April 2026 – Discovering Tea

In Japan, with cherry blossom season in full swing, it’s a time for contemplation. People travel from far and wide to admire the trees covered in blooms and take selfies or simply enjoy a picnic beneath a canopy of pink or white petals. This love of nature at its most fleeting naturally brings to mind the saying ichi-go ichi-e, which is an invitation to focus on the present moment, to understand and accept the transience of existence. This precept forms an essential part of understanding cha no yu, the Japanese name for the tea ceremony.

This contemplation of cherry blossom evokes tea in another way. When you ask a tea enthusiast what tea means to them, what it gives them, the word that comes up most often is a sense of “calm”. Tea soothes us – in the same way that we are soothed by this silent, joyful, blissful contemplation of cherry blossom, by scenes of delicate beauty, like here in Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, one of Japan’s most celebrated gardens.

Harvesting of the legendary Darjeeling teas begins every year in early March. But what makes Darjeeling so special? It is grown on vast estates that were planted by the British in the mid-19th century – an epic endeavour that left an indelible mark on two countries. The grand saga of the East India Company wrote a page not only in Great Britain’s history, but India’s too. The breathtaking views across stunning landscapes on the roof of the world have helped to create the legend of this exceptional tea, which grows in a unique climate. Harsh winters transition to early summers, which quickly give way to torrential rains until the arrival of a sunny autumn. The camellia thrives on these high slopes, where the acidic, well-drained soil suits it perfectly.

Thousands of men and women (mostly women) pick the most tender shoots, which fetch high prices, despite the fact that working conditions have improved little over the years. If labour shortages continue, they could one day jeopardise the future of the appellation.

ARCHIVE FOR April 2026

Contemplation and calm

A legendary tea