Search Results for "sencha"

Recently, our tea buyer Tanya and I had the privilege to visit Kagoshima to see where the tea is grown. Japan’s Kagoshima prefecture is located on the Osumi peninsula, in the south of the island Kyushu.

Miyazaki prefecture, known for its mountains and picturesque coastal climate, is located on the island of Kyushu. Mountainous areas are perfect for camellia sinensis “terraced,” sloping upward on steep hillsides.

The brilliant light of the afternoon sun casts cool shadows through the canopy of trees that line the walking path. The air is thick and humid, heavy with the floral scent of spring, citrus, and something that reminds us of cloves. We are hiking over hundreds of mossy stone steps to reach the Shiroyama scenic overlook in Japan’s Kagoshima prefecture. Gravel crunches underneath our feet as we reach the top. The view is almost too picturesque to be true, even for the trip of a lifetime.

We couldn’t believe how fortunate we were. As a Tea Consultant, I was excited because Japan is home to the finest green tea in the world. As a tea drinker, it also felt personal.

Cha-no-yu, the Japanese tea ceremony, is a time-honored and cherished tradition: a ceremony crafted for the optimal enjoyment of the experience of drinking a bowl of tea, arranged with great care and detail to create beauty and harmony in this moment of simplicity. To understand the complexity of Cha-no-yu and its cultural value, let us begin with the history of the tea that inspired the ceremony: a powdered green tea known today as Matcha, prized for its characteristic umami (savory vegetal) flavor.

You may have heard of cold brew, but have you ever heard of a tea being steeped over ice? No hot water is required to make a refreshing ice-cold cup of Japanese green tea with the Kōridashi method.

WhatCha talking about? Tea, of course! Have you ever noticed that some cultures don’t refer to tea as tea but call it cha or chai? Why is that and how did we start calling it tea?

The way the leaf is processed is the main factor in determining what type of tea the freshly plucked leaves will become.

Since water is such a vital portion of that equation, it seems pretty essential to consider the source. Do you fill your kettle right from the tap? Or, do you prefer filtered or bottled water?

While many types of tea are grown in China’s Yunnan province, perhaps the most iconic and unique is Pu-Erh tea, an ancient and culturally significant beverage with an incredible history, grown nowhere else in the world.

The gaiwan is perhaps the most traditional vessel used to prepare tea, dating back centuries to China's Ming Dynasty.

While many types of tea are grown in Yunnan, perhaps the most iconic and unique is Pu-Erh tea, an ancient, unique and culturally significant beverage with an incredible history, grown nowhere else in the world.