Japanese New Year
We believe that everything restarts from a New Year. I love that concept. We clean our house in the end of the year. We start a new year with clean house and refreshed mind. Somehow we appreciate new things and also first things of the year. We love to witness the first sunrise of the year, the first sale and even the first dream. We believe that the dream you have on the night of January 2nd will tell what the New Year is going to be for you. If you dream about Mt. Fuji, your new year will be great one.
Spending time with family
In Japan, family usually gets together at New Year, like the westerners celebrate Christmas. I visit my parents’ house and every year, we have matcha and sweets on the New Year day. This year, I nicely wore my kimono and served tea ceremonially.
Sensitive stomach of my father
My dad can’t drink strong tea or coffee. His stomach is easily upset. Sometimes, he adds water to even sencha to dilute it. When everybody enjoy matcha or coffee, he has sencha or black tea.
New way of enjoying matcha
My laziness found out a new usage of matcha. Once I wanted to drink sencha but I didn’t want to prepare it in the proper way. I grudged the time and the trouble washing the teapot. So, I put one scoop of matcha and plenty of hot water in a mug and stirred with a spoon. It was as easy as making instant coffee. I didn’t even use a tea whisk. The matcha didn’t mix well but the taste was not bad at all. It tastes light like sencha. I’m clever to be lazy, hehe.
What you think best is not always necessary
At the new years’ tea ceremony at home, I served the senchatic matcha for my father. He drank up a whole bowl of tea that I served. I’m really glad that whole family spent time in a same room and enjoyed the same tea. His tea was very weak and different from how matcha supposed to taste, but he seemed quite enjoying it. I learned that it is not important what you think the best or what the common practice is. What’s important is the best for your guest.
Posts
Happy Japanese New Year Kohei and family! May you have a great year of 2014!
ReplyDeleteI really like what you wrote in the last paragraph "it is not important what you think the best or what the common practice is, what’s important is the best for your guest." I couldn't agree more :)
Thanks! I learn so many rules and manners at the tea school. I care about them too much sometimes, but I need to remind myself that being flexible is more important than flowing the rules.
DeleteKohei, I tried mixing matcha with cold water as a refreshing drink in the summer, similar to what you are describing, but I would prefer real matcha, hehe. :-) However, your thoughtfulness toward your father is great.
ReplyDeleteHi,
DeleteYou are right. Matcha may not mix well with cold water and it might has less flavor. However, I actually like the cold matcha as well. As you said, it is refreshing for summer. But again, hot matcha is better for sure (^-^)