Japan's city of Kagoshima also has a similar streetcar track. The grass is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also absorbs heat during the summer and reduces streetcar noise year-round.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Green train tracks
Europe's grass-lined streetcar tracks sure are mellow on the eyes.
Japan's city of Kagoshima also has a similar streetcar track. The grass is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also absorbs heat during the summer and reduces streetcar noise year-round.
—Mellow Monk
Japan's city of Kagoshima also has a similar streetcar track. The grass is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also absorbs heat during the summer and reduces streetcar noise year-round.
—Mellow Monk
Friday, January 30, 2009
Japan's northern territories
Sovereignty of the two southernmost islands in the rugged but serene Kuril archipelago is disputed by Russia and Japan, the latter of which refers to the islands as the Northern Territories.
Although it's a touchy subject among some folks there, the majority of people seem only vaguely aware of the issue. So let's just sip our tea and enjoy the photographs instead.
Dispute? What dispute? You'd never know it from peaceful scenery like this.
—Mellow Monk
Although it's a touchy subject among some folks there, the majority of people seem only vaguely aware of the issue. So let's just sip our tea and enjoy the photographs instead.
Dispute? What dispute? You'd never know it from peaceful scenery like this.
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Happy New Year!
Monday was Chinese New Year's. A belated Happy New Year to you all. Here are some photos of Chinese New Year's celebrations around the world.
Dragon dance in Malaysia. (Click the pic for the glorious large version.)
—Mellow Monk
Dragon dance in Malaysia. (Click the pic for the glorious large version.)
—Mellow Monk
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Breast cancer risk reduced by green tea: study
A study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition concludes that "regular drinking of green tea was associated with a slightly decreased risk for breast cancer."
The Yuyuan Old Town area of Shanghai, where the Journal of Nutrition researchers surveyed and compared the health histories of green-tea drinkers and non-green-tea drinkers.
—Mellow Monk
The Yuyuan Old Town area of Shanghai, where the Journal of Nutrition researchers surveyed and compared the health histories of green-tea drinkers and non-green-tea drinkers.
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Vancouver fog
The title says it all — a recent shot of Vancouver literally shrouded in fog.
Click to see big picture.
—Mellow Monk
Click to see big picture.
—Mellow Monk
Monday, January 26, 2009
Van Gogh galleries
Does somebody have a case of the Mondays?
If so — and even if you don't — the Monk has the perfect cure: sipping green tea while perusing four online galleries of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh.
(Click on each thumbnail to view the full-sized image.)
"The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing."
—Mellow Monk
If so — and even if you don't — the Monk has the perfect cure: sipping green tea while perusing four online galleries of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh.
(Click on each thumbnail to view the full-sized image.)
"The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing."
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A snowy village illuminated
For a short period each winter, the villagers in Shirakawa — a World Heritage site — light up their distinctive thatched-roof homes to the delight of locals and tourists alike.
More winter pics here.
—Mellow Monk
More winter pics here.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tea fields and more in Sri Lanka
Emerald green fields of tea are just some of the sights to be found in the heart of the politically troubled yet beautiful nation of Sri Lanka.
Tea pickers at work in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
—Mellow Monk
Tea pickers at work in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
—Mellow Monk
Friday, January 23, 2009
Mikaella's images
Among Russian photographer Mikaella Speranskaya's more popular works are her street scenes.
Scenes like this are beautiful and serene yet somehow melancholy at the same time.
—Mellow Monk
Scenes like this are beautiful and serene yet somehow melancholy at the same time.
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Furuta family photos
Akihiro Furuta has published some interesting and touching photos of his family.
"Love" is the title of this one.
—Mellow Monk
"Love" is the title of this one.
—Mellow Monk
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Shinto shrine near Seattle
If you live in or will be passing through the Seattle, Washington area, consider stopping by the Tsubaki Shrine, one of the few Shinto shrines in all of North America.
The entrance to Tsubaki Shrine.
—Mellow Monk
The entrance to Tsubaki Shrine.
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Japanese manhole covers
Now here's a photo collection you don't come across every day—Japanese manhole covers.
Technically, a lot of these covers aren't manhole covers but covers for curbside fire hydrant valves, which in Japan are mostly located underground.
—Mellow Monk
Technically, a lot of these covers aren't manhole covers but covers for curbside fire hydrant valves, which in Japan are mostly located underground.
—Mellow Monk
Monday, January 19, 2009
The kettle with the "green tea" button
Breville USA makes a variable-temperature electric tea kettle that not only saves energy but makes it easier to brew a delicious cup of tea: The kettle will heat the water up to the right temperature for your tea—there's even a "green tea" button—without boiling it. This improves the tea's flavor in two ways: By avoiding too-hot water and keeping flavor-enhancing oxygen in the water, which would otherwise be boiled off at higher temperatures.
And if you're planning to drink a rapid succession of cups of tea, there's even a "hold" button, so that the water will be at just the right temperature right when you're ready for it.
Sometime modern technology truly does make life simpler.
There's even a "green tea" button. I am impressed.
—Mellow Monk
And if you're planning to drink a rapid succession of cups of tea, there's even a "hold" button, so that the water will be at just the right temperature right when you're ready for it.
Sometime modern technology truly does make life simpler.
There's even a "green tea" button. I am impressed.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Ice temples
Here's a nice pic from Rob Orthen: Hats of Ice, which I've also seen referred to by the name "Ice Temples."
