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Matcha Affogato-Style

Added on July 25, 2014 by the ikebana shop.

Here is a simple-to-make indulgence for lovers of green tea on hot summer days!

Affogato al caffè is, of course, the Italian treat where a shot of espresso is poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The name literally means "drowned in coffee" in Italian!

Now, let's substitute the espresso with thick matcha...

Make koicha (thick matcha) by using only half the amount of water you'd normally use when preparing your matcha drink. If you need to start somewhere, try 1 teaspoon matcha with 35 ml hot water (80℃). This concoction is good for about 3 servings...but it depends on how "drowned" you want your ice cream to be! :-)

Pour some of the koicha over one (or two?) scoops of vanilla ice cream.

That's it! Enjoy!

Matcha is available for purchase at the shop!

Halifax-Hakodate Friendship Azalea

Added on June 10, 2014 by the ikebana shop.

It's that time of the year when the azaleas start to bloom in Halifax.

Tucked in the southwest corner of the Halifax Public Gardens (near the corner of Spring Garden Rd. and Summer St.) is a special azalea bush.

Here is a closer look at the plaque.

Wish we could find a photo of the bush when it was first planted back in 1986 to see how much it has grown!

May the friendship between Halifax and Hakodate grow and deepen further!

What Makes Gyokuro Special?

Added on February 17, 2014 by the ikebana shop.

Many people ask us the difference between gyokuro and sencha green teas...which probably is a subtle way to ask the real question: Why is gyokuro more expensive than sencha?

The practical answer is that gyokuro tea leaves involves much more work to produce. The tea plants for gyokuro are grown in the shade about 20-30 days before harvest. That means the farmer has to put up roofing above the plants. When the shade is put up, the plants are about 70% protected from sunlight. Closer to harvest time, protection rate is moved up to about 90%...which means more roofing adjustments. (Incidentally, tea leaves for matcha are also grown this way.) On the other hand, sencha is grown in full sunlight, all the way to harvest.

A gyokuro tea field. Photo is from this webpage: http://hojotea.com/jp/posts-504/ — A *gyokuro* tea field. *Photo is from this webpage: http://hojotea.com/jp/posts-504/*

How different do they taste?

Very difficult to answer! If you try both teas, you will know the answer...but to put it down in words may be futile! But we shall try!

There are two Japanese expressions of taste that we would like to introduce: shibumi and umami. Shibumi is normally defined as "astringency". The Japanese would give the example of the taste of not-sweet persimmon as an example of shibumi. Yet shibumi evidently goes beyond a taste that makes us pucker our lips, especially when it comes to describing the taste of tea or wine. Umami is normally defined as "pleasant savoury taste." Still quite abstract but we may have to venture into poetry to describe it further! :-)

Now back to how the teas are grown... Photosynthesis occurs in the leaves when they are exposed to sunlight. One product of photosynthesis is the bioflavonoid, catechin. More catechin increases shibumi flavour. By suppressing photosynthesis through shading, the farmer produces tea leaves that have less catechin, thus increasing the ratio of the amino acid, theanine to catechin. More theanine increases the umami flavour.

So, is the taste of gyokuro really worth the extra premium?

We will defer to the eloquence of revered Japanese writer, Natsume Soseki (whose image appears on the old 1000-yen note, by the way!) This excerpt is taken from the English translation of his 1906 novel Kusamakura (literally "The Grass Pillow"). The English title is The Three-Cornered World.

For the man of leisure there is no more refined nor delightful pursuit than savouring this thick delicious nectar drop by drop on the tip of the tongue. The average person talks of 'drinking' tea, but this is a mistake. Once you have felt a little of the pure liquid spread slowly over your tongue, there is scarcely any need to swallow it. It is merely a question of letting the fragrance penetrate from your throat right down to your stomach. On no account should it be swilled round the mouth and over the teeth, for this is extremely coarse. 'Gyokuro' tea escapes the insipidness of pure water and yet is not so thick as to require any tiring jaw action. It is a wonderful beverage. Some complain that if they drink tea they cannot sleep, but to them I would say that it is better to go without sleep than without tea.

Natsume, Soseki, The Three-Cornered World (translated from the Japanese Kusa Makura), trans. Alan Turney (1970; reprint, Washington, D.C.: Regnery Gateway Inc., 1988), 113.

