Onocha September 2024 - Onocha from Yamaguchi This month, we are turning our attention to Onocha (小野茶), a unique tea from Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県). As September arrives and summer vacations come to an end —at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere— it's a good time to reflect on vacations and travelling. Photo courtesy of
Sobacha August 2024 - Sobacha from Hokkaidō August is here, and with it, a new tea to enjoy with Tomotcha! For our August 2024 selection, we have chosen a Sobacha (そば茶), a tea made from roasted buckwheat grown in Hokkaidō (北海道). This simple, earthy tea offers a comforting flavor that suits the laid-back pace of summer. The
Murakamicha July 2024 - Shincha from Murakami This July, Tomotcha takes you back to Murakami (村上) in the Niigata Prefecture (新潟県), for a delicious Shincha (新茶) made from a blend of Fukumidori (ふかみどり), Yabukita (やぶきた) and Asanoka (あさのか). Shincha from Murakami Shincha, or "new tea," is the first harvest of the season and offers a unique, fresh
Shincha June 2024 - Shincha from Ureshino This June, Tomotcha takes you back to Ureshino (嬉野) in the Saga prefecture (佐賀県), on the island of Kyushu (九州) for a Shincha (新茶) or "New Tea". It is a Kabusecha (かぶせ茶) made from the Yabukita (やぶきた) tea cultivar. Courtesy of the tea producer: Soejimaen (副島園) Shincha or "New Tea"
Genmaicha May 2024 - Genmaicha from Kyoto, Nara and Shiga This May, Tomotcha delights tea enthusiasts with a special Genmaicha made from Kabusecha and locally sourced rice, accompanied by a cultural exploration of Japan’s beloved Hanami tradition.
Unjō Sencha April 2024 – Asamushi Sencha From Above The Clouds This Unjōcha (雲上茶) is the follow up from last month's Unjōcha: it's a Sencha (煎茶) of style Asamushi (浅蒸し) from the very same producer, located in Kitashitara (北設楽郡) in Aichi (愛知県). Photo courtesy of the producer Asamushi Sencha: The Delicate Art of Light Steaming Asamushi Sencha represents a traditional and
Unjō Hōjicha March 2024 – Hōjicha From Above The Clouds We are starting a set of two Unjōchas (雲上茶) from the same producer, located in Kitashitara (北設楽郡) in Aichi (愛知県). The first one is a Hōjicha (ほうじ茶) or roasted green tea. Photo courtesy of the producer. Tea above the clouds "Unjōcha" (雲上茶), directly translating to "cloud-top tea" or "tea above
Yuzu Ryokucha January 2024 – Yuzu Ryokucha from Ureshino We wish you all a happy New Year 2024! Lots of changes are coming for the year of the dragon, but let's start by the first tea of the year: a Yuzu Ryokucha (ゆず緑茶) from the region of Ureshino (嬉野) in the Saga prefecture (佐賀県) on the island of Kyūshū
Hojicha November 2023 - Karigane Hōjicha from Mie This month, we have selected a Karigane Hōjicha (雁ヶ音ほうじ茶) from the prefecture of Mie (三重). We also selected this tea in February 2021. Karigane Hōjicha Karigane Hōjicha is a harmonious blend of Japanese tea traditions and the ingenuity of utilizing the whole tea plant. Originating from the same plants that
Tamaryokucha October 2023 - Tamaryokucha from Aso This month we've selected a Tamaryokucha (玉緑茶) produced near the volcano Aso (阿蘇山) in the prefecture of Kumamoto (熊本). Tamaryokucha Tamaryokucha (玉緑茶), often referred to as "coiled green tea" or "curly green tea," is a Japanese tea with a rich history dating back to the 18th century. This unique tea
Shincha July 2023 - Shincha from Chiran, in the prefecture of Kagoshima After last month Sencha (煎茶) from Chiran, in the prefecture of Kagoshima, we introduce you the new tea, called Shincha (新茶), from the very same producer. We hope that you can enjoy the subtle differences between these two teas! Sencha vs Shincha Sencha and Shincha are both popular Japanese green
Sencha June 2023 - Sencha from Chiran, in the prefecture of Kagoshima For June and July 2023 we selected two similar teas, from the same producer in Chiran, Kagoshima, Southern tip of Japan. The first one is a Sencha, and the second one a Shincha. That will allow you to compare the taste of both teas... But first, let's focus on the
Karigane March 2023 – Karigane from Kyoto This month we selected a Karigane (雁ヶ音) from Kyoto (京都), more precisely from the city of Uji (宇治). Photo courtesy of the producer Karigane Karigane (雁ヶ音) is a type of Japanese green tea that is made using the stems and stalks of the tea plant, instead of the leaves. It
Aichi January 2023 – Sencha from Shinshiro, in the prefecture of Aichi We wish you all a happy New Year 2023! After a long pause of nearly one year, we are at last able to resume tea shipments! The objective for this year is to send a full selection of twelve amazing teas… To start the year, we selected an organic Sencha
Tomotcha Back in business! Tomotcha has been suspended for way too long now. But at last we are back in business! We are happy to announce that we will resume shipments for the year-end celebrations. We will send the next tea around mid-December so that it is delivered towards the end of the year.
