Fish-shaped cake, taiyaki!

Hi, everyone. Today, I had taiyaki, Fish-shaped cake at my tea time. Taiyaki is pretty popular in Japan. The taste is not anything related to fish. The classic taiyaki is fish-shaped pancake stuffed with bean jam. So, it is just a sweet cake. The outside pancake is brown and sweet been past inside is dark gray for the classic taiyaki. But, taiyaki is evolving with times. New staffing came out, something like chocolate, or custard. And now white taiyaki is in fashion! The one I had today was that the white outside was a kind of rice cake, and custard was filled inside. It was so good!! I enjoyed with sencha, which I brewed with high temperature water (about 90C) to bring out rich bitterness. Have a nice day!

Haiyu kannyu sencha cup

How are you doing, everyone? Japanese people have a custom of doing a general year-end cleaning of both the inside and outside of their homes to greet the New Year. I used to do it in the last week of the year, but it has always been kind of stressful. So, we decided to do the cleaning little by little on each weekend in whole December. This weekend, I cleaned the bathroom, and Hiro did the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen (^-^)


The other day, I went to a potter’s studio to pick up new tea cups for my shop. The potter served me nice sencha with the cup. The cup is kannyu finished. Kannyu is cracking on the surface, which is created by difference of coefficients of clay and glaze. The cracking on a brand new piece (on the left in the picture) is not so obvious. As you use the cup the cracking appears more clearly and gives it a stately look (on the right). I think a charm of kannyu is that you can enjoy the gradual change in cracking expression as you use it, and make one-of-a-kind your own piece. I hope I can introduce it in the near future on our shop. Have a nice day!

Flower of the day, Nov 25, 30, Dec 2 and 9

How are you doing everyone? It is a chilly rainy day here in Seto. The maple tree in my back yard shed its leaves.

Tsubaki from Nov 25 lesson.
I like the modest arrangement with small vase and simple flower.
It is subdued , but see how great it looks in tokonoma (alcove)
















The item displayed in tokonoma on Nov 30 was not flower, it was a an incense burner


















Tsubaki again on Dec 2
I think tsubaki is very popular as winter tea flower. The leaves on the branch behind were autumn colored, and add a seasonal flavor.
















Tsubaki with a hanging vase on Dec 9


Have a nice day!

Regular sencha vs. Long (Deep) steamed sencha

Hey, everyone! I talked about Regular and Deep steamed sencha for the last two days. Today I’ll talk a little bit more about them.

Regular sencha
Color: Clear yellow
Taste: Great harmony of umami and bitterness

Deep-steamed sencha
Color: Greener and murkier than regular sencha by particles of broken leaves slipped through the strainer.
Taste: Richer than regular sencha but less bitterness, weaker aroma

These are general perceptions for regular and deep-steamed sencha. But, they are not always true. The tastes depend on area of production, producer, and grade. The picture is for my two minute brewed regular sencha and one minute brewed deep-steamed sencha. I don’t think my deep-steamed sencha has less bitterness than my regular sencha. They are almost the same, but the type of bitterness is different. Or I should say that those teas have different flavor. My regular sencha has rich earthy umami and the bitterness comes after. The straight bitterness and umami come together at the deep steamed sencha.
Popularity of each sencha varies by region. I like both types and have them daily. The process of finding your favorite tea is kind of fun, and I always look for a new tea myself. I hope you try some of these teas and find your own favorite. Have a nice day!

Preparing regular sencha and Long (Deep) steamed sencha

Good morning everyone! Yesterday I talked about regular sencha and long steamed sencha. But my translation of “fukamushi sencha” was not quite correct. I should have said deep-steamed sencha instead of long-steamed sencha. Hereinafter, I call it deep-steamed sencha. Sorry.

Preparing of either sencha
Water: 60-90ml/serving 70-90 degree C (140-194 F)
Higher grade sencha: Use small amount (60ml) and low temperature (70degree C) water
Low grade sencha: Use plenty (90ml) and high temperature (90degree C) water
Leaves: about 2g /serving
The difference for preparing regular and deep-steamed sencha is brewing time.
Regular sencha: 1-2 min
Deep-steamed sencha: 45 sec – 1 min

Usually deep-steamed sencha leaves have more broken leaves and are finer; therefore infuse faster than regular sencha does. And it is better to use fine-mesh strainer for deep-steamed sencha. See that 1 min brewed deep-steamed sencha on the left in the picture is even darker than 2 min brewed regular sencha on the right. I used 70 degree C (140F) water for both here.

What I introduce here is just a standard brewing. You can try different amount or temperature of water, different amount of leaves, or infusing time. You will be surprised by the great potential of sencha. Today, I also wanted to talk about the taste, but maybe tomorrow. See you soon. Have a nice day!

What are Regular sencha and Long steamed sencha

Hello, everyone! Sencha is the most common and produced green tea in Japan. Do you know that you can categorize sencha into two major types? When producing sencha, the tea leaves are steamed about 30 seconds, which is a regular steaming time. This is regular steamed sencha (on the right in the picture). It is called “sencha” or “futsu-sencha”, means regular sencha. Regular sencha does not mean regular quality sencha in Japan. It means regular steamed sencha. It’s kind of confusing, so you need to be careful about it. The other type is long steamed sencha (on the left), which is steamed about twice to three times longer than regular sencha is done. Longer steaming makes leaves more fragile and yellowish. Therefore, Long steamed sencha has more broken leaves and leaves are usually finer. Please look at the label at your sencha package. Does it tell you if it is “futsu-sencha” or “fukamushi-sencha”? If it doesn’t, look at your leaves and compare with the leaves in the picture here. Tomorrow, I will tell you about the brewing and teats of these sencha. Talk to you tomorrow!!

