Tea production regions far from Fukushima

Tea that contains more than 500bq/kg radioactive substances is restricted for distribution in Japan. So, tea sold on the market is basically safe.  However, as I introduced on the previous post, there were two special cases of defects on the inspection in June.  

Some of you might want to know tea producing regions far from Fukushima.  Listed prefectures are top ten producing regions (except Shizuoka) and I have not heard about any contaminated tea from the areas.

2. Kagoshima (Ei, Chiran, Makurazaki, Ariake)

3. Mie (Ise, Mizusawa, Suzuka, Kameyama, Iga)

4. Miyazaki (Miyakonojo)

5. Kyoto (Uji, Ayabe, Ryotan, Wazuka)

6. Nara (Yamato, Tukigase, Yamazoe)

7. Saga (Ureshino, Karatsu)

8. Kumamoto (Yabe, Izumi, Sagara, Kahoku)

9. Aichi (Nishio, Toyota, Shinsiro)

10. Nagasaki (Ureshino, Sonogi, Sechibaru, Goto)

Information on the Great East Japan Earthquake at Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (English) go to >>> http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/2011eq/index.html

My past entries about the radiation and tea

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/05/is-tea-from-japan-safe.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/05/restriction-of-tea-leaves.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/06/do-you-know-of-aracha.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/06/controversy-over-radioactive-test-on.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/06/controversy-over-radioactive-test-on_08.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/10/tea-and-radiation-in-japan.html

http://everyonestea.blogspot.com/2011/10/tea-and-radiation-in-japan-2.html

Chakabuki, tea tasting competition

How confident are you with your sense of taste?  Can you tell different teas by blind tasting?  I attended a chakabuki event this weekend.  Chakabuki is a competition or game of blind tea tasting.  The game originated in China.  It got popular in Japan about 700 years ago.

You blind-taste 5 different kinds of tea and tell what they are.  You repeat it 5 times.  We tally the points and whoever got the most correct answers after 5 rounds wins.  (We actually did 4 rounds only, instead of 5.)  In this game, we had sencha, deep-steamed sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha and roasted tamaryokucha.

One of the most difficult parts is that you don’t taste and compare all five at once before answering.  You've got to give the answer one at each tea.  For example, you have to answer right after you taste the first tea even if you haven’t tasted the other four yet.   

Another is the tea preparing method.  In this game, all tea was brewed with boiling water for one minute, which is not ordinary way of preparing.  The tastes differ from what you usually have at home.  Have you ever tasted gyokuro brewed with boiling water? 

At the end of the contest, the result was announced.  You know what?  I got the best score among all 12 contestants and won the first prize!  Yes!!  Is it because of my talent or was I just lucky?  I hope I did not spend all the luck for my whole life, hahaha.

Small cups are used

You can take a memo and check how you did on each round.

Before the game starts, you have a quick chance to observe dry leaves.  Each tea is passed around on a tray one by one, and you don’t see the 5 at one time.

In the game, tea is served in random orders and you smell and taste it.

You have five chips with symbols, which represent each tea.

You drop one of the chips for your answer into the ballot box.  After answering, the next tea is served.

Asking about the weather for greetings

I saw a TV program interviewing foreign people who have been living in Japan for a while.  They were asking about “The moment where you first got used to Japan”.  They talked about things that seems common to us Japanese in their answers, and I suddenly realized that those things might be weird to foreigners.

Konnichiwa, It’s Koheiヽ(^。^)ノ 

Some of the answers are …

When I’m bowing on the phone,

When I can tell correct age of Japanese people,

When I apologize often,

When I get used to seeing people who wear a mask in town,

When I talk about weather in greetings,

You might need some explanation for some of them.  Please refer to the bottom of this entry. 

Regarding the greeting about weather, the interviewee is from Taiwan.  She said it is always hot in Taiwan and there is no need to talk about the weather.  Japan has four seasons and people are conscious about the seasons and weather.  That’s right.  We often talk about weather in greetings.  I really appreciate that we have beautiful four seasons. 

Now, it’s one of the best seasons of the year here in my area.  We have a dry and comfortable weather.  Therefore, some festivals and events are held around the town almost every weekend.   This weekend I attended one of the events.  It was a workshop about painting your own raku ware.  Jah!

This is where we had the workshop.

