About Matcha（chapter 1)

A happy new year!!
This year, I’d like to write articles more than last year.
To be honest, I’m writing this English articles, usually using a translation machine….
I want to write without such machine as much as possible, it is my this year resolution. 
Well, Let’s get started!
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Matcha is a tea that we always make without thinking, but its beginnings are very old.
Today, I would like to write about the beginnings of matcha in Japan.

I am writing from the website of Marukyu Koyamaen, which I have always used for drinking.
It is said that tea was first introduced to Japan in the Nara period.In the early Heian period, the great teacher Saicho(最澄) and the great monk Kukai(空海) brought tea back from China (Tang Dynasty at that time) and introduced the tea ceremony to Japan.The tea of the time was “Mochi-cha“ (or “Dan-cha”), which is described in a book called "Tea Sutra" compiled by Lu Yu of the Tang Dynasty.The tea called "Mochi-cha" in the Tang Dynasty came to be called "Dancha" in the Zong Dynasty.According to Wikipedia, dancha is "solid tea made by grinding steamed tea leaves in a mortar and pestle. At the time of its arrival in Japan, “Dan-cha” was still shaved and roasted like Tang Dynasty tea, and was drunk at temple ceremonies. “Ten-cha” is made by wrapping “Dan-cha” in paper and crushing it.

Ten-cha is made by Dan-cha.

“Ten-cha”* was introduced to Japan by Zen monk Eisai(栄西) in the Kamakura period. At that time, it was still drunk in the Zen sect's tea ceremony, but the way to drink it was to pour hot water and stir it with a tea whisk(茶筅), just as it is done today. This method of drinking was practiced in China only during the time of the sect. This way of drinking is now practiced only in Japan, since this way of drinking is not practiced in China today.It is said that Eisai wrote "Kissa Yojoki(喫茶養生記)" (The Book of Tea Curing), in which he explained the benefits of tea, and presented it to SHOGUN (Minamoto no Sanetomo), which spread the drinking of this powdered tea among the samurai class.

Continue to chapter2…