No wonder some Japanese tea sets are tiny! :-) It is a matter of savouring rather than drinking. This oribe teacup is just 4 cm tall!

So now, does your gyokuro begin to taste better? :-)

Our recommended steeping instructions for different types of Japanese tea can be found here. At best, they are just suggestions. Taste is a matter of personal preference. After some trial-and-error, we hope you find the formula to best enjoy your Japanese tea!

Further reading: Umami Information by Food: Green Tea

Kan-nyu, Those Lovely Cracks

Added on December 23, 2013 by the ikebana shop.

Do you sometime see cracks on the glaze of your Japanese pottery?

No, they are not defects. They are intended accidents. Those cracked patterns are called kan-nyuu (貫入) and it is actually a desirable feature of the pottery.

When glazed clay is fired, it expands. The high temperature melts the glaze and fuses it with the clay. When the pottery is cooled down, it shrinks...BUT, the rates of shrinkage of the clay and glaze are different. The glaze shrinks more than the clay and so during the cooling process, cracks are formed on the glaze surface. These crackle patterns are kan-nyuu.

No two kan-nyuu patterns are ever the same. This offers uniqueness in each piece of pottery.

Japanese people love kan-nyuu in their teacups and tea bowls. Tea seeps into the fine cracks, staining it bit by bit. The teacup is slowly changed with frequent use. Its character seems to grow together with its user. It is cherished like an old friend.

On the left, a new teacup. On the right, a well-used and well-loved teacup!

Check your favourite teacup...yes, the one you use everyday...the one that makes you feel that something is missing if it's not with you at the start of the day. Do you see kan-nyuu? :-)

Gohonte: The Pale Pink Spots

Added on December 11, 2013 by the ikebana shop.

Have you noticed in some tea bowls pale pink spots showing up at random?

These spots are called "gohonte" (御本手).

They appear on the pottery due to the natural reactions from the iron found in the clay when being fired in the kiln.

The origin of the term "gohonte" dates back to the Azuchi-Momoyama period (late 1500's). Tea masters ordered tea bowls to be made in Korea. Together with their order, they sent samples or diagrams of what they would like made. These orders were called "gohon" or "gohonte". When the ordered pottery were delivered, most of them came with the pale pink spots due to the clay used. Soon, this type of pattern came to be called "gohonte."

Originally thought of as imperfections of the glaze, gohonte came to be appreciated by tea masters. They recognized the implicit beauty in the randomness, unevenness, and naturalness of the patterns. Thus, the "flaw" was turned into another attractive aspect of the pottery!

Sometimes, we have some gohonte tea bowls available at the shop. Please come and take a look! Or see available tea bowls online here.

All photos by the ikebana shop. Al rights reserved.

Daruma Dolls

Added on December 6, 2013 by the ikebana shop.

Why does this doll have no eyes?

Because it is waiting for you to fill it! That's right, the daruma doll's eyes are left blank on purpose.

When you have set a goal for yourself, you paint one eye. You are allowed to paint in the other eye only when you have achieved your goal. This old tradition from Japan is a wonderful motivational tool!

The daruma doll is made of papier-mâché and is in the image of Bodhidarma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. The dolls are designed not to tip over...a symbol of the never-give-up spirit. "Nana korobi ya oki" is a Japanese proverb that says, "Fall down 7 times, get up 8 times." That is how the roly-poly daruma inspires us not to give up on our goals and dreams.

In Japan, daruma dolls are commonly sold outside shrine grounds in the New Year. People go to the shrine to pray for a good year and if they set certain goals for the year, they will pick up a daruma doll. It could be for a politician running for election; a businessman with a sales target; a student studying for exams; an artist finishing a project; a child saving coins in a piggy bank to buy a toy... No goal or wish is too small!

So are you ready?

Step 1: Decide the goal you want to achieve.
Step 2: Paint in one eye of the daruma doll. Now you are committed!
Step 3: Put the doll in a prominent place where you will see it everyday!
Step 4: Work, work, WORK...to accomplish the task you have embarked on.
Step 5: After successful completion, paint in the other eye.
Step 6: Give yourself a pat on the back. Congratulations!
Step 7: Back to Step #1!

