Tourist

A tour of Marukyu-Koyamaen in Uji

A tour of Marukyu-Koyamaen in Uji
| Danielle Geva

Long before I’d ever heard of hojicha, I briefly thought about selling matcha. There are thousands of companies selling the green tea powder, but for some reason it never tasted as good as it did when I drank it in Japan.

Whether I’d be selling it or not, I wanted to taste the best matcha in the world. As a long-term matcha drinker and enthusiast, Francois had already done the research and found Marukyu-Koyamaen in Uji. Marukyu-Koyamaen is an award-winning manufacturer dedicated to producing teas of the highest quality. Luckily for us, they offered plant tours and had an availability while we were in Japan.

Although we were not allowed to take any pictures, believe me when I say that every step of the processing of tencha to matcha was more fascinating than the last. My favourite room was the one where stone mills were quietly grinding the tencha leaves into a fine matcha powder. The stone mills were going slowly in order to avoid overheating. Maintaining the perfect temperature was so important that it was all done in the dark. Seeing my excitement, the tour guide showed me a manual stone mill up close and I even got to grind some tencha myself.

Before the tour concluded, I learned how to make and drink a proper cup of matcha. As an inexperienced matcha maker, not to mention pretty clumsy in general, I was terrified of breaking the beautiful ceramic matcha chawan (tea bowl). I was hesitant to whisk the matcha quickly, and it showed. After watching from a distance, the director himself walked over to offer his assistance. He encouraged me to whisk the matcha briskly and demonstrated how the speed and zig zag motion was essential to dissolving the powder and producing a beautiful rich foam. The best matcha in the world takes work to produce and is deserving of skillful preparation, anything less would be disrespectful. The resulting matcha was the best I’d ever had by far.

A tour of Marukyu-Koyamaen in Uji

The final part of the tour was a visit to the tea shop. I reached for their highest grade of ceremonial matcha, Tenju 天授 (heavenly). Although Marukyu-Koyamaen only uses natural fertilizers for all of their teas, I was curious about their organic selection. Knowing I was looking for high quality matcha, they advised me that their top matcha was significantly superior to their top organic matcha. While I understood there was no comparison, I had a feeling that their organic Matcha Gold was probably still better than many other matcha brands.

During my visit to Marukyu-Koyamaen, it was evident just how essential unwavering dedication to quality and attention to detail were to the production of exceptional matcha powder. When the same level of care was applied to my own preparation, I was rewarded with the perfect bowl of matcha. Learning how matcha powder is made, and how to prepare it traditionally, has increased both my appreciation and enjoyment of the tea.

Love matcha? Then you’ll want to try hojicha, the roasted Japanese green tea.

Umeda Sky Building and Sakura Mille Crepe Cake

Umeda Sky Building and Sakura Mille Crepe Cake
| Danielle Geva

After having Kitsune Udon at Umeda Station, I walked over to Umeda Sky Building. Instead of heading directly to the top of the building, I first tried to find a Doutor. The cafe advertised their sakura flavoured desserts in celebration of the cherry blossom season, and I wanted to taste the Sakura Mille Crepe Cake. At the time, I was still making exceptions for desserts that weren’t plant-based.

I had looked up the directions for Doutor back at the hotel, and was convinced I knew the exact building and level. Then when I didn’t spot the cafe, I started to panic. I had found myself in an underground market with no Doutor in sight. Although it was a wonderful recreation of an old Osaka street from the early 20th century, I couldn’t focus on exploring it. I darted from one area to another, desperate to stick to my schedule. I felt lost without any internet, and once again forgot to keep an open mind while travelling. I reminded myself that I wasn’t actually lost or even alone, and that it wasn’t the end of the world if things didn’t go according to plan. Maybe I’d even find a better sakura dessert later on.

Just as I had thought of skipping dessert and heading to the rooftop, Francois had found the cafe. I finally ordered the Sakura Mille Crepe Cake, and noticed that the dessert set came with coffee at a discounted price. I tried to order a decaf soy latte, but it wasn’t going well. The soy latte part was understood, but not the decaf part. When I tried to paraphrase, the barista tried to suggest hot chocolate. This seemed like a weird suggestion at first, but then I realized that technically it was a warm drink without any caffeine. It seems that the barista did understand me after all, but was trying to be polite.

After reading between the lines that decaf coffee wasn’t available at that location, I ordered the soy latte and figured that at least it was discounted. Then the total price was different from the discounted set price. There was no one in line behind me, so I casually asked about it. The server kindly explained that since soy milk was extra, the set was only available with a dairy milk latte. Even though this all happened much quicker than it sounds, I still felt bad about bothering him with my complicated order. I reassured him it wasn’t a problem, thanked him for all of his help, and quickly paid.

Umeda Sky Building and Sakura Mille Crepe Cake

The Sakura Mille Crepe Cake was adorable and tasted like strawberry jam. I was mostly just happy to finally relax and enjoy my dessert. When I was done, I calmly made my way to the entrance of the Umeda Sky Building. First, I walked around the indoor observatory taking in the beautiful views of Osaka. Then I went to the rooftop to experience the Floating Garden Observatory. The open air observatory was absolutely terrifying. There was no glass hiding the city views, which makes it ideal for taking good pictures but terrible for someone with a fear of heights. It was so windy, I was convinced I would fly right off the building.

Umeda Sky Building and Sakura Mille Crepe Cake

As I clutched my bag, I began to panic for the second time that day. While changing course had caused me stressed earlier, this time it brought me comfort to know that I could simply go back down. I knew my fear was irrational since other people were walking around happily. Not to mention that the rooftop wouldn’t be open if it was dangerous. However, I decided that I shouldn’t feel pressured to walk around if I wouldn’t enjoy it. I was brave enough to check out the top level, and didn’t need a picture to prove it. Besides, Francois would fill me in and show me his photos. I went back down to the enclosed observatory area, where I could enjoy the view more peacefully.

Umeda Sky Building and Sakura Mille Crepe Cake

Hanami in Osaka

Hanami in Osaka Japan
| Danielle Geva

During the cherry blossom season in Japan, people flock to the parks to view the blooms and have picnics. The first park I visited was Kema Sakuranomiya Park by the O River in Osaka.

Groups gather on picnic blankets or giant blue tarps. They remove and neatly line them up before sitting in a circle. Employees on their lunch break typically eat store-bought bento boxes, while families enjoy homemade food. Some even prepare a fresh meal on a tiny grill.

I joined the few individuals sitting on benches. My lunch seemed fairly basic, but I noticed many others also picked up their lunch from a nearby FamilyMart, Lawson, or 7-Eleven. Despite my hesitation, I soon understood why convenience store food is so popular. Of course it wasn’t a gourmet meal, but it was better than the food served at some restaurants.

My cold lunch set consisted of soba noodles and Inari. The sushi was incredibly fresh and delicious. On the other hand, the soba noodles appeared to be a disaster. They were all stuck together, and impossible to eat. Then I discovered that they came with a clear packet that appeared to be water. Once I poured the water in and mixed the noodles, they separated like magic. The soba noodles tasted even better with the shredded seaweed and green onion toppings. Since the sauce provided appeared to have bonito in it, I made a note to grab plain soy sauce packets next time.

After I was done my lunch, it proved to be impossible to find a garbage bin. My usual hack for Japan is to check for one in public washrooms, but that only works when they have paper towels. While walking around, I heard a sound reminiscent of an ice cream truck. Weirdly enough, this turned out to be a coca cola sponsored garbage truck. It seems that people threw their garbage bags into a fence enclosed area, and so I did the same. Then I walked upwind.

Hanami in Osaka Japan

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