The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
| Tea in Japan - the Early History |
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| Just as in China, Japan is best known for its green teas. Although both countries have a long history of creating unique, tasteful green teas, the way in which they are grown and produced is worlds apart. |
| Chinese teas are carefully hand-plucked, grown high in the mountains in isolated tea gar- dens and brought to rural tea factories to be pro- cessed by hand using traditional methods of manu- facture, some of which are centuries old. Japan's methods, however, lie at the other end of the spectrum, with their carefully groomed gardens located at lower elevations on softly undulating hills, their tea uniformly plucked by machine, then processed with high-tech machinery in bright and shiny state-of-the-art processing facilities. There is no artistic interpretation of the tea leaf, but it is rather made by a closely followed "recipe" of sorts using a set blend and process so as to achieve the same specific flavor profile each and every time, with the emphasis on the modern |
| manufacturing process and exacting flavors they seek to achieve instead. The beginning of tea drinking in Japan goes back to around the eighth century Nara period (710- 794 AD) introduced by Buddhist priests who returned to Japan after studying in China. A written account tells of Japanese emperor Shomu having served tea to 100 Buddhist monks in 729 AD at his palace in Nara. Later in the ninth century another Buddhist monk, Dengo Daishi returned home after studying in China, bringing with him tea seeds which he planted in his monastery garden. For the next five years the monk carefully tended to his tea plants, and when they were finally ready to harvest, he brewed the first batch of tea for Emperor Saga. The emperor was so de- lighted with the wonderful flavor, he ordered tea to be grown commercially on five plantations. In 1911 another Japanese monk, Myoan Yeisai returned home after studying Zen Buddhism in China, bringing with him more tea seeds as well as a new method of tea production. Eisai (1141-1215) later became known as Eisai Zenji or Zen Master. The new method of tea production called for whisking the powdered tea into hot water, and included serving and drinking rituals developed by the Chinese Rinzai Zen Buddhism sect that Eisai founded upon returning home. Throughout his lifetime Eisai made many trips back to China, returning each time with more tea seeds. He shared these with other monks and priests who in turn planted them in various loca- tions throughout Japan, including Kyoto, Kyushu, and Uji. Belief is that Eisai provided the tea seeds used to plant the old tea gardens located Kyoto Kozanji Temple. In the first Japanese book on tea written by Eisai, called Kissa Yojoki (translated to "Tea Drinking Good for the Health"), he claimed tea would "conquer the five diseases" and "remedy all disorders," and he recom- mended that tea be drunk by all people. This caused tea drinking to be taken up by the masses - everyone from the aristocracy to the warrior classes enjoyed drinking tea. Up to that time tea had been drunk as a medicinal tonic or to improve ones health, but now it was considered to be a pleasurable drink. It was during the Muromachi period, however, (1392-1573) that Japan's true roots of tea culture and practice took hold strongly in the small rural area of Uji, located outside the imperial city of Kyoto. So strong was the tie to tea culture in Uji, that for a time tea was referred to as ujicha. Some of the oldest and most famous tea gardens are located in Uji, where even today tradition- al tea making skills are taught and practiced. Another important figure that helped to advance the tea culture in Japan was General Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (r 1449-1474), who started the Onin War, nearly destroying the city of Kyoto in the process. Handing the country over to his son, General Yoshimasa retired to live a quiet life in his Kyoto palace, devoted to Zen arts, poetry, and the culture of tea. It was under the general's influence that tea was brought into the secular realm after having been introduced to the great tea master Murata Juko, who began tea's elevation into an art form which eventually led to the ceremony known as Chanoyu. Even though today Japan is a fully industrialized country with large, fast-paced cities, it main- tains its strong culture based on ancient Shinto beliefs and quiet Zen moments of simplicity and beauty. Underneath the crazy hustle and bustle of Japan's cities lies the simple beauty of the designed dishes, served according to the established rules of style, manner, and tradition. So, while Japan is very much in the present, you can still take a step back in time, where tradi- tional tea making skills are practiced, and delight in the simplistic beauty of an age old ceremony. Enjoy. |
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| To learn more or for more information about tea, visit our other pages: How do I calculate how much loose tea to use for brewing either one cup or a pot of tea? Learn how to measure the proper amount of tea to perfectly brew either a single cup or entire pot of tea. Also learn how to calculate the number of cups and cost per pound of loose tea. Are you always on the go? Take your tea with you. Tea tools, like travel, electric, and insulated mugs keep your tea hot while on the go. Learn about other convenient tea tools and accessories that will help you take your tea on the go and enjoy it anywhere. What is Fair Trade tea and how does it work? The origins of the early Fair Trade program and the organisations that helped to develop it, and are considered to be the founding fathers of Fair Trade. (For a great selection of Fair Trade and organic teas, visit Silver Leaf Tea Co.) What is the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) and how does it differ from Fair Trade tea? Learn what the Ethical Tea Partnership or FTP is, and its function in regard to manufacturing tea, as well as its relationship to Fair Trade and how it differs. How should tea be stored? Save money by never having to throw away spoiled tea. Learn tea storage tips and information on how to keep your tea fresh, preserving quality and flavor. Tea and caffeine-how the tea in caffeine affects us. A look at the amount of caffeine in each type of tea and how it affects our body. Also caffeine as a stimulant, how it works, and the positive and negative effects it may have on our system. How does tea help boost the immune system and keep us healthy? Learn what ingredients are in tea that help give your lagging immune system a boost, then helps to maintain it at an optimum level. Specialty and gourmet teas-a treat for the taste buds. If you want to give your taste buds a unique treat, try one of the many specialty or gourmet teas available. With a range of flavors from smoky to sweet, and everything in-between, you'll never be bored by your beverage. (Find a great selection of specialty and gourmet teas at Silver Leaf Tea Co.) |
An easy-to-use ingenuiTEA teapot, whose ingenious design has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine and HGTV.
Receive A Guide To Tea, an 88-page book on the history and enjoyment of tea free with your first Adagio Teas order of $19 or more.
Gifts for lovers of tea with free wrapping of all items.