Try the daruma doll with your next New Year's resolution! :-)

第62回多摩探検隊「多摩だるま～受け継がれる手作りの心～」（2009年6月放送）多摩だるま。それは、江戸時代から多摩地域に根づく伝統的なだるまです。今回は、一つ一つ手作りで作られた多摩だるまの歴史や特徴を紹介します。また、親子三代にわたりだるまを作り続ける職人の心に迫ります。＜協力＞内野屋　拝島大師　円福寺＜キャスター＞　田崎愛美＜制作補助＞中島聡　森田智子　葛西友久　齊藤綾　小原美穂　辻圭介太田朗　安田亮介＜イラスト＞　佐竹祐哉　辻圭介＜ナレーション＞　佐竹祐哉＜監修＞　松野良一＜ディレクター＞　成松美菜＜制作・著作＞　中央大学FLP松野良一ゼミ

Get your daruma doll from our shop!

Hariko No Tora, The Papier-Mâché Tiger

Added on December 1, 2013 by the ikebana shop.

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

from The Tyger by William Blake, 1794.

Hariko no tora, the papier-mâché tiger, is a traditional Japanese craft.

In Japan, tigers are known for their bravery and also for having close-knit families.

The papier-mâché tiger represents courage and family love.

The tigers are also there to help children grow strong and healthy.

Perhaps the more famous and interesting type of hariko no tora is the one with the bobbing head. We have a big one in the shop to welcome you!

RAWR! Don't be scared. It doesn't bite. :-)

We're not particularly big fans of GIFs but in this case, this GIF is probably appropriate to show you the bobbing head. :-)

Please visit the shop and pet our tigers!

If you are interested to learn about how the tigers are made, please visit this site. It is in Japanese only but there are a lot of photos. The paper they use is washi, Japanese paper.

The Black Kenzan

Added on November 7, 2013 by the ikebana shop.

Black is one of the basic colours of ikebana flower containers. A shiny kenzan in a black container would be a distraction and draw attention away from the real focal point of an arrangement. It is something that one would rather not see! For a discriminating ikebanista, obscuring the shiny kenzan used in a black container could be quite the challenge!

You can put the covering pebbles aside... Say hello to the black kenzan!

It is a steel kenzan that is stained black by ionic bonding. The tone is smooth and uniform.

It "disappears" inside the black container!

Hardly noticeable! Don't you just love it? :-)

It's that little bit of extra detail that could sometimes spell the difference between a so-so and an outstanding arrangement!

Add the black kenzan to your ikebana arsenal!

We have a collection of black kenzans available. Click here to see!

Fukusa - Formal Gift Cover

Added on December 6, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

In old Japan, gift-giving was a ritual. A tradition of giving gifts covered with a finely embroidered square silk cloth became widespread during the Edo Period (1615-1867). This cloth is called fukusa. Formal gifts were often presented in a box with the fukusa draped over to conceal it. After being appropriately admired, the fukusa and box were returned to the giver whilst the gift was accepted. The choice of fukusa was important to reflect the formality of the occasion and the status of the gift-giver. Some fukusa have tassels so that they can be handled without touching the fabric.

If you've been to the shop lately, you would have seen a pair of fukusa adorning our walls! These days, they are rarely used (except maybe during weddings) but they can be beautiful additions to your home decor! The ones we have depict cranes and pine trees--auspicious symbols of longevity and good fortune.

Please drop by the shop and have a look!

(Note: The fukusa we describe above is different from the fukusa used in the tea ceremony.)

Karako -- Little Children On Japanese Pottery

Added on May 27, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Many of us have probably seen them at one time or another... drawings of cute little children, dressed in Chinese style, on bowls or dishes.

The children are normally depicted as playing under a pine tree, with butterflies and peonies around.

These children are called "karako" (唐子), which literally translate to "Chinese children". "Kara" (唐) is actually the character for the Tang dynasty (618-907) of China, considered by many as the golden age of Chinese culture and power. The little children design on pottery symbolizes health for sons & daughters and longevity/continuity.

The number of children on the design also have significance. You will probably see three, five or seven children. (Always odd, never even number!) The more children on the pottery, the higher is its grade.

This matcha tea bowl has 5 children...and the pine tree is found on the inside of the bowl!

All pottery pictured in this article are available for sale at the shop or by mail order.