Risa Sekiguchi is an artist, photographer, and founder of Savory Japan, a website dedicated to Japanese cuisine and culture. For more information on Japanese , visit Savory SAVORY Japan: savoryjapan.com/ingredients/tea.html Essay by Risa Sekiguchi

Hachiju Hachiya Savor the Best Brew of the Season

Spring in Kyoto includes the occasional chilly night, and local farmers worry about their crops whenever temperatures dip. But they, and locals alike, can breath a sigh of relief on and around May 2. This day, called Hachiju Hachiya (“88th night,” literally), marks the beginning of the Jap- anese summer on the ancient Japanese calendar (the name denotes the number of days after risshun, the first day of spring). The weather turns warm, and rice, as well as other tender annuals, can be planted from this day forward without fear. Hachiju Hachiya also marks the optimal time for picking tea leaves. If you are lucky enough to visit a tea-growing area such as (just a short train ride south of Kyoto) during this time, you would see the bright green tips of fresh leaves covering neatly trimmed, undulating caterpillar- shaped bushes. As if illuminated by a glowing, other-worldly chartreuse light, they burst forth with new life, an embodiment of health. But there is no need to travel to Uji to sample what is considered to be Japan’s most famous and high-quality tea. Specialty shops such as Kyoto’s Ippodo offer many different grades and varieties of Uji tea in vacuum-packed packages as well as beautiful tin gift containers. Tea picked around Hachiyu Hachiya is usually available in May and early June, and is best enjoyed fresh. It comes in both and gyokuro vari- eties (see below). Drinking tea on Hachiju Hachiya is believed to ensure health and prolong life, and some of Kyoto’s traditional households mark this day by placing a fresh leaf in their cup. The leaf can How to Brew a Perfect Cup of Tea either be eaten (it has a tender texture and bright flavor) or saved It is a good idea to use a small for high-quality such as a keepsake. Enjoying a perfectly brewed cup of Hachiyu Ha- as and gyokuro varieties, as the temperature can be chiya tea is a special treat, and it feels good to slow down and better controlled. This is why there are diminutive (of- acknowledge this turning point: when you can look forward to ten called sencha cups) made specifically for high-quality tea. Sencha balmy nights and put your sweaters away for good. It is important to use water that is not too hot: the optimal temperature is 80°C. Using hotter water would “burn” the tea leaves, spoiling the subtleties of their delicate flavor and killing beneficial antioxi- dants. To ensure the right temperature, pour the water into four cups (this allows the cups to warm and the water to cool). Then, pour the water back into the teapot along with 2 tea- spoons of tea leaves. Allow to sit for one minute. Line the cups up, pouring one by one, up to half. Fill the fourth cup and then return to the first in order to get the same strength in each cup. Matcha, sencha and gyokuro have high levels of vi- Matcha tamin C and . Photo courtesy of Ippodo. Ippodo has been providing a variety of fine quality Gyokuro is the highest quality of Japanese leaf tea. The Japanese green tea. For more information, see their leaves are picked in spring while tender. A select quantity is ad on pg 21. picked by hand, and the resulting tea is exceedingly rare and has a price tag to match. The gyokuro leaves are then steamed and dried. Sencha, or “infused tea” is not as expensive and is suitable for daily use. The leaves are harvested from mid spring to summer and may include stems, smaller pieces and other im- perfections. Matcha is harvested in early spring, using only the most ten- der leaves that grow on the tips of the tea branches. It is steamed, then dried flat and ground into a fine powder. The bright green powder is measured into chawan (tea bowls) and whisked until frothy. © Hotaru Images