No other plant produces tea and certainly won’t have the superfood health benefits of matcha or any other green tea. It’s a unique taste and sensation that happens on the tongue with anything containing natural glutamic acid or glutamates. This is where one of the best matcha production regions rule and from where Chiki Tea matcha hails. Imagine a tea farm in Yame Kyushu, high up in the misty mountains where the stars shine brightly at night. As opposed to the United States or Europe, for example, where matcha sweets are still somewhat of a rarity, Japan can look back on a century-long history with matcha. She has studied two methods of tea ceremony, both Urasenke and lesser known Yabunouchi, which has direct lineage to Sen-no Rikyu (known as the father of the tea ceremony), and is the school of practice for samurai. It’s the same with fine wine which takes on particular flavors and subtleties based on a region, the characteristics of its soil, steepness of the hillside, and orientation to the sun. Inside Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kyoto's Spectacular Temple of a 1,000 Gold Statues. You might argue that your cup of peppermint tea — which said it was ‘tea’ on the box — is in fact tea, but it’s not…it is an, is not a proper tea either, though often mislabeled as such – particularly on cafe and restaurant menus. These houses carry on his legacy to this very day, emphasizing Rikyu’s focus on the mental and spiritual aspect of the tradition. There’s even, In order to be considered ‘tea’, the leaf must come from the, plant. It was a monk of the Tendai sect called Myoan Eisai (1141 ~ 1215) who traveled to China in 1187, only to discover two things: tea seeds and Zen scriptures. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In this blog series, I will try to provide some clarity, though some things may surprise you! Precious matcha demands a perfect place for cultivation. Not only was the taste good, however. Required fields are marked *. In Japan, it is an integral part of many a recipe, especially concerning sweets: pudding, cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, mochi, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream – there is no end to all the delicacies that can be enhanced with green tea powder. The recent boom in matcha means you now see it everywhere – from ice cream, cakes, and savory dishes; to lattés, smoothies, and exotic concoctions like Starbucks’ new Pineapple Matcha Drink. When tea seeds were introduced to Japan, they were first planted at Toganoo. Many people are confused by all the different terms and types of matcha now available to buy online and in shops. Matcha: Understanding Japan’s Powdered Green Tea, Recommended articles for first-time visitors to Japan, Matcha: How Powdered Green Tea is Produced, Matcha: the Preparation of Japan’s Green Tea Powder. Just peek at Pinterest and Instagram to see the creativity on display in the daily use of this bionic superfood. By the 15th century, the consumption of matcha had become infused with the philosophies of Zen Buddhism – sado (茶道), the Way of Tea or simply the tea ceremony, was born. Tokyo Weather: 7-day Forecast for Tokyo and Japan (+What to Wear! The Menu Is Really This Big?! As such, he is often depicted chewing on an herb or tea leaves on old scrolls and pictures. Many people outside of Japan have heard of the tea ceremony and matcha’s role in that, but few understand the meaning behind the ritual, the importance of the quality of the matcha, and the complexity associated with its cultivation and processing. Following the Shennong legend, the history of tea can be traced back to 2737 BC, the year in which the mythical emperor discovered tea. In 2013 she co-founded Chiki Tea – a Japanese/American fusion pairing Japanese green teas with Western flavors such as brownies, scones and cheesecake. ), Discover Aizu, Japan’s Samurai Region: Sake, Cuisine, and Cultural Heritage a Day Trip Away From Tokyo. But while tea powder was given up on in China at some point, the concept was particularly embraced by Japanese monks. Like so many other traditions and customs of old Japan, matcha can trace back its roots to Buddhism – to Zen Buddhism in particular. Chiki Tea is a UK company with a Japanese subsidiary. By-the-cup commercial brewers – here they come! Natural glutamates develop when some foods are fermented, aged, cooked, or processed (steamed in the case of matcha and many Japanese green teas). Next month I will explain how matcha is produced…but if you can’t wait that long and want to dive straight in and try whisking a bowl of this vivid and delicious health elixir, you can find matcha from Yame at www.chikitea.com. Eisai wrote a book not only about how to drink green tea but also about various health benefits and positive effects on the human body, called the kissa yojoki (喫茶養生記), or “On Drinking Tea for One’s Health”. Images provided and copyright held by author. Matcha gets its superfood status and incredible health benefits from two distinct processes: The way the tea plant is cultivated and how it is processed. The very first sentence of Eisai’s book states the following: "Tea is the ultimate mental and medical remedy and has the ability to make one's life more full and complete." To make harvested tea easy to transport and to shield it from rot, steamed and then dried tea leaves were ground into a powder which was then pressed into bricks. Yes, matcha is a green tea, but first, let’s define what constitutes actual TEA. There are various legends and theories surrounding how the making of tea was discovered but one of the most prominent stories is the one about Shennong. In a nutshell, matcha green tea or simply matcha (sometimes spelled maccha), is a very specific and distinct Japanese tea, made from intensively cultivated and processed tea leaves, called tencha, that are micro-milled into a vivid green powder with particles finer than smoke. Eichu is said to have served it to Emperor Saga himself. It is not made from, But in the case of matcha, it’s milled from, The Yame region is so special not only because of the growing conditions but also its rare and nearly extinct, traditional technique of shading the plants before harvest. Japan Creates a Dishwasher to Fit in the Tiniest of Tokyo Apartments! Let’s take a closer look of what matcha means, what it looks like, and what it is used for in modern Japanese society: Japanese Drinking Culture is so Different! The Emperor liked the beverage so much that in 816, he ordered green tea plantations to be cultivated in today’s Kansai region. One of the most influential figures when it comes to sado is Sen no Rikyu (1522 ~ 1591). While some might see the green powder as a thing mostly enjoyed by hip cosmopolitans or health-conscious hippies, others have already claimed matcha tea for themselves. Curious, Shennong tried the water nonetheless and found the taste of it quite enjoyable. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, In a nutshell, matcha green tea or simply matcha (sometimes spelled, ), is a very specific and distinct Japanese tea, made from intensively cultivated and processed tea leaves, called, , that are micro-milled into a vivid green powder with particles finer than smoke. Uji tea (宇治茶, Uji-cha) is a common name for all Japanese green tea produced from Uji, Kyoto.The 3 main types of Uji tea are Matcha, Sencha and Gyokuro.Japanese tea is originated from the Tang Dynasty of China, which is during the Heian period of Japan when Chinese influences were at its peak. *This information is from the time of this article's publication. But in the case of matcha, it’s milled from tencha, which are leaves picked from the camellia sinensis plant and processed a certain way. Shading is vital to the cultivation because the leaf is altered when it struggles for light, therefore delivering maximum antioxidants and theanine as well as incredible, It’s a unique taste and sensation that happens on the tongue with anything containing natural glutamic acid or, Next month I will explain how matcha is produced…but if you can’t wait that long and want to dive straight in and try whisking a bowl of this vivid and delicious health elixir, you can find matcha from Yame at, September 2020 Featured Writer – Holly Helt. No other plant produces tea and certainly won’t have the superfood health benefits of matcha or any other green tea. To learn more about umami, check out my recent T Ching article on it. The Yame region is so special not only because of the growing conditions but also its rare and nearly extinct, traditional technique of shading the plants before harvest.

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