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
Mugicha August 2015 - Mugicha from Hyogo It's summer time in Japan! That means humidity and warmth: way way way too much of both. To survive in this environment Japanese people rely on a pecular drink called Mugicha... so here is our August 2015 pick: Mugicha (麦茶) from Hyogo (兵庫). What is Mugicha? Mugicha is a roasted
Kagoshima July 2015 - Sencha from Kagoshima For the July shipment, we have selected a Sencha (煎茶) from Kagoshima (鹿児島). This tea qualifies as a Shincha (新茶) since it is made from the first harvest of the year. Sencha Sencha (煎茶) is the most popular green tea in Japan, and is served with most Japanese meals. 80%
Mie June 2015 - Shincha from Mie Spring is the season of Shincha (新茶), or “new tea“ in Japanese. So for the June shipment we selected a delicious new Fukamushi Sencha (深蒸し煎茶) from Ise (伊勢), in the prefecture of Mie (三重). Shincha Tealeaves are usually harvested 4 or 5 times a year, starting from April until October,
Kyoto May 2015 - Hojicha from Uji This month we selected a Hojicha (ほうじ茶) from Uji (宇治) in the prefecture of Kyoto (京都). Hojicha Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is a Japanese green tea roasted over charcoal. The roasting of green tea leaves and twigs is done at very high temperature (200ºC or 400ºF) over charcoal, similarly to how coffee
Mie April 2015 - Karigane from Mie This month we selected an amazing Karigane (かりがね) from the prefecture of Mie (三重). Karigane Kukicha (茎茶), also called Bocha (棒茶), is a tea blend made of stems, stalks, and twigs. Karigane is a kind of Kukicha made exclusively from Gyokuro (玉露) plants. Gyokuro is a special kind of Sencha
Kagoshima March 2015 - Chirancha from Kyushu Last week I went with my family on a short trip to visit the region of Kagoshima (鹿児島), at the south western tip of the island of Kyushu (九州). The area is fantastic, with many hot springs, and jaw-dropping landscapes. The food is of course delicious: local specialties include black
Kagoshima A Trip to Kagoshima Exciting news: next week I will be travelling to Kagoshima (鹿児島), the southernmost city of Kyushu (九州). I've been to Kagoshima many times, but I'm always in awe when in front of the almighty Sakurajima (桜島): a very active volcano in the bay facing the city. Of course I will
Kabusecha February 2015 - Kabusecha from Kamo For our first commercial shipment we have chosen a delicate Kabusecha from the town of Kamo, in the Kyoto prefecture. Kabusecha The Japanese verb "kabuseru" (被せる) means "to cover (with something)". As the name suggests, Kabusecha (かぶせ茶) is a kind of Sencha (煎茶) grown in the shade: two to three
