There is never a bad time for tea, but as the sun begins to linger and the mercury starts to rise, staring down a steaming hot cup can seem like a daunting proposition. It’s during these days that we find ourselves reaching for cup after cup of refreshing cold tea topped up with plenty of ice!

Summer is in full swing, which means the sun and humidity are teaming up to do a number on your skin. Lucky for you, Ruhaku - a beauty brand born under the harsh Okinawan sun - is here to help you greet the day with an undeniably dewy glow.

Have you heard about dalgona coffee? By now, you’re sure to have seen this frothy and delicious coffee drink pop up in your social media stream amongst everyone’s pushup challenges and facemask selfies. This creamy, whipped, subtly sweet, and layered butterscotch beauty is having its moment in the limelight; and for good reason - it’s delicious! This recipe was cross-posted to our sister blog, The Rikumo Journal.

Festive, bubbly, and green. This seasonal creation features a scoop of Morihata matcha and a splash of woodsy gin to help keep your holiday spirits high. This recipe was cross-posted to our sister blog, The Rikumo Journal.

The holidays are quickly approaching, and the prospect of a few relaxing days with food, family, and festivities in the near future means that our spirits are nearing peak levels. The only thing that could make our spirits brighter is a warming drink and a spicy snack to hold us over.

Despite matcha’s growing popularity, many people are intimidated by the thought of making it at home. While it does require a few specialized tools, we think that with a bit of practice anyone can make tea ceremony-quality tea. The act of making an energizing cup of matcha is a meditative experience that we think you will begin to look forward to. Follow along and learn how it's done.

To get the most enjoyment out of your Japanese green tea, we always recommend brewing with a kyusu. Simply meaning “teapot” in Japanese, the word is often used to describe a small side-handled teapot that is traditionally used to prepare green teas. These teapots fit comfortably in your hand and allow you to extract the best possible flavors from your tea.

The calming effects of sipping a hot cup of tea on a cold day allows you to slow down and take a moment for yourself. When many of us are at risk for getting sick or feeling run down during the holidays or during the change of seasons, a daily cup of green tea can have powerful effects on both your health and mental well being. A known superfood, green tea is said to be high in antioxidants, and its low levels of caffeine are said to help improve your mood, mental clarity, and focus. But for some, the grassy taste and vegetal aroma of green tea is not appealing to their taste palette. As an alternative, we have prepared a green tea soup that has all the benefits of green tea but in a delicate vegetable broth.

Japanese towels are exceptionally durable to begin with, but with a little extra care and precaution, you can extend their life for years to come. Below, we share our top 11 tips for getting the most life out of your towels.