**Bowing**

Some people bow when they thank and apologize on the phone, even though the other person cannot see you.  I, myself, might do it sometimes, hahaha…

**Correct age**

Japanese people relatively look younger than people from other nations.   It seems difficult for foreigners to tell the age of Japanese.  How about me?  How old do I look?   I don’t think I’m an exception.  …   Well, I’m thirty eight.  Do I look young?

**Apologizing**

We seem to apologize often.  It is natural to us but it doesn’t seem that way at other countries.

**Wearing a mask**

In Japan, people wear a mask when you have a cold or hay fever.  You see some people wearing a mask in town, especially during the seasons where cold and hay fever are common (from winter to spring).  The country where this interviewee comes from doesn’t have such custom and she thought they are terrorists or something.

Temples in Uji, Kyoto

On the third day in Kyoto, we visited Uji.  Mampukuji was the first stop there. 

We were welcomed by an angry guy,

Calm guys,

Smart men,

And Smiley guy

This Zen temple is established by Ingen, a monk from China.  It is said that he introduced Chinese kung-fu style tea.

Mampukuji (Japanese) >>> http://www.obakusan.or.jp/index.html

Another temple we visited was Byodoin.  It was built about a thousand years ago.  It is considered as a world Heritage.

I believe that most of people who have visited Japan have seen the temple even if they haven’t visited Kyoto.   Can you think of where people can see the temple? 

On the back of 10yen coin.  Jah!

Byodoin >>> http://www.byodoin.or.jp/index.html

Malebranche , a café in Kyoto station

There is a café in Kyoto station that I’m always interested in.  It is a casual looking café but I could tell they serve Japanese tea by the colorful tetsubin teapots displayed by the window.  I finally had a chance to drop by with my wife.  It was the second night of our trip in Kyoto.  We were tired but wanted to have a break before going back to the hotel. 

Konnichiwa, it's Koheiヽ(^。^)ノ  It was a cozy place.  People from different walks of life were spending their time; a female office worker on the way home, a tourist couple, a group of female students and business people.  Some of them seemed having a tea set that comes with the tetsubin teapot.  I wanted to have something sweet so I didn’t try a tea set here.  I had matcha ice cream and my wife, Hiro had iced latte.  I made an excellent choice.

I have checked about this café, Malebranche on the internet.  (Webpage -Japanese- >>> http://www.malebranche.co.jp/shop/cafe.php)  They are originally a confectionary shop and they have a popular green tea cookie.   What I was surprised about was that they don’t seem to serve green teas.  So what about the teapots I saw?  I could not find their official menu so I cannot say for sure, but they serve black tea with them.  Some people say they had hojicha, but I’ve never found that someone had green tea.  Disappointing…

Anyway, they are at a located very convenient place.  The ice cream I had was great and their green tea cookie sound very good.  I think it is a nice place to spend your spare time at the end of your sightseeing in Kyoto.  Jah!

Tai-an, tea room designed by Rikyu

Have you heard the name, Sen no Rikyu?   He is the most significant tea master in the history who has perfected The Way of Tea.  He also designed tea rooms with his distinctive aesthetic sense.

Konnichiwa, it’s Kohei.  On our Kyoto trip, we visited Myokian temple.  It has Tai-an that is the only existing tearoom confirmed as Rikyu’s design.  Tai-an is one of the three tea rooms designated as national treasure of Japan. 

You cannot get inside the room but you can view it from outside and see the inside from the windows and entrance.  My impression of Tai-an is indeed very rustic.  The inside which is surrounded with soil wall was dark and extremely small.  It is only two tatami-mat room.  The common size room at that time was 4.5 tatami mats.  I wonder why he wanted to make the room so small? 

Maybe, the limited space and light make people concentrate on the tea itself, or stimulate more mutual bonding among the attendances.  I’m not sure, but I really want to experience a tea ceremony in this kind of space.

The monk at this temple told us that we can find Rikyu’s designs on ceilings, windows and Tokonoma- alcove.  Some of them are elaborately presented to make the room look larger.  Some people say that it seems vast like the outer space.  But the monk said that it’s not that large.  Two tatami mats are two tatami mats and nothing more.  Ha,ha,ha (^^;;   Jah!

