Sunday 8/03/08 Prefered region for Japanese green tea?

[augie]

Kagoshima has been my fave since trying Yutaka Midori from O-Cha which is my favorite shincha this year amoung many stellar offerings.

I am split between Fuka Midori as well as Den's Houji-Kukicha. Haven't tried a whole lot of other greens. For whatever reason, I just have no interest in Matcha, maybe because that requires a whole separate set of teaware on its own!

Gameinformer rules at this house too!

Up until Midnight and half way through Breaking Dawn.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I don't think I have a preference yet for what region my senchas come from. All of the senchas that I have tried I have liked even though some have been better than others.

Today, I am still steeping the NanTou from yesterday. I took a break from it last night to have a cup of Foxtrot, but beyond that it is still going. It is not as much tea as it sounds since I have been running around the house cleaning today instead of just enjoying tea.

[Geekgirl]

I'm BACK!

Salsero, your coffee, erm... tea table looks like Nerd Disneyland.

Chip, Space, wes and others, if it were not for your utter enthusiasm for Japanese teas, I might have given up after my first senchas and matchas. Blech.

Uji for me. Since finally finding good matcha, it has become the first thing I do in the morning. I also prepared matcha each morning for the friends I was visiting, and before I left, they had me help them purchase the things needed so they could continue having it after I had gone.

This morning (post-matcha) I am enjoying one of my NCTG purchases: Iron Goddess King oolong. Cup is from Daiso. (Fun place for cheap teawares.)

Poppet might be a little perturbed that she was left behind during the expedition.

[Chip]

In fact I can't recall ever seeing Ise tea from Mie prefecture. Who sells sencha from there?

(Resists temptation to sing: "I gotta be Mie...")

Chasen sells Ise tea. Only one I know of off the top of my head. Not the easiest vendor to deal with.

I can't find a website for a tea shop called Chasen. Where are they? Not that I'm about to rush off and buy from them; I'm just curious. (Well... nosy!)

My mistake. Sorry. The company is Chajin and here is the portal to their universe. I cannot guarantee your return.

http://chajin.co.jp/

Their site is good for nosing around and glimpses of Japanese sites who really do not care if we understand them or not.

[Chip]

Kagoshima has been my fave since trying Yutaka Midori from O-Cha which is my favorite shincha this year amoung many stellar offerings.

I am split between Fuka Midori as well as Den's Houji-Kukicha. Haven't tried a whole lot of other greens. For whatever reason, I just have no interest in Matcha, maybe because that requires a whole separate set of teaware on its own!

So, Shizuoka has been your "choice" so far. I hope your journey takes you to other prefectures as well one day soon.

I'm BACK!

Salsero, your coffee, erm... tea table looks like Nerd Disneyland.

Chip, Space, wes and others, if it were not for your utter enthusiasm for Japanese teas, I might have given up after my first senchas and matchas. Blech.

Uji for me. Since finally finding good matcha, it has become the first thing I do in the morning. I also prepared matcha each morning for the friends I was visiting, and before I left, they had me help them purchase the things needed so they could continue having it after I had gone.

This morning (post-matcha) I am enjoying one of my NCTG purchases: Iron Goddess King oolong. Cup is from Daiso. (Fun place for cheap teawares.)

Poppet might be a little perturbed that she was left behind during the expedition.

Glad we could corrupt you in a good way. Welcome back.

Daiso should be called Daisoland. No place like it 'round these here parts.

[Victoria]

I'm BACK!

This morning (post-matcha) I am enjoying one of my NCTG purchases: Iron Goddess King oolong.

Welcome back Geek! Oh yeah the Iron Goddess King was my #2 Favorite from the Oolong Box Pass. Hope you enjoy it!! I have 4 other samples from them, lined up on my to try list!

I think poppet is trying to beam up the entire bowl!!
.

[chamekke]

My mistake. Sorry. The company is Chajin and here is the portal to their universe. I cannot guarantee your return.

http://chajin.co.jp/

Their site is good for nosing around and glimpses of Japanese sites who really do not care if we understand them or not.

No worries, I was just curious.

