tea, please visitJapanese Tea 101 and take a look at the page “Types of Japanese Tea”

Jump from here >>> Japanese Tea 101

I might be going to hate tea

2012-01-23T23:42:00.000+09:00

12 tea samples arrived the other day! I’m going to participate in a tea tastingcontest next month. So, I bought teasamples for the contest.

I immediately tried them for practice. These are seven sencha with different breeds. I can spot some differences, but it is pretty difficult to tell whichone is which for the first try (^^;; AsI was repeatedly trying each of them; one here, one there, the teas weregetting stronger and stronger. Thatmakes things more difficult. What Itasted was nothing but bitterness. Mymouth was filled with bitterness. Yuck! I almost hated tea, hahaha. I need more practice to tell quickly beforethey get so bitter.

My favorite breed among the seven was Sayamakaori. But, based on mymemo from past tea tasting, it seemed to me that Sayamakaori was strong and Ididn’t like it. The taste seem to differaccording to region and production.

I will definitely keep on practicing beforethe contest. And for sure, I will beloving tea more than I do now.

The essentials: 5. Do things ahead of time

2012-01-20T17:59:00.001+09:00

The ancient tea master, Rikyu once said “Dothings ahead of time”. This is one ofthe seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.

If there is a party, what time would you liketo get there? Would you be there earlierthan it starts, just on time, or after it started? I guess that this custom may vary in differentcountries. In Japan, people get togetheron time or slightly earlier than it starts. Maybe because, it is often said that it isbetter to do things 5 minutes ahead. Iassume that this kind of practice is somehow related with Rikyu’s “Do thingsahead of time”.

What is the essential idea behind “Do thingsahead of time” in tea serving? I havealmost the same understanding as common opinions. Leeway of time will make a leeway on yourmind. A relaxed mind allows you to treatyour guests with composure. Eventually,it helps for serving good tea.

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Do things aheadof time” is that
leeway on your mind is important.

As I was writing this entry, I remembered myown experience when I was a student. Oneday, on my way home, I saw a familiar businessman parking his car on a streetone block away from my house. I asked mymother what he was doing there. She saidthat he was probably waiting to adjust the time for our appointment. Before this incident, I thought that beingearly is always good but I realized afterwards that it may not be appreciatedat times. The host may not be ready atthe time and you might make him/her rush. I was impressed with how professional the businessman was. Not only because of the time consideration,but also because he waited at a place not visible from our house. This behavior comes from the spirit ofthinking of others. If youhave the chance to visit your friend in Japan, try to be just on time or slightlyearlier than the appointment.

This interpretation may vary in the futureas I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time

The essentials: 4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

2012-01-18T17:17:00.000+09:00

The ancient tea master, Rikyu once said “Makeit seem warm in winter, and cool in summer”. This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which Iintroduced on the previous entry.

In tea ceremonies, the position of the heathis usually close to the guests in winter and far in summer. I think this scenario could be one of theexamples of the essential. However, Ialso think this lesson is not only telling us about actual temperatures. The coolnessor warmth can be expressed with the design of utensils, confections or hanging scrolls.

In summer, you can use a flat-type watercontainer, which creates a large water surface. The appearance of water can provide some kind of coolness. Thick and narrow types of a tea bowls areoften preferred in winter. They actuallykeep the tea warmer, but also their atmosphere creates visual warmth. I think that these thoughtful hospitalitiesof the host can help create a better comfort for his/her guests. In other words, you’d better have a good senseof the season.

I also have a further interpretation more thanthe sense of the season. For instance, evenif the host serves you a perfect taste of tea, would you be able to enjoy thetea in a very noisy place or in an extremely cold place? Probably you wouldn’t… I believe the environment is as important asthe taste of tea. Creating a comfortable environment for yourguests is essential. I think that the comfortableair condition is only one of the examples.

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Make it seemwarm in winter, and cool in summer” is that
environment of things are very important.

This interpretation may vary in the futureas I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time

The essentials: 3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

2012-01-13T17:17:00.002+09:00

The ancient tea master, Rikyu said “Arrangethe flowers as if they were in the fields”. This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which Iintroduced on the previous entry.

