Tea culture in Japan

[robert]

I would like to talk about Tea culture in Japan. Gyokuro , Sencha , Bancha and Matcha , Kuki-cha , Genmai cha- any experience with these teas?
How about traditional Chanoyu and Sencha-do ?
I like Sencha very much, and I am so happy to have Shicha - this year.

[ali17]

Does anyone know any good books/websites/movies on the subject that they can recommend?

[robert]

IMH " Book of Tea" is the best essay about tea in Far East.
http://www.nobleharbor.com/tea/teabook/bookoftea.htm
All about Tea in Japan you can find > Tea Museum site of the Kaburagien Co.Ltd
http://www.kaburagien.co.jp/museum/english/index.php
Not only Chanoyu buy Sencha-do is a kind of tea ceremony
http://www.senchadou.com/iemotoeng.htm
any other suggestions?

[ali17]

Thanks I'll read up and then come back to talk about it.

[robert]

woooh!
unfortunately
Jun 16 - was last day for campaign in Japan - where Suntory company are giving away iPods. http://oolongcp.jp/top.go
Oolong tea is so popular in Japan. Originaly this tea comes from China ( Fujian prov.) But Japanese drink oolong same as green tea. Tea is suitable for lunch box- bentou (弁当）, when coffe or jucice in not.
In 1981 - Suntory introduced Oolong tea in Japan for first time. Year by year we can see new oolong 's commercial design creations:
http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/oolongtea/cm/

[robert]

Ali 17 - are you from Seattle aren't you ?
Do you know Green Tea Cafe ?
I'm going to watch documentary production about opening cermony of first Green Tea Cafe in Seattle. That was on May 13.
On Jun 20 - TV- Tokyo will be a program about how Japanese are going to introdcuce green tea in some other coutries.
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/gaia/backnumb ... 60620.html

[ali17]

I saw the Green Tea Cafe about a week ago. Didn't go in yet. I will though when I have the time.

[Nathan]

http://www.sakura-yokohama.com/html/index.html
This place seems to be interesting .Unfortunaterly HP is not updated.
I will try to visit there in I go to Yokohama.

[robert]

Week ago on Jun 20 saw TV documentary .
Koots green tea shop seems to be ok .Introducing japanese green tea with non traditional way. http://www.koots.co.jp/menu/drink/
They have a first cafe in Seattle- According to TV documentary green tea is not common in US - so Koots staff have to struggle to get a regular customers .

[ali17]

I have been to that one. It is Bellevue which is about a 10 min drive east of Seattle. That is a good place to put a tea shop if it is going to do well in this area that is the place to do it. Bellevue is the rich area of town. And there is a large upper middle class asian population there. It is all upscale shops and they are not the only tea shop in the area. Teavana is also there they sell teapots all kinds and a wide variety of teas. I believe there wedsite is just teavana.com

My mom loves the tea that tastes alot like coffee but is not caffinated. It has natural stimulants instead.

[robert]

Here - we can see a "few " teapots. Any impression?
Just a simple japanese pottery .
http://www.chajin.co.jp/catalog/chaki/k ... index.html

[robert]

Chinese ( Taiwanese) high quality teas have a lot of fans in Japan. Intersting thing is that chinese tea names are changed due to japanese KANJI reading . Famous oolong tea Tie Guan Ying ＜鉄観音＞ is called Tetsu Kannon in japanese..Also sometimes chinese characters are translated into KATAKANA ENGLISH as we can see on HP of Taekurakan Tea Salon
http://www.takeurakan.jp/index2.html
where - they translated 氷烏龍 as　アイスウーロン. In Japanese writing we can have many combinations how to experss some ideas...

[robert]

anoter useful　 link about Tea Culture:
http://www.o-cha.net/english/index.html

or in 日本語：
http://www.o-cha.net/index.asp　　　

[robert]

おーぃ　お茶！　
One of the most popular tea from Ito En is : "Oi ---o Cha!"
just here http://www.itoen.co.jp/oiocha/cm/index.html.
japanese style CM where you can hear Bulgarian chorus.

Ito En is one of the biggest tea comany in Japan.
http://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/index.html

They have also shop in New York
http://www.itoen.com/

[robert]

Another Tea story this time in winter !
伊右衛門　 is a tea produced by Suntory ( Japan) here is a story
http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/iemon/cm/
also you can see IEMON tea here:
http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/iemon/top.html
and get a wall paper :
http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/iemo ... index.html

enjoy your tea.!!!!!