Hello everyone, I'm Keko, one of the online staff members.
On Friday, August 9th, we held a special event for children at our Nakamura Tokichi Azabudai store, and I couldn’t resist heading over to see it for myself!
The event was called "Making Matcha from the Uji Fields," a hands-on experience where kids learned how Uji’s famous matcha is made. We also explored questions like, "What’s the difference between cultivating sencha and tencha?" After a brief introduction to these tea varieties, the fun began with a quiz!
For example:
- How much matcha can be ground in one hour?
- Besides bamboo and pine, what other type of wood is used in a traditional stone mill (chausu)?
Even I had to think hard about the answers, especially the one about the wood! I wasn’t alone—many of the adults were just as curious as I was. But what amazed everyone was that most of the children answered both questions correctly! Even our staff was surprised by how knowledgeable these young tea enthusiasts were.
Next, the children got to experience using an authentic tea mill (chausu), brought in all the way from our Uji main store just for the event. It was so adorable watching them give it their all, using their full strength to grind the tea leaves. Some even picked up the rhythm quickly and were grinding matcha like pros!
After learning just how precious and time-consuming matcha production can be, it was time for them to whisk up their very own bowl of thin matcha (usucha). Our staff visited each table to explain how much matcha powder to use. The children, with serious looks of concentration, carefully scooped the vibrant green powder with a chashaku (bamboo scoop) into their tea bowls. Once they were shown how to whisk the matcha properly, they began the delicate process using the chasen (bamboo whisk). The focused expressions on their faces brought a smile to all of us watching.
With a little help from our staff, the children completed their first cup of matcha! They then learned how to properly enjoy the matcha they had made, and I’m happy to report it was delicious for everyone involved.
At the end of the event, we invited the parents to try grinding with the chasu as well. Many were surprised by how heavy it was, with comments like, "Wow, I can’t believe the kids did this!" And their proud, smiling children stood by, having accomplished something so special.
It was a wonderful experience for me too, and I truly enjoyed spending time with these enthusiastic young matcha makers.
As for the answers to the quiz questions... maybe I'll share those next time! :)
See you soon!