This will be our first Christmas in the new Notting Hill store, and we are very excited to be welcoming everyone and introducing our new collections and gift items. We hope you are getting to know the special nature of 120 Talbot Road, and the individual character of what we offer. As the shop is not at all about mass produced items, I don’t think it’s right we should join the corporate Black Friday movement. After all, we are all about craft tea and hand-made craft pieces. So instead, today we’re running ‘Green Friday’, and offering special prices on our favourite Matcha teas – up to 40% off our normal prices! You can check out our offers here!
We are also serving a cup of complimentary tea in the store when you come in until Christmas. It’s a lovely, joyful place to shop, out of the way of the main crowds. You can even come and sit down, if you feeling tired or you want to check your list of presents!
In Japan at this time of year, we have the special festival of Torino Ichi. This festival is held every November, when we pray for prosperity in business and good fortune. Its origins come from a harvest festival, and it is normally now held at shrines and temples. Originally, market stalls were set up selling farm tools and other produce, including selling Kumade (rakes), used to sweep up fallen leaves. Something we need in gardens all across the globe! The rake has consequently been seen as a lucky symbol for prosperous business, and an auspicious charm that might attract good fortune!
As lucky charms, rakes are often characterised by ornate decorations, including Otafuku masks, which are said to bring good fortune, with the two gods of fortune - Ebisu and Daikokuten - and ornaments of pine, bamboo and plum, as well as gold coins. Rakes are often purchased by business people, but also by people at home as New Year's decorations, to accompany prayers for safety, wealth and good fortune for the household.
Like Omamori (charms) and Hamaya (arrows), rakes are good luck charms that get replaced every year.
My family used to run a small business, with my grandfather and father creating traditional tea rooms for their clients. And every year they went to the Torino Ichi festival to buy ‘Kumade’ (rakes). There can be many different designs of Kumade at the festival, huge numbers to choose from. I remember going there with my father a couple of times, but it was always in evening and very busy, with some of the people drinking quite a lot of sake! After that, my father didn’t suggest I accompany him there again. I remember that my mother always asked my father to buy a Kumade with a lot of gold coins (made of paper), although he said that those were not a very elegant option!
Now that I run a small business myself, I think I understand my mother’s request, and also why my father did not want to have the coins in the house.
In the end, the Kumade is not only about good fortune, it is about looking for happiness too. And there is a way in which raking leaves in the garden is no longer a chore.
Although we don’t have any Kumade here in the Notting Hill store, we do have our Green Friday offer for all Matcha lovers! It is a great opportunity to try the very best single origin and organic Matcha tea at a very reasonable price!
We also have special gift collections for all Matcha lovers. Do please come along to say hello. To make it even easier, we are having a late-night shopping evening on Thursday 4th December, when we will open till 8:00pm.
120 Talbot Road, London, W11 1JR
Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 6:30
Thursday 4th December 11.00 to 8.00
Torino Ichi is a really busy and energetic festival, such a great highlight during the cold and dark month of November. It is so nice to have these bright decorations giving us light and happiness in the dark evenings.