This is the season of picking flesh tea.
“Shincya” is sold in May.
Tea leaves are picked several times a year.
“Shincya” is made from the first leaves of spring.
It has less caffeine and catechins (the source of bitterness) than teas made from older leaves harvested in summer and fall.
It also has more amino acids, the source of umami and sweetness.
At some tea farms, passengers can pick flesh tea leaves.
Japanese people loves tea.
Japanese tea is beautiful green.
That comese from immediate heat processing of the leaves, which prevents fermentation.
You can get plastic bottoles of Japanese tea at convenience store.
But it is more elegant to serve tea from “Kyusu”(Japanese tea pot).
Tea ceremony is Japanese traditional culture.
You can enjoy traditionl style of tea ceremony too.
５月は新茶の季節です。
お茶は年に何回か収穫できますが、
新茶は春の一番最初のお茶の葉からつくられます。
苦味のもとになるカフェインとカテキンが少なく、
うまみの元であるアミノ酸が豊富です。
日本のお茶は美しい緑色です。
これはお茶の発酵をとめるために生葉を即時に加熱処理しているためです。
コンビニではペットボトルでお茶が売られていますが、
急須でいれたほうがよりエレガントな気分でお茶を飲むことができます。
観光客が茶摘み体験のできる茶畑もあります。
静岡県伊豆の国市 蔵屋鳴沢
埼玉県狭山市 宮野園
京都府和束町 京都おぶぶ茶苑
