A Happy New Year

The tea for A New Year

We begin to sale some special tea leaf now.
They are a special tea for a new year.
One of them is called "Oofuku-cha". And another one is called "Onenga-cha".
Oofuku-cha means many happiness. And Onennga-cha means a new year tea.
Both of them mean that we wish you many more years of happiness.

Kobe Luminarie

You know, our green tea store is in Kobe, Japan.
And there is a light festival held in Kobe, Japan every December.
It began in 1995 and commemorates the Great Hanshin earthquake of that year. They were donated by the Italian Government. The lights are kept up for about two weeks and only turned on for a few hours each evening. Each light is individually hand-painted. Major streets in the vicinity are closed to auto traffic during these hours to allow pedestrians to fill the streets and enjoy the lights.

Oriental zodiac

The origin of the 12 signs of the animal zodiac can be traced back some 3,500 years.
The signs are believed to have been introduced to Japan in the 6th century.
Each of the zodiac animals have its own distinct characteristics, which people born in that year are said to share.
This year is the Year of the Mouse.
And 2009 is the Year of the Ox.
"What are the traits of an ox?"
"Stubborn, Hard-working, and I guess persistent."

What's your Oriental zodiac sign?

Year-end cleaning

In Japan, people have a tradition of doing a general house cleaning at the end of year.
Called susuharai, the tradition originates from a religious custom in which people cleaned their household altar and rooms to welcome the god of the New Year.
They believed they could drive away the ill luck of the year together with the dust in the house.
Although many families do it in late December, we have to do it early December.
Because you know we must open our green tea shop in late December. We are busy in this season.
So today, we did it!
But, not yet...
I finished cleaning half of the house.
Every time I straighten things up, my family make a mess again. It never ends!