In a tea ceremony, flowers are displayed atthe tokonoma alcove in the tearoom. They are usually seasonal flowersand simply arranged, never gaudy. Evenif there are many flowers in the field, we never bring them all into the tearoom, not even if it is said to arrange the flowers as if they were in thefields. The arrangement is usually composedof a few flowers which are carefully selected by the host to match the theme ofthe ceremony.

Some people interpret Rikyu’s statement asto “See the essences and express simply”. I understand it when you think of the basics of the tea flowerarrangement. But, the interpretation, “Seethe essences and express simply” has a big difference literally from “Arrangethe flowers as if they were in the fields” for me. I might need more training to understandbetter.

At the moment, I would simply interpret it as“Making things natural or being natural is important”. Natural is the best. I think it can be applied to the utensils,tea room and your behavior. That couldbe why natural materials with minimum processing and without unnecessary decorationsare preferred for the utensils and tea room. And also, your behavior and movement in a ceremony should be natural. Don’t put on airs.

This interpretation may vary in the futureas I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time

Koma 小間, “small tea room”

2012-01-12T18:05:00.002+09:00

At our hatsu-gama,after we had the meal and tea hosted by our master, we had a chance to practiceour tea preparation. I was very happyand excited with the lesson. Can youguess why?

Our master has two tea rooms in herhouse. One is six-tatami-mat room and the other one is three-tatami room, which is recognized as the koma, a small room. Wepractice the ceremony in the bigger room at usual lessons. I have never used the small one. Our master offered us to use the small roomfor our practice at hatsu-gama! Finally yes!! I have been always curious about the room and wanted to use it. We, disciples had a couple of sessions bytaking turns being the host and guests.

Me sitting as a guest in the small room

Do I look good in kimono?

My wife, Hiro hosting in the small room

The room was indeed excellent. Soft light was coming through the paperscreen, and the room was a little darker than the other room. You can see a natural-wooden pole, soil walland elaborately designed ceiling, and can sit on tatami. You are surroundedby nature.

There are no unnecessary spaces. The room is just perfect size. It is cozy. I think that in human psychology, people feel moresecured and comfortable when they are surrounded with something. In a restaurant, you will probably feel comfortableat a table in a corner or by a wall, rather than at one in the center of thehall. I guess the same kind of theory alsoworks in the small tea room, so I felt very relaxed. Not only the physical proximity, but I alsofelt closer when it comes to psychological distance among the participants. The closeness creates something more and the ceremonymore concentrated. I experienced thatThe Way of Tea is not only about savoring tea, but also savoring the space andtime with others.

I believe that it is very rare to have suchsmall room in Western architectures. Ifyou have a chance to come to Japan, I’ll encourage you to experience tea in asmall tea room. It will definitely be extraordinary.

Hanging scroll and flower in the tokonoma alcove in the small room

Hatsu-gama, the first tea ceremony of the year

2012-01-10T20:56:00.001+09:00

It has been about a half year since westarted learning from the current master.

The first tea ceremony of the year iscalled “hatsu-gama”. Our master invited all of her disciples in it. She requested us to wear kimono. Hatsu-gama is different from the costmary lessons, which is a little more formal than usual.

The two biggest differences from usual werethat our master did the hosting, and meals were served.

At usual lessons, we, disciples play a roleof the host and serve tea to other students. Our master sits next to us and just tells us what to do. She sometimes shows examples of each action,but I have never seen her hosting an entire ceremony. This was my first time to observe herserving. I gazed ate her every single movement, because I wanted to learn something out of it. I wasespecially impressed with her action for handling fukusa, silk cloth. It wasgraceful and gentle.

We don’t have meals in our usual lessons,but meals are often served at some formal tea ceremonies. At this hatsu-gama,a meal in a box was served for each guest. I could tell that our master took a lot of time to prepare this meal,which was a traditional New Year dish. Sixguests enjoyed the meal over having some chitchast and talking about themeal. I kind of experienced harmony and bondingin the tea room at noon of a fine winter Sunday. I think it is probably the essence of TheWay of Tea.

I truly enjoyed hatsu-gama. I was happy celebratingthe New Yare with our master and my peers in the special ceremony. I realized again that experiences areimportant.

