Although Japan likes to pretend it’s a modern Western-style nation with institutions built in close imitation of those of Europe, at the end of the day Japan is part of Asia. This means lots of uniquely Asian things, like eating rice 2-3 times a day and getting used to the sight of smartly dressed businessmen in suits riding bicycles while holding umbrellas with one hand. It also means encountering a huge variety of Asian tea, a very important aspect of living in Japan. While most people are aware that Japanese drink “green tea,” in reality there are many varieties of tea here, including 緑茶 ryoku-cha, the weak green tea we’re all familiar with; 抹茶 matcha, a powdered green tea used in tea ceremony, which has become a popular flavor in many snacks including Green Tea Kit Kat; ほうじ茶 houji-cha, a pleasant roasted green tea; 玄米茶 genmai-cha, green tea with roasted brown rice; and various Chinese teas like oolong and jasmine. One of the most common types of tea here is 麦茶 mugi-cha, or barley tea, a refreshing caffeine-free tea that’s made from barley, one of the healthiest and most refreshing things you can drink in the summer. Naturally we’ve got cold-brew barley tea bags in stock, along with many other kinds of tea for you to try.
Summer is time for mugi cha (barley tea), which we happen to have in stock.
