The art of tea
Tea is above all an art that has been passed down for centuries. In Japan, green tea is a real ceremony that follows a series of rules. Indeed, good tea is not obtained by just dipping your tea bag in boiling water. You have to follow a ritual or at least certain steps in order to get the full potential of the flavor of the tea.
To do this, you must first of all store your tea in good conditions. The tea must be kept out of the sun so that it retains all its freshness. Most Japanese use the “chazutsu”, which is a cylindrical box made of wood or cherry bark allowing tea to be stored away from light and air.
Then, using suitable equipment for preparing tea is beneficial for obtaining good tea. The teapot is the essential object that allows tea to be brewed in the best possible conditions. There are many types of teapots, each adapted to the type of tea you want to prepare. The most commonly used teapot is the “kyusu”, which is the teapot used to brew Sencha tea, the green tea par excellence in Japan.
The Japanese then have the custom of using a ceramic container called “yuzumashi” where the boiling tea is poured in order to let it cool to the desired temperature. Once this step has been completed, it is important to have a cup suitable for drinking tea correctly. In the case of Sencha tea, the “kumidashi” which is a small cup with a flared shape allowing the heat to evaporate more easily, is the appropriate cup for drinking your tea in the best conditions.
But adequate equipment is not enough to obtain good tea; this requires taking into consideration the art of preparation. To do this, it is necessary to respect 3 rules: respect the dosage; respecting the temperature; respect time. If your tea is loose, its dosage is based on the size of the teapot. Allow approximately one teaspoon of tea for 2 cups. The quantity of tea may vary depending on the teas. Next, it is necessary to boil the water to the right temperature so that the tea brews properly. The water temperature varies between teas; For sencha tea, the water should boil up to 80-85°C. When the water has finished boiling, it must be poured into the cups before putting it in the teapot so that it cools down a little. The alternative to cups is the yuzumashi, the function of which we mentioned above. The last rule, which is the rule of infusion time, is essential for obtaining good tea. Indeed, tea infused for the allotted time will release a much better flavor than tea that is over- or under-infused. The infusion time can vary between 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the tea; For sencha tea, it is recommended to steep it for 1 minute.
Finally, the art of service which is very respected in Japanese tradition