A Summer Day, Listening to the Whisper of Tea — Yachirin’s Tea Calendar

Hello, this is Yachirin.
In the height of summer, even the quiet mountain valleys of Yame echo with the chorus of cicadas.
As the sun rises, a gentle mist clings to the tea fields, and by the time the morning dew fades, the tea leaves quietly sway in the breeze.

On afternoons like these, even the soft sound of lifting the lid from the teapot feels soothing.
I pour slightly cooled water, not for iced tea — but for something gentler: cool tea that still holds a touch of warmth.

With the first sip, I can taste the vivid memory carried by the young leaves, picked in spring and resting ever since.
In fact, shincha, or new tea, often reveals a deeper, more composed flavor after resting quietly through summer.
It is much like the tea has paused, caught its breath, and now speaks softly once more —
such is its quiet character.

Tea is Alive

You see, tea is a living thing.
Even after being picked, steamed, rolled, and dried by fire,
the leaves still hold traces of their memory.

No matter how they are crafted,
the tea remembers — “the light, the wind, the land, the year.”
And so, when we listen closely to a single cup,
perhaps we can hear the seasons long gone, speaking gently back to us.

I hope you, too, can find a quiet moment amidst the busy summer days.
The droplets of tea open the heart — silently, without effort.

With warm wishes,
Yachirin