Akira Hojo | HOJO Online Speciality Tea Shop- Part 18

[2015.01.15]

Easy way to understand the scientific name of tea

• Tea Column

Tea is made of the plant called Camellia sinensis. But as you know, it is further classified into various types such as Assam, Yabukita, Tie Guan Yin, Shui Xian or China bush. Are these types considered as species or cultivar? I would like to explain the rules that classify the type of tea variety. There …

[2014.12.29]

The wild tea collected near the China-Myanmar border

• Types of Tea
• China
• Pu-erh Tea and Dark Tea
• Raw Pu-erh Tea
• Yunnan

The Myanmar border wild pu-erh tea is a raw pu-erh tea. It is made of the wild tea variety grown near the China-Myanmar border. The wild tea means the tea tree is growing in the mountain just like wild mushroom or wild plant in the natural environment and it’s not cultivated by human. If you …

[2014.12.23]

Asamiya Sencha, the rare Japanese green tea that gives full body

• Green Tea
• Japan
• Japanese Green Tea
• Sencha
• Shiga

Asamiya sencha (朝宮煎茶) is from Shigaraki, Koga city in Shiga prefecture.  Asamiya is the district that belongs to Shigaraki town.The taste of Asamiya sencha is very rich, full body and it gives lingering sweetness on our palate. In fact, full-body character is extremely rare for Japanese green tea. Asamiya is gifted place with special clay …

[2014.11.20]

Rare Yunnan green tea made with natural farming practice

• Types of Tea
• China
• Chinese Green Tea
• Green Tea
• Yunnan

Many of us tend to associate Chinese tea with pu-erh tea and oolong tea. However, more than 70% of tea produced in China is green tea (approximately 1138,000 tons). Literally, we can say that Chinese tea = green tea as a whole. If you have ever travelled to China, you might discover that most of …

[2014.10.12]

Mumyoi Joaka clay teapot made by Watanabe Tozo

• Teapot and Tea Equipment
• Japanese Teapot and Tea Equipment
• Mumyoi Clay Teapot
• Sado Red Clay Teapot

The red clay teapot traditionally produced in Sado Island is called Mumyoi Yaki. By tradition, the Mumyoi clay was collected from the tunnel inside the Aikawa gold mine. However, since the gold mine was shut down, the entryway to the mine cave was restricted and the artist in Sado was finding the clay from the …

[2014.10.10]

The scale built the inside of kettle is essential for tea

• How to enjoy tea
• Ideal water for brewing tea
• Science between the taste of tea and material

Some of you may be irritated by the scale that is built up in the kettle on the inside. Are not you trying to remove them since it does not look fine? However, it is very important to keep the scale if you wish to enjoy a nice cup of tea. The scale inside the …

[2014.10.02]

Selecting Suitable Clay for Japanese Green Tea

• Featured Articles
• Teapot and Tea Equipment
• Banko Teapot
• Deep Steamed (Fukamushi) Sencha
• Gyokuro
• Japanese Green Tea
• Japanese Teapot and Tea Equipment
• Mumyoi Clay Teapot
• Nosaka Clay Teapot
• Sado Red Clay Teapot
• Science between the taste of tea and material
• Sencha
• Shigaraki Clay Teapot

I would like to explain the points on how to choose the right type of clay teapot for a Japanese green tea. The taste alteration by various clay teapots The taste of tea will noticeably change depending on the type of clay we use. The outcome in the taste alteration using a clay teapot is …

[2014.09.15]

Ironic relationship between muscatel flavor and the quality of tea

• How to choose quality tea
• Black Tea
• Character of Tea
• Chinese Black Tea
• Environmental factors
• Factors that affects tea quality
• Material Quality of Tea
• Quality component of tea
• Season

We have released 2 types of Yunnan black tea that gives muscatel flavour. The intensity of the muscatel flavour on these teas is not as strong as that of Mi Xiang Black Tea from Taiwan. These two teas are giving subtle extent of muscatel flavour that is acting like a back dancer that is to …

[2014.09.08]

Tea tasting practice using Coca Cola and Pepsi

• How to choose quality tea
• Material Quality of Tea
• Quality component of tea
• Tasting ability

For evaluating the quality of tea, there are 3 important criteria. It is the body, aftertaste and mouth feel. In particular, there are many people who can hardly understand and differentiate the body and aftertaste. Body and aftertaste is the essential criteria to define the taste The body and aftertaste is the criteria that is …

[2014.09.06]

Drinking Pu-erh or Oolong Tea with Milk

• How to enjoy tea
• Deep Fired Roasted Oolong Tea
• Green Tea
• Japanese Green Tea
• Oolong Tea
• Pu-erh Tea and Dark Tea
• Ripe Pu-erh Tea
• Sencha
• Taiwanese Oolong Tea
• Tea Brewing Technque

Sometimes serious tea connoisseur does not like the concept of drinking tea with milk. However, there is no loss in you knowing that some teas go very well with milk. You may have a new discovery in taste. Milk increases the body of tea The idea of adding milk in tea is not only giving …