Tomotcha Temporary Suspension of All Shipments Dear Customers, Airmail service provided by JP Post is now suspended towards most destinations, including but not limited to most of Europe, North America and Australia. Until recently we could still ship to the EU, but the terrifying invasion of Ukraine by Russia has forced JP Post to suspend shipments
Murakamicha February 2022 – Murakamicha from Niigata For February 2022 we selected a Murakamicha (村上茶) from the city of Murakami (村上), in the prefecture of Niigata (新潟). Murakamicha is a very popular tea that we also sent last year, and in May 2016. Murakamicha This is now the third time that we present you Murakamicha (村上茶). This
Tomotcha Temporary suspension of shipments towards the United States and Australia | UPDATE: shipments have resumed Dear Customers, JP Post has unexpectedly suspended airmail service for small packets to the United States and Australia, leaving us with no choice but to temporarily suspend shipments towards these two countries. We are currently working on an alternative shipping method, so we may hopefully still be able to ship
Ishikawa October 2021 - Kaga Bōcha from Kanazawa This month, we selected a Kaga Bōcha (加賀棒茶) from the historical city of Kanazawa (金沢市), in the Ishikawa prefecture (石川県). Kanazawa train station by 663highland, CC BY-SA 3.0 Kaga Bōcha We already sent a Kaga Bōcha few years ago, in November 2015. Bōcha (棒茶) is a roasted green tea,
Sobacha August 2021 – Sobacha from Hokkaido This month we decided to select something really different from the usual green teas. So here goes a Sobacha (そば茶) from Hokkaido (北海道). Buckwheat – Sapporo Syoumeiann (札幌長命庵) Sobacha Sobacha (そば茶) literally means "buckwheat tea". It's an infusion made from roasted buckwheat, popular in Japan but also in Korea and China.
Sencha May 2021 - Tsuyuhikari Sencha from Gifu We selected a Tsuyuhikari (つゆひかり) sencha this month, from the town of Shirakawa (白川町) in the prefecture of Gifu (岐阜県). There are two places called Shirakawa in Gifu, that should not be confused: the town of Shirakawa located next to the city of Mino (美濃市), and the village of Shirakawa
Karigane February 2021 – Karigane Hōjicha from Mie This month we selected a Karigane Hōjicha (雁ヶ音ほうじ茶) from the prefecture of Mie (三重). Karigane Hōjicha Hōjicha (ほうじ茶) literally means roasted tea. Indeed Hōjichas are first prepared as traditional green teas, usually Senchas, and are then roasted. As implied by its name, Karigane Hōjicha is simply a Hōjicha produced by
Tomotcha Temporary suspension of shipments towards the European Union Heavy restrictions on international travel recently put in place in the European Union have caused a drop in the number of international flights to/from the E.U. As a result, delays in deliveries of international mail coming from Japan are now above one month. So we have decided to
Sencha August 2020 - Sencha from Miyazaki After a long break of three months, we started to send teas again, albeit only towards a few countries. To restart our operations, we went back to basics, with a sencha (煎茶) from Miyazaki (宮崎), on the island of Kyūshū (九州). Sencha from Miyazaki Among all Japanese green teas, sencha
Sencha October 2018 - Sencha from Kagoshima For once it's not Yasuko writing about tea! I don't have her knowledge of Japanese history and culture, but I will try to take you for a short trip to the South of Japan, from where I brought back the October 2018 selection: a Sencha (煎茶) from Kagoshima (鹿児島). Ibusuki
