Journal

The Legend of Shennong’s Tea Discovery

The Legend of Shennong’s Tea Discovery

The Legend of Tea According to legend, around 2737 BCE, China was ruled by an emperor named Shennong 神農, whose name meant Divine Agriculturalist. He taught his people to sow...

The Legend of Shennong’s Tea Discovery

The Legend of Tea According to legend, around 2737 BCE, China was ruled by an emperor named Shennong 神農, whose name meant Divine Agriculturalist. He taught his people to sow...

Tango Tanimura's 400 Year Old Tea Whisks

Tango Tanimura's 400 Year Old Tea Whisks

The shogunate's official supplier of tea whisks crafted in Takayama, Japan Read on our substack In the hills of northwest Nara, there is a village called Takayama. It was here I...

Tango Tanimura's 400 Year Old Tea Whisks

The shogunate's official supplier of tea whisks crafted in Takayama, Japan Read on our substack In the hills of northwest Nara, there is a village called Takayama. It was here I...

An Invitation to Warrior Tea Ceremony in Wailea

An Invitation to Warrior Tea Ceremony in Wailea

We’re honored to introduce something new at Tajima Botanica: buke-cha (武家茶), the tea ceremony practice of the samurai. Rooted in the Sekishū-ryū lineage under the Tokugawa shogunate. 

An Invitation to Warrior Tea Ceremony in Wailea

We’re honored to introduce something new at Tajima Botanica: buke-cha (武家茶), the tea ceremony practice of the samurai. Rooted in the Sekishū-ryū lineage under the Tokugawa shogunate. 

Summer Ritual of Purification

Summer Ritual of Purification

Today marks Nagoshi no Harae ( 夏越の祓), a Shinto purification ritual on June 30th at shrines across Japan. It marks the year’s midpoint.

Summer Ritual of Purification

Today marks Nagoshi no Harae ( 夏越の祓), a Shinto purification ritual on June 30th at shrines across Japan. It marks the year’s midpoint.

The Way of the Warrior

The Way of the Warrior

For much of its history, tea belonged to warriors. This is the story of buke-cha, Sekishū-ryū, and a 350-year-old temple built entirely for tea.

The Way of the Warrior

For much of its history, tea belonged to warriors. This is the story of buke-cha, Sekishū-ryū, and a 350-year-old temple built entirely for tea.

Image of Japanese garden. Ryo Harianto

Water. The Source

Water covers nearly 70% of our planet. And yet only 1% of it is freshwater we can actually reach. Tea masters have known for over a thousand years that water...

Water. The Source

Water covers nearly 70% of our planet. And yet only 1% of it is freshwater we can actually reach. Tea masters have known for over a thousand years that water...