International Tea Day 2020

Today (May 21) was the inaugural International Tea Day. The United Nations General Assembly designated this day to recognise the long history and deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was tasked to lead the observance from Rome. Due to the current global pandemic situation, the …

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Tea tasting: Shincha 2020 (Shimamidori cultivar) from Tanegashima

This is my first-ever tea from Tanegashima (種子島), a subtropical island located off the coast of Kagoshima prefecture. It is next to the more well-known Yakushima island, a World Heritage Site. Both islands are part of the Oosumi Islands, and both also produce tea. The earliest harvest of shincha (新茶, first harvest of the year) …

Tea tasting: Shincha 2020 (Yama-no-ibuki cultivar) from Shimada

One of my orders of shincha (新茶, first harvest of the year) is here! Received it yesterday, which was Midori no Hi (みどりの日, Greenery Day) in Japan. How very apt. But first, I wanted to try this three-gram limited edition sample from Kanagawa-based tea merchant Yunomi, and produced by Kanes Tea in Shizuoka. Named "Kanaya …

Hachijuuhachi-ya (88th Night)

Hachijuuhachi-ya (八十八夜, literally 88th night) is an important day in Japan's tea calendar. 88th night is counted from the first day of Spring (立春 or risshun) in the traditional lunar calendar. This year being a leap year means that Hachijuuhachi-ya corresponds to May 1, which is today. Hachijuuhachi-ya marks the beginning of the year's first …