October is almost the end of the autumn tea harvesting season. The last few tea leaves will be harvested in the next few days and then will come a long period of rest. With the decreasing amount of the field work, there is more time for promotion. Many tea producing prefectures in Japan have been […]
Do you know Wakōcha? Speaking about Japanese tea we cannot help but recall in our mind the refreshing flavor of Sencha as well as the toasty aroma of Hōjicha, not to mention the creamy texture of matcha, all different types of green tea. In recent years, due to their fascinating cultural background as well as […]
In September summer heats start to subside and the tea harvesting begins again. While we are waiting for the news about the autumn harvest we already have the results of the 74th National Japanese Tea Competition that was held at the end of August. The best gyokuro this year comes from Yame, Fukuoka, while tea […]
Many countries in the world are able to produce tea all year round, In Japan the main tea production takes place between March and November. Winter months of December to February, hence are the resting time for tea. But how many times tea can be harvested in Japan? The answer actually depends on the region […]
Many prefectures in Japan are still in the middle of the second harvest. While we are waiting for the fresh summer tea, we are getting more data about the spring harvest this year. According to the tea research centre in Shizuoka, the growth of the tea this spring was slower than usual. The temperature in […]
Hello everyone! My name is Xenia Blanco, a self-proclaimed Japanese Tea Evangelist & Tea Chef from Spain, who runs The Japanese Tea Hub, a small online tea shop based in Sweden which specialises in Japanese teas. You might be wondering why I chose such a name for the recipe I will be sharing with you […]
May is usually a really busy time for Japanese tea. While some prefectures were in the full swing of harvesting first flush tea (一番茶), Kagoshima prefecture had already started harvesting second flush (二番茶) in the middle of May; and the tea reached Shizuoka tea auction on 21st May. However, except for high grade and shaded […]
To emphasize the world-wide economic and cultural significance of tea, at the end of last year the United Nations designated 21st May as the International Tea Day. Tea cultivation and processing is the main source of income to many families around the world. Some of the biggest tea producing countries, however, are among the poorest […]