It's interesting that so many Japanese e-commerce sites have no interest in shipping overseas. Perhaps they feel it's too much trouble, or are intimidated by the prospect of having to communicate with customers in English (which I guess I can understand). It makes me appreciate people like Toru-san all the more!

[chamekke]

This morning (post-matcha) I am enjoying one of my NCTG purchases: Iron Goddess King oolong. Cup is from Daiso. (Fun place for cheap teawares.)

Poppet might be a little perturbed that she was left behind during the expedition.

Welcome back, GG We missed you!

I love the cup. It may be inexpensive, but it's very attractive. The little indentation on the left side is perfect.

Is Alien Poppet using her intense gaze to wi-i-i-i-ill me to drink oolong? If so, it's working...

[Chip]

Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...
Iron Goddess King...

I have heard this name more than a few times lately. Yey nobody has commented on the gender bending oddity of the name?

The stuff is good though, really good. I might have it after my bike ride this evening, but Baozhong is calling my name also. Both from the oolong queen (Iron Goddess Queen?), hard to go wrong.

Currently, Aracha (farmer tea) with some gyo/sencha Karigane thrown in. Neither of these two Japanese teas are my faves, but together they equal more than the sum of their parts.

I just opened this bag of everyday priced aracha and plan to do some major blending with it. I also got an old bag of Kuradashi (aged) Gyokuro Superior from 10/2006 that I found to be rather bleh low priced fare from Hibiki-an. My previous bag however proved to be a great blender.

So, current blenders just out of the TeaFridge:
Aracha shincha 2008 Hibiki-an
Karigane gyo/sencha Maiko 2007
Gyokuro Kuradashi (not) Superior 2006 that was aged 1.5 years proir to 2006...old stuff almost 3 years old.
Matcha everyday grade from Ippodo

[Victoria]

This afternoon's tea - TM Baozhong in my new lily cup!


~clicky for more views~

[Chip]

This afternoon's tea - TM Baozhong in my new lily cup!


~clicky for more views~

Show off!!! I mean the tea...or the cup...or both! Very nice and congrats.

[Salsero]

Salsero, your coffee, erm... tea table looks like Nerd Disneyland.
Poppet might be a little perturbed that she was left behind during the expedition.

Good to have you back. My son is the nerd. I am actually quite cool.
Poppet looks severly traumatized. I recommend ~$5,000 of therapy.

Iron Goddess King...
I have heard this name more than a few times lately. Yey nobody has commented on the gender bending oddity of the name?

For those who are uncomfortable with Chip's feigned confusion about gender ID issues: King is Cha Wang which does literally mean Tea King, but in this context just means premium or prize winning.

Additionally, Guan Yin (The One Who Observes the Sounds of the World) is not necessarily a female and not always a deity.

[Salsero]

I must say I am quite taken with this Summer 2008 Shan Lin Xi sample from TeaMasters. A lot of infusions and a couple of the early ones revelatory. Maybe it's just the contrast with all the Pouchong I've been downing lately, but it sure seems wonderful.

[Chip]

Iron Goddess King...
I have heard this name more than a few times lately. Yey nobody has commented on the gender bending oddity of the name?

For those who are uncomfortable with Chip's feigned confusion about gender ID issues: King is Cha Wang which does literally mean Tea King, but in this context just means premium or prize winning.

Additionally, Guan Yin (The One Who Observes the Sounds of the World) is not necessarily a female and not always a deity.

Sal is wise beyond his years...

The English translation is a bit confusing. I mean, why not call it premium or imperial in English then since this would more correctly convey the English meaning instead of the apparent juxtaposition of terms, which was my original point. Other vendors use the gender nuetral terminology for English translation where it is so glaring.

Also, please do not confuse my finding the name odd with "Chip's feigned confusion about gender ID issues." Not sure where you are going with that. My only comment was the "goddess king" nomenclature and nothing of a sexual nature.

[augie]

[ My son is the nerd. I am actually quite cool.
Poppet looks severly traumatized. I recommend ~$5,000 of therapy.

Which one of you cool dudes listens to My Chemical Romance???