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Friday, January 16, 2009
Kaleidoscope, virtually.
Have you ever dreamed of making your own virtual kaleidoscope online? Well then this is your lucky day.
Whatever shapes you drag into the small circle on the left show up "kaleidoscopized" on the right when swept by the blue wedge.
—Mellow Monk
Whatever shapes you drag into the small circle on the left show up "kaleidoscopized" on the right when swept by the blue wedge.
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Coming-of-Age Day
A Stormtrooper-costume-wearing blogger has written about his visit to a Japanese Seijinshiki ("Coming-of-Age Day Celebration").
See if you can spot the one who's different from the rest.
—Mellow Monk
See if you can spot the one who's different from the rest.
—Mellow Monk
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Kyushu tops list of bathing spots
Not only does Japan account for two of the world's 10 most extraordinary places to take a bath, but the number one spot—Beppu City—is on Kyushu, only a two-hour drive or train ride from where Mellow Monk's tea is grown.
Beppu offers many such hot spring resorts, where you can achieve a whole new level of mellow.
—Mellow Monk
Beppu offers many such hot spring resorts, where you can achieve a whole new level of mellow.
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Leukemia risk halved by green tea
Appearances can be deceiving. Case in point: Humble-looking green tea is so powerfully good for you that a recent study showed it can cut the risk of leukemia by half.
The study—led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health—examined nearly 900 participants and concludes that "[d]rinking sufficient amounts of tea, especially green tea, which contains more catechins than oolong tea and black tea, may reduce the risk of leukemia."
The full version of the paper, which was published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control, is available here.
Humble but healthy.
—Mellow Monk
The study—led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health—examined nearly 900 participants and concludes that "[d]rinking sufficient amounts of tea, especially green tea, which contains more catechins than oolong tea and black tea, may reduce the risk of leukemia."
The full version of the paper, which was published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control, is available here.
Humble but healthy.
—Mellow Monk
Monday, January 12, 2009
Lightning, the awe and beauty
These photos inspire awe and sometimes even terror, but the one below—"Electric Sunset New Mexico"—remind us that lightning can be beautiful, too.
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Cities vintage, abandoned, and artsy
Photos of U.S. cities decades ago, London in the wee hours—when no one's around—and cityscape art made from unusual materials.
London's Belvedere Road.
—Mellow Monk
London's Belvedere Road.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Japan's scariest bridge
Deep in the Japanese Alps is the Muso Suspension Bridge, known as Japan's scariest bridge. Are you brave enough to cross it?
Because I'm not.
—Mellow Monk
Because I'm not.
—Mellow Monk
Friday, January 09, 2009
Tony the Tiger—in Japanese spoon form
This spoon was in a box of cornflakes we bought in Japan back in the '90s. Even if no one told you, you would know with near one hundred percent certainty that this Tony the Tiger hails from Japan.
How? Because he's giving the peace sign, of course.
Showing his age but still going strong!
—Mellow Monk
How? Because he's giving the peace sign, of course.
Showing his age but still going strong!
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Green tea improves brain performance
This is good news for a lot of people: In a study done at Oxford University, green tea was one of three foods found to enhance cognitive performance, the other two foods being red wine and chocolate.
An abstract of the original study is available here.
Brain-protecting plants ready to be rendered into tea.
—Mellow Monk
An abstract of the original study is available here.
Brain-protecting plants ready to be rendered into tea.
—Mellow Monk
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Mountains and storms
When it comes to the mountains of the world, I am naturally partial to Japan's Mt. Aso, in whose foothills our green tea is grown.
However, Jack Brauer has taken some beautiful photographs of other majestic mountains.
And folks with a very high tolerance for risk—kids, don't try this at home—have taken these storm photographs.
"Pehoe Blue," taken in Torres del Paine, Chile.
—Mellow Monk
However, Jack Brauer has taken some beautiful photographs of other majestic mountains.
And folks with a very high tolerance for risk—kids, don't try this at home—have taken these storm photographs.
"Pehoe Blue," taken in Torres del Paine, Chile.
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
The yabusame arrows still fly
The ancient art of yabusame—firing arrows from the back of a horse—still thrives in Japan.
A yabusame event in front of the Aso Shrine—not far from the groves where our green tea is grown.
—Mellow Monk
A yabusame event in front of the Aso Shrine—not far from the groves where our green tea is grown.
—Mellow Monk
Monday, January 05, 2009
Noushin's photo blog
Noushin's photo blog has some excellent shots — perfect for a green tea break — such as this one:
"Untitled."
—Mellow Monk
"Untitled."
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Single-serving glass teapot with built-in infuser
I really like this single-serving tea infuser pot: It's made of glass (much better than plastic), and it's designed to keep the tea leaves out of the water after the brewed tea is poured out. That way, you can control the steeping time and get multiple steepings out of your loose-leaf green tea.
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, January 03, 2009
A lost world discovered
A uncharted, unexplored "lost Eden" in the heart of Mozambique has recently been explored — and found to be a treasure trove of new species — after scientists discovered a mysterious green patch in satellite photos using Google Earth.
Lusher and richer with wildlife than anyone had suspected.
—Mellow Monk
Lusher and richer with wildlife than anyone had suspected.
—Mellow Monk
Friday, January 02, 2009
Aurora from earth and space
The U.K.'s Guardian has an amazing 10-slide slideshow of the aurora borealis. And here's a great shot of the aurora seen from space:
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year, everyone!
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