Water. The Source
We live on a blue planet. From space, Earth is water. Oceans cover nearly 70% of its surface. And yet, of all that water, only 2.5% is fresh. Of that fraction, most is locked inside glaciers and ice caps, deep underground, or beyond reach. Just 1% of our freshwater is easily accessible. On a planet of water, we are actually caretakers of something remarkably rare.
This is an invitation to pay attention to our most valuable resource.
After water, tea is the most consumed beverage.
Attention to water is at its core. In 8th century China, the scholar and poet Lu Yu, known as the Sage of Tea, dedicated an entire chapter of his Chá Jīng (The Classic of Tea) to the question of what water makes the finest cup.
His verdict: mountain spring water is best, river water second, and well water the least suitable. He advised that the best spring water flows slowly over granite or stone, and cautioned against water that rushes or sits stagnant. Over a thousand years ago, he understood what we're still learning: water is not a neutral carrier. It is a living ingredient.
Japanese tea culture absorbed this wisdom and deepened it. The concept of meisui, famous waters, held that certain springs produced tea of such singular beauty that masters would travel great distances to brew with them. Water was not a backdrop to the ceremony. It was the ceremony.
This is the spirit we bring to every cup of Tajima Botanica tea.
For your cup
Before anything else, know your source. Your water.
Check your local municipal water report — most are publicly available and will tell you what minerals are present and whether contaminants like PFAS have been detected in your area. This matters more than most people realize.
If you're starting fresh, a reverse osmosis filter is our recommendation for the cleanest possible base. The tradeoff is that RO water strips minerals entirely, which can leave tea tasting flat. The solution is simple: remineralize with a small amount of mineral-rich water or a remineralization filter cartridge. Building the water Lu Yu would have wanted — soft, clean, with just enough character.
If you'd prefer to reach for a bottle, choose one that's third-party tested and spring or artesian sourced. We often keep Icelandic Glacial on hand for tastings — it's naturally alkaline, NSF certified, and exceptionally clean. For something closer to home here in Hawaii, Hawaiian Springs is the real thing: true artesian water filtered through 13,000 feet of Mauna Loa volcanic rock, bottled at the source on the Big Island.
Most people don't know that brew is where most tea gets quietly ruined. Temperature and time. Matcha and sencha open beautifully at around 80°C (176°F). Hojicha, with its roasted depth, welcomes water closer to 95°C. Boiling water collapses the more delicate compounds in green tea and leaves a bitterness that was never meant to be there. A thermometer or a kettle with temperature control such as Fellow changes everything.
One last note: boil what you need. It's a small habit with real consequence for energy use, for flavor, and for the quiet discipline of taking only what you'll use.
Water first. Always.