Have you ever had the opportunity to drink tea leaves processed directly from the tea-producing region? I recently had the opportunity to visit Komagane City in Nagano Prefecture, where some families grow their own tea trees. I had never seen or tasted fresh tea leaves before, so it was a completely new experience.
One day, the owner of the culture club said to me, “I brought you some tea! We immediately started processing the tea leaves. She laid out her own goza, a mat, and carefully showed us how to work. I realized later that this is work usually done at home. She took the time to show me the richness of nature’s gift at a place far from her home.
We enjoyed a cup of morning tea together.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have processed and drunk tea leaves straight from the source in Komagane City. If you ever find yourself in Nagano Prefecture, I highly recommend seeking out this one-of-a-kind experience.
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