Tea tasting: Hand-rolled green tea

I love green tea and thought this post and photos were just so beautiful I had to share! Subarashi desu!

茶柱 The Floating Tea Stem

This is just a short post (and photo dump) for a delicious hand-rolled tea I received as a gift last week.

In Japan, there are farmers who produce hand-rolled tea, usually in small amounts and sold at premium pricing.

Also, as I have previously posted, some even offer the hands-on experience to visitors, at a fee.

However, in most tea regions there is a ‘cha temomi hozonkai’, or Tea Hand-rolling Preservation Society. This is usually a group of experienced tea masters who strive to preserve the traditional method of rolling tea, which is by hand instead of using machines.

On pricing, let me give you an example of what premium could be. In this year’s first new tea auction held in Shizuoka City last week, a kilo of hand-rolled green tea from Fujinomiya, made in collaboration with the Fujinomiya Tea Hand-rolling Preservation Society, fetched a whopping 1,968,000 yen.

That…

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Photograph: Father & Daughter in Arms, Hanoi, Vietnam

At the Museum of Military History in Hanoi, Vietnam, I was struck by this image of a father and his daughter exploring the exhibition on women patriots during the Vietnam War. I loved the way the arms reflected each other. This photograph, taken in November 2019, is available at Estudio Sol on Society6! Along with … Continue reading Photograph: Father & Daughter in Arms, Hanoi, Vietnam

The Latest and Last Genjuan Anthology

Get your copy today! My honorable mention, Nagaranishi, is included in this fine anthology of award-winning Haibun! Arigato!

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The Cottage of Visions, Genjuan Haibun 2018-21 anthology, 160pp, lilac cover A5, ¥1,400 (US$18 incl. p&p), just published by Hailstone! Available in Japan via teruyama2014″at”gmail”dot”com and for overseas mailing via indigoapple28″at”gmail”dot”com. Short of funds, this time we will only send it free to those in the book itself – awardees for the 2018-21 contests + judges and officers. Content: 40 awarded haibun, 13 judge’s comments (incl. ones by Nenten Tsubo’uchi, Toru Kiuchi, Akiko Takazawa, Hisashi Miyazaki, Sean O’Connor, and Angelee Deodhar), 8 haibun pieces by the judges, 3 new translations of Basho, Kyorai and Kikaku, 10 illustrations by Buson & Taiga. From the Preface:

“The door of the Cottage of Visions is surprisingly light. As I push it shut for the last time, I wonder if there is any point in locking it. While I’m away, perhaps the wind might blow it open and an animal get in? Or, if…

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Genjuan International Haibun Contest 2021 Results

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Grand Prix

A Mead-Hall of the Mind by J Hahn Doleman (USA)

An (Cottage) Prizes

Wintering Grounds by Marietta McGregor (Australia)
The Departing by Manoj Nair (India)
Call to Prayer by Matthew Caretti (USA)

Honourable Mentions

Donnybrook Graveyard by Glenda Cimino (Ireland)
Bells on New Year’s Eve by Akihiko Hayashi (Japan)
Afternoon Memories by Margherita Petriccione (Italy)
Morning Zoo by Jennifer Hambrick (USA)
Great Horned Owl by Margaret Chula (USA)
Village Clean Up by Diarmuid Fitzgerald (Ireland)

Judges: Akiko Takazawa, Stephen Henry Gill, Sean O’Connor

Officer: Junko Oda

This year we had a record field of 139 entries from approx. 20 countries. For the first time, our entries came in by email, and not everyone stated where they live. Warm congratulations to all awardees, who will in due course receive certificates, judges’ comments and (the top four only) prizes. The 2021 prize-winning pieces will be available to read…

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