The Kaboku Tearoom 2

In Japan, tonight is the night that you can see the most beautiful full-moon of the year.  People view and appreciate it.  I guess we are very romantic.  Do you guys have a similar day to appreciate the moon?

Konnichiwa, it’s Kohei.  At The Kaboku Tearoom, other people in my party ordered matcha, genmaicha and hojicha.  I took a sip of all of them.  I thought my choice was the best.  Other teas were also good but my sencha was the most distinctive and different from ordinary tea.  It was worth to try it.

While we were enjoying our tea, a lady came in the cafe and sat at the table behind us.  She seemed to be a foreign tourist who doesn’t speak Japanese.   She was asking if she can get some assists to prepare her tea.  One of the staff helped her at the table by giving instructions in English.  I also noticed that their menu was written both in Japanese and English.  I thought they are friendly to beginners and foreigners.  If you want to enjoy Japanese tea in Kyoto, The Kaboku Tearoom is a good place to visit.  

Try to view the moon tonight.  I guess we are watching the same moon, so it must be beautiful from your place as well.  Jah!

The Kaboku Tearoom

I had tea in a cafe called Kaboku at Ippodo Tea. 

I had their best grade sencha.  At the cafe, you brew your own tea.  The staff gave me instructions for brewing tea at our table.  There were plenty of leaves in the pot.

 She told me to pour hot water into a cup and leave it for a moment.  Then I needed to pour the water into another cup which is used as a watercooler.

 

While pouring the water, I spilled some and it almost scalded my fingers (^^;;  The staff told me to hold the cup like in the picture below.  Yes of course, I knew it.  I was Stupid.  Ordinary Japanese cups have a base, called hama in Japanese.  So, the bottom doesn’t get so hot usually. 

Look at another picture below.  See, I’m holding the cup the wrong way, again, hahaha…  I’m one of those typical people who often forget what was properly taught.

Anyway, the staff told me to be certain about the brewing time.  The correct time for this tea was 50 sec.  You can start timing from the moment you pour the water into the teapot.  I thought it was pretty strict.  I guess it’s because this brewing method uses about twice the amount of leaves to extract generous tea.  As a result, a slight time difference will affect the taste.
The staff also advised not to shake the teapot; slowly tilt it until all the tea is out when you pour the tea into a cup.

The tea color was nice clear yellow and I found an elegant sweetness in its aroma.  I sipped it.  I was shocked with its flavor.  The most distinctive taste was mouth-filling umami..  Umami is never that rich in ordinary sencha.   At the same time, this sencha was very crisp so I could find and enjoy various flavors in it.  At The Kaboku Tearoom, I learned to be more careful about the time and not to scald my fingers, haha..  Jah!

Ippodo Tea

I went to Kyoto and visited Susumushi-dera.

And, the temple of bamboo, Jizouin.　 

Konnichiwa, it’s Kohei who loves visiting rustic temples and shrines.  

I always look forward to visit tea shops or cafe on my Kyoto’s trips as well.  This time, we stopped at Ippodo tea shop.  They have a long 300-year history.  Now, they have branches all over Japan.  I visited their main store in Kyoto.  They have different kinds of tea in various grades.  Samples are available on the counter.  What I got was sencha (its grade name is Hosen).  It costs 1500yen/100g.   In their main store, they have a cafe named The Kaboku Tearoom, where I had tea as well ^^.  Jah!

Ippodo webpage >>>

http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/index.html

Tokoname-ware Festival

Where do you think it is?

It is a motorboat race track!

This is just an aside.  The races of the four; motorboat, hose, bicycle and motorcycle are only the races that you can legally gamble in Japan.

Konnichiwa, it’s Kohei who would have a bad luck on boat-race gamble and even he has never tried it (^^;; Chikin!  Well, there was a Tokoname-ware Festival held at Tokoname boat race track on Aug 20 &21.  I visited there to see a teapot artist who I’m asking to make original teapots for our shop.  I had a meeting with him and talked about the design for our teapots.  After the meeting I enjoyed the festival.  There were many craftsmen gathered with their works, and I could see a lot of unique teapots and could actually talk to the artists.  Each artist has their own thought on tea brewing and their teapots.  I was so excited about it.  I also enjoyed festival food and fireworks.  My favorite is chocolate coated banana on stick.

I’d like to come back next year again, or maybe to get-rich-quick^^  Jah!