Dobro vecer ! Kako ste ?

Danas the topic is as below.

How is Japanese tea enjoyed ?

Japanese tea is known as green tea.And tea used for tea ceremonies is maccha 抹茶,powdered tea.

These ceremonies are called sado　茶道,　

also called chado or cha no yu,and during such occasions tea is made to be served to guests. Sado is not only for tea it is also about creating an atmosphere of subtle beauty. For this reason,it is important to appreciate the chawan 茶碗, or teacups,

and the way the tea is being served. Also to be appreciated are the ikebana 生け花, or flower arrangement as well as the scrolls hanging behind the ikebana in places known as 床の間, where different types of artwork can be found.

When the tea ceremony was established during the 16th century, people found it a comfort to be able to have established during the 16th century,people found it a comfort to be able to have sophisticated conversations with a cup of tea served in a pleasant manner and a soothing atmosphere.

Now people consider the manners and customs of this ceremony to such a large degree that they sometimes forget to enjoy themselves when taking part in ceremony. So if you do take part in ceremony , please try to relax and enjoy yourself.

Besides, maccha the Japanese drink many other kind of tea.Japanese call green tea ocha お茶、

which is usually free in restaurants just like water. Ocha is typically served hot, though these days it is also bottled as cold tea and available in vending machines. These are also various type of ocha available.

One type, shincha 新茶 is an aromatic tea produced immediately after the tea leaves have been harvested.

Gyokuro 玉露 is a high-quality tea which is processed in such a way that the tea’s bitterness is reduced.

Bancha 番茶 is made using tea leaves that have been  picked after summer. This type is relatively bitter but quite refreshing when you are thirsty. Another type is hojicha ほうじ茶、which is quite popular and is roasted .

This tea is low in caffeine and like bancha it is a good thirst-quencher.

And we cannot forget genmaicha 玄米茶, a special type of bancha that is mixed with roasted brown rice.

The teas described above belong to a group of tea that is called sencha 煎茶. The Japanese put tea leaves into special pot called a kyusu　急須　and then pour hot water into it to prepare the tea.

Maccha however is made using powdered tea, which is placed directly into a special sort of teacup and mixed with hot water using a stirring tool called a chasen 茶筅.

When you first taste the tea and it’s bitter, don’t put any sugar into it.By tasting the true taste of tea, you will gradually  understand the differend characteristic of tea and how best to enjoy them.And after a while the bitterness will be something you appreciate.