If you happen to be in Kyoto on Saint Patrick's Day and are wondering how to celebrate (other than heading to an Irish Pub and getting hammered) - here's something new. I was strolling through the Fushimi Inari area today when I happened to spy this sign. The sign suggests celebrating Ireland's most important holiday, with a glass of beer, flavored and colored … [Read more...] about Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with a Glass of Green Matcha Beer at Otani-Chaen Tea Shop, Inari!
Tea
Camellia Tea Ceremony
Authentic tea ceremony in a beautiful 100-year-old traditional Geisha ryokan near Kiyomizu Temple A special guest post for Deep Kyoto today by Atsuko Mori of Camellia Tea Ceremony... The tea ceremony (sado) is a quintessential part of Japanese culture and is considered the height of sophistication. What do you first think of when you hear ‘tea ceremony’? Japanese … [Read more...] about Camellia Tea Ceremony
A Trip to Inuyama
Here are some pictures from Inuyama in Aichi prefecture, which we visited last month. Inuyama Castle is supposed to be the oldest castle in Japan: the original fort was built in 1440, and the current structure was completed in 1537. However as you can see from the scaffolding in the picture above, it still needs a bit of maintenance from time to time. Despite the metal … [Read more...] about A Trip to Inuyama
Sencha – The Chinese Way of Tea
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links from which the owner of this website may earn a commission. Ian Ropke writes... Mention tea ceremony and most Japanese will think of chanoyu, the way of tea based on a ritual for drinking the powdered green tea called matcha, which was formalized by Sen no Rikyū in the sixteenth century. Much closer to … [Read more...] about Sencha – The Chinese Way of Tea
Autumn Japanese Tea Ceremonies in Kyoto
Ian Ropke writes: Experiencing an Autumn Tea Ceremony For many tea connoiseurs, autumn is considered to be the finest time of the year to hold a tea ceremony; the stifling hot weather has passed, and the autumn mood is sublime. The basic form and aesthetic of today’s Japanese tea ceremony is largely credited to Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), who was inspired to develop a form … [Read more...] about Autumn Japanese Tea Ceremonies in Kyoto