Cold green tea at misokatsu restaurant in Nagoya

Hi, everyone! Yesterday we took a half-day off, and went to an orchestra concert, which Hiro won as a prize from cosmetics. They played some Christmas music and popular songs everyone is familiar, so we could enjoy them very much. They played soft and beautifully sometimes, and sometimes powerful and dynamically. It was amazing to create one musical composition by many players. I thought this live was a kind of performing art!

Before the concert, we had dinner at a famous misokatsu restaurant in Nagoya, Yabaton. Misokatu is deep-fried breaded pork with miso-sauce. Misokatsu there was so-so to me. They served cold sencha in a glass. I like cold green tea with fried meal. Tea refreshes your mouth! Have a nice day!

Tea room with sunken hearth

Hello, everyone! I had another tea lesson last night. Hiro was not feeling well and skipped the lesson. I did a winter-style temae, using a sunken hearth instead of a brazier. I think something special about tea room is the sunken hearth, which an ordinary Japanese tatami room doesn’t equip. The sunken hearth is usually used from Nov. through Mar, and the brazier for Apr. to Oct. We wanted to practice more of brazier temae, so we are one month late of starting sunken hearth. Have a nice day!


I asked my master to be in my picture. It is her first appearance in a while!!
If you want to compare with the summer setting >>> Picture of hirademae setting with brazier

Tasting bottles of Japanese green tea

How are you doing everyone? As I mentioned yesterday, I tried four bottles of major Japanese brand tea. They were different in taste, and all good. I don’t say one is good and another one is bad, it depends on your preference and occasions.


From the left
1. “O-i, Ocha” from Itoen
Color: Light yellowish orange
Taste: Good bitterness, a sense of roasted flavor
2. “Ayataka” from Coca-cola Japan
Color: Darkest in these four, little murky
Taste: Strongest, Full body, bitterness in the after taste
3. “Namacha” from Kirin
Color: Light yellow
Taste: Most mild in these four, mellow and sweet
4. “Iemon” from Santory.
Color: Green -yellow
Taste: Good bitterness, a sense of roasted flavor

I personally liked Namacha best. My wife Hiro liked O-i,Ocha best. O-i,Ocha and Iemon were similar. They both have pronounced flavor, but you can taste the flavor light after you sipped O-i,Ocha, and Iemon has the flavor in aftertaste. Now, I know the difference of these four, so I can choose a right bland at a right occasion.

Namacha: When you want to enjoy tea itself, the sweetness will be nice.
O-i,Ocha or Iemon: At meal, and when you are thirsty, the fine bitterness will refresh your mouth.
Ayataka: For teatime with confectionery, the rich flavor will suit with sweet.

This is my personal opinion. People will have different tastes in these green teas. You should try them yourself! Have a nice day!

Bottles of Japanese-brand green tea

Hello, everyone. It’s in December, now! A tea lover from Singapore told me that they can buy a bottle of Japanese-brand green tea there. It is “O-i, Ocha” from Itoen. It is also popular in Japan. When I found a bottle of sweated green tea in the US about fifteen years ago, it was a bit of shock. But times are changing. As you can find Japanese-brand tea at Singapore, I believe that now more overseas people can enjoy pure Japanese teas.

We of course have many brands for bottles of green tea. When I buy a bottle of tea, I usually choose one what my mood tells me at the moment. I’ve never seriously compared them. So, I thought this is a good time to see what we have in our market now. I got four bottles of major-brand tea, which you can find at any places here. They are standard sencha from major company, including “O-i, Ocha” from Itoen. These 500ml bottle beverages are usually sold at 150yen/each in Japan. I got them at 98yen/each on sale at a grocery store. Is it expensive or reasonable comparing to the price in your country? I’ll taste them and report it tomorrow. Have a nice day!

From the left
1. “O-i, Ocha” from Itoen
2. “Ayataka” from Coca-cola Japan
3. “Namacha” from Kirin
4. “Iemon” from Santory.

I’ll be a qualified Japanese tea adviser!

How are you doing, everyone? I have been studying about Japanese tea to be a Japanese tea adviser, who has overall and essential knowledge of Japanese tea. It is all about tea, history, industry, cultivation and production, science and health, tasting, preparing technique, and so on. Japanese tea advisers can give customers advices at a tea store, or can be an assistant at a tea workshop or a guide at a tea event. I took the exam in the beginning of this month. And yesterday, I receive a notice of passing the exam. Yeah! I’ll officially be qualified as a Japanese tea adviser in coming April. I’m so happy about it. Have a great weekend!

Covering utensils with cloth

Hello, everyone! We had another lesson last night. I have been practicing bon-demae these months. When you bring in the utensils into the tea room with bon-demae, you place a tea bowl set and tea container on bon, a tray, and cover the items with silk cloth, called “fukusa”. I don’t know the reason why you cover with cloth, but I guess covering with cloth might mean that the items are all cleaned and prepared? Or avoiding from dust? There should be some decent reason for it. Have a nice day.