Tea Connector Mariko Yamamoto
Mariko Yamamoto studied tea at Xiaoman in Taiwan and is currently sharing the charm of tea by holding classes and tea ceremonies. She also offers a continuous class called "Taiwan/Chinese Tea Ceremony" at FOOD FOR THOUGHT LAB. Her classes, where she carefully teaches beautiful manners and deep knowledge in a relaxed atmosphere, have been growing in popularity every year.
Instagram：@marikochakai
Enjoy the fragrance of the seasons, freely.
Carefully collected utensils, seasonal arrangements that stir the heart, and watching beautiful movements up close while listening to extensive knowledge. Mariko's classes are where you can fully immerse yourself in the world of tea and learn thoroughly.
There, a comfortable tranquility spreads, allowing you to forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and reset your mind.
Mariko, who holds such captivating classes, also uses our original items. Among them, she particularly likes the "Dessert Bowl." She said that as soon as she saw it, she knew it would be perfect for tea. This early summer, she brewed "white tea" in it.
She chose a white tea with a slightly citrusy and refreshing note. White tea also helps to cool the body and tastes delicious even when it cools down. It's truly the perfect tea for this season.
"The dessert bowl brings out the best in white tea."
White tea, described as "one year tea, three years medicine, seven years treasure" (一年茶三年薬七年寶), is known for its detoxifying properties. This tea, considered like a medicine, is often boiled in a kettle and drunk in large quantities locally to fully absorb its beneficial components.
Mariko believes that white tea is most delicious when consumed in abundance, just as the locals do. And the dessert bowl, she says, is ideal for bringing out its charm.
The key is the wide opening. You are gently enveloped in happiness as if bathing in the aroma.
"The dessert bowl's charm lies in its excellent mouthfeel and how smoothly you can drink from it. When the tea enters from this wide opening, it naturally helps you relax."
To fully understand the difference, she also brewed the same tea in a different glass.
In the dessert bowl, the tea had a smooth, almost viscous taste. My heart relaxed, and tension immediately melted away. In the other glass, it was crisp and refreshing.
I was surprised at how much the same tea could change just by the glass. It was like a completely different tea. Choosing a glass depending on your mood and savoring the difference in the finished taste. She taught me another new way to enjoy tea.
The appeal of Taiwanese/Chinese tea is the freedom to enjoy its flavors and aromas to the fullest in a relaxed style, without rigid formalities.
Be more free with your tableware too. Break free from preconceived notions and find the most comfortable way for you to use it – what shape would best bring out the charm of this tea or ingredient?
It will surely add even more color to your daily life. (miyu)
