2024 New Tea Event
Tea is a drink that is familiar to us Japanese people.
The season for new tea is almost here. The refreshing aroma and sweetness that can only be enjoyed at this time of year is what makes new tea so appealing.
May is the season when carp streamers and Boys' Festival come to mind, bringing back memories of childhood.
There are children's songs that we hummed as children. There are several children's songs related to tea, such as "Cha Cha Tsubo" and "Chatsumi."
Among these, do you know the children's songs related to events held during the new tea harvest season during the Edo period?
In the past, tea was a very luxurious item, and during the Edo period, tea, a specialty of Uji, Kyoto, was presented to the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The tea presented was carried in a tea jar from Uji to Edo. This is called the "tea jar journey."
Because the Ochatsubo Dochu was such a prestigious event, ordinary people were ordered to clean the roads along which the Ochatsubo Dochu passed, and had to make way for the procession to pass by and wait for it to pass.
"Zui Zui Zukkorobashi" is an old children's song that has been passed down in Japan since ancient times.
This hand-play song is said to be about the teapot journey. "Chased by the teapot, the door slams shut" is about villagers slamming their doors shut, fearing that they might make a mistake while carrying the teapot.
"Once you pass through, dondokosho (you can finally take a breather)." Common people were not even allowed to look up, so this is a very funny song that is said to satirize the tense journeys of the time.
This shows that tea was treated with great esteem in those days.
Even in modern times, the first tea picked is called "shincha" or "ichibancha" and has continued to be highly valued as something special.
This special new tea event will be held at House Fill Melange with the cooperation of Rishoen Tea Shop. 
This time we have two varieties of new tea available: Minato Saemidori, a Saemidori variety sencha by Minato, a top-rated tea brewer in Wazuka Town, the main production area of Uji sencha;
By covering the tea before harvesting, like in Gyokuro tea plantations, the tea is given a rich, umami flavor.
The other variety will be carefully selected by Rishoen Tea Shop leading up to the event, so you can look forward to it on the day. 
Additionally, we will be offering special teapots from Asahiyaki, a pottery manufacturer in Uji, Kyoto, which has been in business for approximately 400 years.
Asahi ware is said to have begun when the Edo period feudal tea master Kobori Enshu instructed the first potter and had him create beautifully rusted tea ware. It is still loved by many people today as one of the "Seven Enshu Kilns."
Please come to our store and see the charm of our historic Asahi ware.
During the event, we will be serving two varieties of new tea in our store.
We also have a limited number of souvenirs available: specially made small bags packed with "first-picked new tea."
Why not experience tea culture at House Phil Melange this Golden Week?
We look forward to your visit.
<Date and time> From Friday, May 3, 2024 to Sunday, May 12, 2024 11:00-19:00
<Location> House Phil Melange 1F Tour Blanche Azabu, 3-4-29 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046
＜Telephone＞ 03-3473-8611