Thanks to YouTube user Imarvanriet for tipping me off about a well-done NHK documentary on matcha. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is part 1:
—Mellow Monk
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Homemade tea: pick, steep, and drink
A writer for the San Francisco Chronicle brews homemade tea with dried herbs from a rooftop garden and a fill-it-yourself teabag that irons shut.
I wish I new where the attractive glass mug shown in the photo comes from. Anyone know?
—Mellow Monk
I wish I new where the attractive glass mug shown in the photo comes from. Anyone know?
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Japan photo book
Artist and designer Annie Riker has put together a photo book documenting her "recent trip to the visually rich country of Japan," which you can preview at Blurb.com.
One of my favorite spreads from Annie's book.
—Mellow Monk
One of my favorite spreads from Annie's book.
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Photos from a mysterious flower show
If you are reading this you are a witness to Mellow Monk history: This is the first time I have ever posted something I received by accident.
A mistyping of my address fated the photos below to arrive recently in my inbox. I didn't recognize the sender's name nor that of any of his other recipients, but I do like the photographs, although all I know is that they were taken at a flower show in Japan; I don't know where or when they were taken, or by whom.
If you have a clue that would help solve this mystery, please let us know.
Then again, the mystery somehow enhances the beauty of the flowers.
—Mellow Monk
A mistyping of my address fated the photos below to arrive recently in my inbox. I didn't recognize the sender's name nor that of any of his other recipients, but I do like the photographs, although all I know is that they were taken at a flower show in Japan; I don't know where or when they were taken, or by whom.
If you have a clue that would help solve this mystery, please let us know.
Then again, the mystery somehow enhances the beauty of the flowers.
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Mt. Akagi in all its panoramic glory
In these panoramas, Mt. Akagi and Kiryu City in front of it look a lot like the Aso Valley, but with a lot more buildings.
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Friday, November 20, 2009
A Japan twofer: names and neolithic idols
The writers at the Japan Times enlighten us on Japanese names and neolithic Japanese idols known as dogu.
A dogu nicknamed the Tanabatake Venus.
—Mellow Monk
A dogu nicknamed the Tanabatake Venus.
—Mellow Monk
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Interviewing the monk
Here's a photo of the monk featured in Part 2 of our green tea documentary being interviewed by the film crew.
Helping the crew is our tea buyer (lower left), who served as interpreter, guide, travel agent, driver, and interviewer.
caption
—Mellow Monk
Helping the crew is our tea buyer (lower left), who served as interpreter, guide, travel agent, driver, and interviewer.
caption
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Mellow Monk's Tea-Buying Trip to Japan, Part 5
Following up on yesterday's post, here is Episode 5 of "Kyushu, Where Japan's Green Tea Grows," which features one of our tea buyers making his rounds in Kyushu.
You can also watch the Vimeo version and other videos of ours.
—Mellow Monk
You can also watch the Vimeo version and other videos of ours.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Mellow Monk's Tea-Buying Trip to Japan, Part 4
Here it is: Part 4 of "Kyushu, Where Japan's Tea is Grown," a documentary filmed for European TV. The film crew followed one of our tea buyers on his rounds through the tea-growing regions of Aso and other Kyushu locales.
You can also watch a slightly higher-resolution version of this episode on Vimeo.
For more videos, please check out our video page.
—Mellow Monk
You can also watch a slightly higher-resolution version of this episode on Vimeo.
For more videos, please check out our video page.
—Mellow Monk
Friday, November 13, 2009
Little storm mountain
In Aso, not too far from where one of our grower's grows his tea, is Shoranzan ("Little Storm Mountain"), so called from its resemblance to a piece of scenery at Kyoto's Arashiyama (Storm Mountain).
Aso's smaller-scale version of Storm Mountain.
—Mellow Monk
Aso's smaller-scale version of Storm Mountain.
—Mellow Monk
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Mikan marmalade and soba noodles
The always excellent Kyoto Foodie shows how to make aomikan marmalade, and the equally excellent FX Cuisine has a compelling photo essay of a class on making soba noodles in Tokyo.
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Harvard Women's Health Watch on the benefits of green tea
Harvard Medical School summarizes a recent article in Women's Health Watch that "recognizes the healthy power of tea while helping readers get the most out of their cups."
From a large gallery of beautiful photos of serene Kiyomizu Temple.
—Mellow Monk
From a large gallery of beautiful photos of serene Kiyomizu Temple.
—Mellow Monk
Monday, November 09, 2009
Awa dance festival photos
Jeff Henig has taken some excellent photographs of the Awa-odori festival in Tokyo.
For the full festival effect, you need to hear the music, too.
—Mellow Monk
For the full festival effect, you need to hear the music, too.
—Mellow Monk
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Tea sommelier and recipies
A pair of tea-related stories from the Vancouver Sun—one about a tea sommelier and some "less traditional" tea recipies.
—Mellow Monk
—Mellow Monk
Friday, November 06, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Our tea reviewed on Tea Finely Brewed
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Mellow like a rock garden
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Aladdin's magic infuser mug
What I really like about the Aladdin Tea Infuser Mug
is that it's equipped with a means of removing your tea leaves from the water (to stop infusion and prevent oversteeping): You simply turn the lever near the lid (see the picture below) to lift the built-in tea infuser up and out of the brewed tea inside.
When you finish your first batch of brewed tea, you add more hot water, turn the lever back to the "Brew" position and pretty soon you've got another mug of tasty tea.
Easy, convenient, and neat—now that's mellow.
—Mellow Monk
is that it's equipped with a means of removing your tea leaves from the water (to stop infusion and prevent oversteeping): You simply turn the lever near the lid (see the picture below) to lift the built-in tea infuser up and out of the brewed tea inside. When you finish your first batch of brewed tea, you add more hot water, turn the lever back to the "Brew" position and pretty soon you've got another mug of tasty tea.
Easy, convenient, and neat—now that's mellow.
—Mellow Monk
Sunday, November 01, 2009
It's official: green tea drinkers are mellower
Once again, science proves something we already knew—that green tea drinkers are mellower.
To be more specific, a study showed that people who drink at least five cups of green tea per day are less likely to suffer from psychological distress.
This finding, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is just one of the many results gleaned from the "Ohsaki cohort," a group of over 40 thousand people in Japan whose health was monitored over many years.
A nice mellow grove of bamboo. Photo taken in Aso.
—Mellow Monk
To be more specific, a study showed that people who drink at least five cups of green tea per day are less likely to suffer from psychological distress.
This finding, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is just one of the many results gleaned from the "Ohsaki cohort," a group of over 40 thousand people in Japan whose health was monitored over many years.
A nice mellow grove of bamboo. Photo taken in Aso.
—Mellow Monk
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