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In my previous post on Japanese food ( Japanese food : The Link to culture), I mentioned how the food here says a lot about the culture. There are many foods that one may associate with Japan. But of all these dishes and drinks, none seem as integral to Japanese culture as tea.
There seems to be this big hype about tea these days. It is in fact currently the most commonly consumed beverage in the world. But Japan was into the stuff way before it was cool. This brilliant drink was introduced to the country centuries ago during the Nara period (710-794), around the same time Buddhism was sweeping the nation. Practicing monks drank tea as an alternative to alcohol, and would bring it with them during their travels. By the Edo period (1603-1867) tea was a common drink in every household of Japan. Now while Japan isn't the only country to fall in love with tea, they're probably one of the only ones to harbor an intense tea culture. Japan has practically perfected making tea here and even has a full blown ceremony for it (if you wanna know more about Japan's tea ceremony, I'd recommend checking out japanese-tea-ceremony.net). The high value placed on tea may have something to do with its deep ties to Zen Buddhist principles (simplicity, harmony etc.) but we'll never really know that for sure. What we do know is that tea is insanely popular here in Japan. It can be found almost anywhere, in many types, strengths and flavors, but the standard tea here is green tea. If someone in Japan offers you お茶 (ocha) without specifying the type, you can bet they're referring to green tea. If you're unsure of what tea to drink in Japan, tofugu has a fun post on it here.
Tea gets a lot of praise or being a healthy alternative drink, but keep in mind this isn't the only reason people drink it. Japanese people seem to drink it for the taste. I say this because virtually everything has a 抹茶(maccha- powdered green tea) or お茶 (ocha-green tea) flavor option. Kit Kats, ice cream, gum, cookies, and even tic tacs have this option. Think of it like Japan's vanilla. When you take into account traditional Japanese food, ocha fits nicely into the nation's palate. It has a clean defined flavor without being too overbearing. This makes it perfect to couple with traditional foods that often have unique and/ or subtle flavors that may be easily overpowered or diluted by other beverages (save for water). The health benefits are a definite plus though...
And those are just a few of the many facts about tea in Japan. So if you ever stop by for a visit, take my advice and grab a cup o tea. It's an easy and tasty way to break into Japan's food culture.
There seems to be this big hype about tea these days. It is in fact currently the most commonly consumed beverage in the world. But Japan was into the stuff way before it was cool. This brilliant drink was introduced to the country centuries ago during the Nara period (710-794), around the same time Buddhism was sweeping the nation. Practicing monks drank tea as an alternative to alcohol, and would bring it with them during their travels. By the Edo period (1603-1867) tea was a common drink in every household of Japan. Now while Japan isn't the only country to fall in love with tea, they're probably one of the only ones to harbor an intense tea culture. Japan has practically perfected making tea here and even has a full blown ceremony for it (if you wanna know more about Japan's tea ceremony, I'd recommend checking out japanese-tea-ceremony.net). The high value placed on tea may have something to do with its deep ties to Zen Buddhist principles (simplicity, harmony etc.) but we'll never really know that for sure. What we do know is that tea is insanely popular here in Japan. It can be found almost anywhere, in many types, strengths and flavors, but the standard tea here is green tea. If someone in Japan offers you お茶 (ocha) without specifying the type, you can bet they're referring to green tea. If you're unsure of what tea to drink in Japan, tofugu has a fun post on it here.
Tea gets a lot of praise or being a healthy alternative drink, but keep in mind this isn't the only reason people drink it. Japanese people seem to drink it for the taste. I say this because virtually everything has a 抹茶(maccha- powdered green tea) or お茶 (ocha-green tea) flavor option. Kit Kats, ice cream, gum, cookies, and even tic tacs have this option. Think of it like Japan's vanilla. When you take into account traditional Japanese food, ocha fits nicely into the nation's palate. It has a clean defined flavor without being too overbearing. This makes it perfect to couple with traditional foods that often have unique and/ or subtle flavors that may be easily overpowered or diluted by other beverages (save for water). The health benefits are a definite plus though...
And those are just a few of the many facts about tea in Japan. So if you ever stop by for a visit, take my advice and grab a cup o tea. It's an easy and tasty way to break into Japan's food culture.
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