It is now getting quite chilly, and on my balcony the Japanese maple is turning red. Japanese people, as you know, are very enthusiastic about Sakura (the cherry blossom) in spring, and we also really enjoy chrysanthemums in autumn. In fact, chrysanthemums have become very symbolic for us: the Japanese Royal Family uses the chrysanthemum as their family crest and our Japanese passport has a chrysanthemum on it too.
In autumn many Japanese towns organize a Kiku Matsuri (a chrysanthemum festival), where chrysanthemum growers show their own flowers in competitions. I remember the chrysanthemum competition in my home town, which took place in the school hall, during my school days. We went there as a family to see all the beautiful blooms - and to buy some delicious homemade snacks, which some of the local ladies had made for the community! I remember how excited the older chrysanthemum growers were getting in the school hall, wondering who was going to win. Very similar really to the flower competitions that go on in village fetes here in the UK.
According to Japanese tradition, the Japanese Imperial Court held the first chrysanthemum show in 910, in the early 10th century, at what was called the Banquet of Chrysanthemums. Since then, every year Japanese people have been celebrating the beauty of these flowers, and they have provided a special reason to enjoy nature during October, at a time when the weather is still good for being outside. The weather is particularly important, as the flowers start out as white and yellow, but when the frost comes their colour changes to a wonderful purple.
Purple was a very noble colour in 10th century Japan, and the Japanese royal family still use purple today for symbolic reasons. So, the transformation from white to purple made the chrysanthemum a hugely attractive flower, and a brilliant symbol for the Emperor at that time. No wonder the tradition was started, and the Banquet of Chrysanthemums was held.
Chrysanthemums are used a lot for all sorts of Japanese crafts, especially for kimono patterns. They not only have great symbolic power, but their flower structure also makes them brilliant as design elements. I have written about kimonos on my blog, and if you are interested in finding out more, you can explore here.
https://keikouchida.com/blogs/kimono/202126i-love-kimonos
https://keikouchida.com/blogs/kimono/beautiful-kimonos-and-haori
https://keikouchida.com/blogs/kimono/i-love-kimono
I do love kimonos, but they can be quite complicated to wear, so as an alternative I sometimes choose a haori kimono jacket to wear on top of a simple T-shirt and denims. If you are on the hunt for something special, a kimono jacket can be a great present for kimono lovers (or for you as a special treat)! We are actually running a seasonal sale of all haori jackets right now. It is for a limited time only, so best grab your favourite soon!
Interestingly, there are many edible chrysanthemums as well. These are a treasured part of Japanese people’s life style, especially in autumn.
Another piece of news. We have just launched a great new book collection, which might provide excellent ideas for presents for Japan lovers (including yourself!). There’s a good range, in English and Japanese, covering traditional Japanese culture, as well as Japanese food and lifestyle. Some of them quite hard to get hold of elsewhere. You can purchase these online as well as in person at our Christmas pop-up store in Ladbroke Grove. Just a quick alert, as these can be pretty popular and might sell out quickly, it’s a good idea to check them out soon.
I was just thinking about how, in the summer, I like to have long breakfasts and lunches in the warm sunshine with friends. And now, as it gets cooler towards winter time, I like to spend long evenings with my favourite teas and books, and a soft blanket. It is a great luxury to have some cosy time to myself. My current favorite matcha is Organic Wabisuke in the morning. It is so nice to start the day with organic tea, and in my opinion Wabisuke is the best organic matcha I have tasted out of many many organic matcha teas. I don’t use any milk for Wabisuke as it doesn’t need it. But if you like to start a day with matcha latte, I recommend organic Uraku with Bonsoy.
I also drink a lot of Gyokuro tea as well. Gyokuro contains a lot of vitamin C and anti-oxidants like matcha. I drink Gyokuro when I want to drink clean green tea. Currently, I drink Hien from Hoshino Seicha every day. Hoshino Seicha is one of the very best Gyokuro makers, and has won many awards globally. I think Gyokuro Hien at £38 (50g) is remarkably good value for money.
When I invite a good number of people, I’ll brew Iribancha from Ippodo. It is a large tea bag (for a pot) and has smoky flavor. Although the aroma is quite strong, like a bonfire, the taste is actually gentle. It’s that contrast I really like. Iribancha doesn’t contain much caffeine, so it’s a good option for someone who is alert to that, and trying to avoid caffeine.
In the same way that wine glasses can alter the taste of wine, I strongly believe that tea cups and tea pots can change the taste of tea too. We have just launched our wonderful Gosu collection from Saga. I saw this tea ware collection in Saga in May 2024 and now finally, it has arrived in London! We have invited the maker from Japan to come and do a live painting performance in London. I will let you know the details in the next newsletter. I do hope you’ll be able to come to see it.
Finally, as it was very popular and in such demand, we are running our tea tasting workshop again on Thursday 24th October, from 5:00 to 6:00pm. We will be tasting Gyokuro, Sencha, Iribancha, Matcha and Hojicha teas this time. I am sure that you’ll be able to find your favorites from that!
I am going to have a bunch of chrysanthemums and a cup of matcha tea with my new book this weekend. Also, I will be calling my mother to ask if my home town is running the chrysanthemum competition still.