Going back to Japan...

by **Michael_C** » Sep 21st, '07, 16:05

Going back to Japan...

by Michael_C » Sep 21st, '07, 16:05

Well, I'm leaving on the 15th of October and will be in Nara for 8 days. If anyone will be in the area during that time, I'll be headlining on the 17th at Club Metro in Kyoto... anyway, I will be taking photographs of the tea shops and stores, and bringing back an assortment of canisters and teas from the farms - I might cobble the photos into an essay for TeaMuse. Would anybody like me to check prices, or ask questions to tea farmers, etc.?

by **ABx** » Sep 21st, '07, 16:47

by ABx » Sep 21st, '07, 16:47

Lucky man

I'd like to know about any Japanese oolongs. I'd love to get my hands on some as well (if it exists), if they have a website or anything.

by **Mocha Wheels** » Sep 21st, '07, 18:31

by Mocha Wheels » Sep 21st, '07, 18:31

ditto on abx's comment

by **Michael_C** » Sep 22nd, '07, 22:36

by Michael_C » Sep 22nd, '07, 22:36

Oolongs. Got it. One of my favorite bottled teas there is an oolong, but that doesn't mean it's harvested in-country. I'll ask the tea shop owners and farmers I meet. If such tea is there, I'll get the scoop for you. Anything else?

by **Mocha Wheels** » Sep 23rd, '07, 14:55

by Mocha Wheels » Sep 23rd, '07, 14:55

michael, see about a white peppermint tea- i know i could just make a blend myself but it'd be easier if i could just buy it preblended... and since you're going there anyway lol

by **ABx** » Sep 23rd, '07, 15:04

by ABx » Sep 23rd, '07, 15:04

Mocha Wheels wrote:michael, see about a white peppermint tea- i know i could just make a blend myself but it'd be easier if i could just buy it preblended... and since you're going there anyway lol

I think you might be confusing Japan for China. Japan mostly produces green teas like bancha, sencha, matcha, and gyokuro. I'm not aware of any whites nor flavored teas coming out of Japan. Really, I don't think a lot of the flavored teas are coming out of China, either, with the exception of Jasmine.

by **Chip** » Sep 23rd, '07, 18:27

by Chip » Sep 23rd, '07, 18:27

Kevin from O-Cha shared recently about a true Japanese oolong he had just sampled. He was not impressed. I would not be surprised to see more on this in the future.

There are flavored Japanese teas. Cherry blossom in the Spring is a classic example. But there are others mostly trying to cater to western tastes...bleh.

by **Michael_C** » Sep 23rd, '07, 19:07

by Michael_C » Sep 23rd, '07, 19:07

Well, I can tell you from my last trip that several residents I spoke to had never drank a white tea, which would seem to indicate that Japan isn't much of a source for it. Also, I've never seen a bottled white in any vending machine or store - those little bottles of tea were what started me on teasism, so I've had quite a few varieties - still, I'll ask. Japan is very much a green tea country, with blacks a distant second - often consumed but rarely prepared. I'll save some labels from my favorite bottled brands and scan and post them also.

Japanese white would definitely be a specialty item, which makes it worth checking into.

by **Mocha Wheels** » Sep 26th, '07, 13:06

by Mocha Wheels » Sep 26th, '07, 13:06

Michael_C wrote:Japanese white would definitely be a specialty item, which makes it worth checking into.

indeed! sorry if i sounded really stupid... i'm still a tea newbie. maybe you should put a trip to china on your schedule hehe

by **Chip** » Sep 26th, '07, 13:10

by Chip » Sep 26th, '07, 13:10

But do keep you eyes open for that Japanese oolong.

by **xine** » Sep 27th, '07, 10:15

by xine » Sep 27th, '07, 10:15

Please take lots of pictures! PM'd you

by **Michael_C** » Oct 9th, '07, 14:46

by Michael_C » Oct 9th, '07, 14:46

I'll be going to Uji city in Kyoto to some very old tea shops. Anybody have any questions they'd like me to ask? I hope to meet some farmers / monks as well, so if you have anything you'd like to know, tell me here.

I leave Monday, 10/15