The essentials: 2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

2012-01-06T20:47:00.000+09:00

An ancient tea master, Rikyu said “placethe charcoal appropriately to boil the water”. This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which Iintroduced on the previous entry. Peoplehave different interpretations for the essentials.

In tea ceremonies, the host heats up thekettle ussing charcoals. He uses differenttypes of charcoals and each of them has specific shape and size. There are proper procedures and manners forplacing them in the hearth or brazier. Thereare even certain positions for each charcoal in the hearth which can createstable heat during the ceremony.

Does the said statement refer to preparingthe heat fine only or is there more meaning to it?

Before guests come, you have to prepare alot of things to boil the water. If youdon’t place the charcoal correctly, you won’t get enough heat to boil thewater, or they will burn too fast and you won’t have enough heat left when youprepare the tea. To serve good bowls oftea, proper placement the charcoals is very important. It will affect the success of the ceremony. I think that “placement the charcoals” referto the preparations in general.

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Place the charcoalappropriately to boil the water” is that
preparations of things are very important.

This interpretation may vary in the futureas I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time

The essentials: 1. Prepare the tea just right

2011-12-29T00:35:00.001+09:00

An ancient tea master, Rikyu said “preparethe tea just right”. This is one of theseven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry. People have differentinterpretations of the essentials.

How do you interpret “prepare the tea justright”? Do you think there is anabsolute way of preparing tea? I thinkthat “Prepare the tea just right” means “prepare the tea just right for yourguests”. The tea should be in an appropriateamount, temperature and density that your guests want. You need to consider the guest’s condition,today’s weather or the situation. It’simportant that you need to think of each guest’s feelings and situations. I don’t think there is an absolute preparation.

There is a famous episode for servingtea.

One hot day, a samurai, Hideyoshi stopped by a temple on a trip for hawking. A boy at the temple served tea to him. The boy was highly evaluated by Hideyoshi withthe three servings of tea.

The boy prepared plenty of thin tea with lukewarmwater first. Hideyoshi drained the tea,and asked another serving. The boyprepared the second tea with a standard way, hotter-thicker tea with smaller amountthan the first one. Hideyoshi had thetea and asked another serving. The boyserved thicker and much less amount of tea for the third. Hideyoshi relished the tea and asked the boywhy he served different teas. The boyanswered “You must have been thirsty, so I made the first tea easy to drink andto quench your thirst. Your thirst musthave got ease, so I made the smooth tea for the second serving. Your thirst must have gone at the moment, soI made the third tea for you to savor the rich flavor”. Hideyoshi loved his thoughtful wits.

I think this is a good example of “Preparethe tea just right”.

My interpretation of “Prepare the tea justright” is that

considering appropriate points on things isimportant.

My interpretation may vary in the future asI experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

This will be the last entry of thisyear. Thank you so much for reading myblog. I’ll probably be back around thesecond week in January. I wish you all ahappy new year!!

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2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

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The essentials of The Way of Tea

2011-12-26T17:17:00.000+09:00

What are the essentials of The Way ofTea? One day, a disciple asked hismaster. The master was Rikyu, an ancienttea master who perfected The Way of Tea. He answered it with the seven theorems, which are well-known as theessentials of The Way of Tea. I thinkthey seem too common, and also vague.

Theseven essentials of The Way of Tea by Rikyu

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriatelyto boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if theywere in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter,and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if itis not raining

7. Care about the guests

“I’ve already known those things enough”the disciple said. Rikyu replied “If youcan do them all, I will be your apprentice.” Rikyu probably wanted to say that doing basics naturally and perfectlyis the most difficult. Knowing and doingare different.

The abovementioned thought might be thefirst thing that Rikyu wanted to tell, but I still think that some of thetheorems are ambiguous. Do you get whatRikyu really want to say? What does “Prepare the tea just right” reallymean? You can interpret it superficially,but it might have a great message behind. I translated the seven essentials literally without getting my personalperspective involved. So, I’d like youto interpret Rikyu’s words yourself. Thereare different interpretations and opinions on each theorem. I would like to introduce mine on the future entries.

(Source: Ikkojin No.123, KK bestsellers,Aug. 2010)

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2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

5. Do things ahead of time