24 solar terms No. 6 [Grain Rain]
The word "Kokuu" (Grain rain) is derived from the phrase "rain falls and nourishes the grains," and is said to mean "the soft spring rain irrigates the crops."
The previously unstable spring weather begins to stabilize, with snow stopping at "Qingming" and frost stopping at "Grain Rain."
It is said that the rain-soaked fields are in the perfect season for sowing seeds. In the southern regions, dragonflies start flying, people put away their winter clothes and stoves, and start changing into new clothes. This is a sign that farmers are preparing for rice planting.
Now let us introduce some events that take place around the time of late spring [Grain Rain].
[Events during the Qingming Dynasty]
April 29: Showa Day (Emperor Showa's birthday)
May 2nd: [Miscellaneous Festivals] Hachijuhachiya (88th night)
May 3: Constitution Memorial Day
May 4: Greenery Day
May 5th: Boys' Festival
Children's Day
After passing the sixth solar term, Grain Rain, we reach the seventh, Beginning of Summer.
Spring is over and we are now in early summer. Summer is finally starting.
Let's enjoy the changing seasons!
[Miscellaneous Festivals] Hachijuuhachiya (88th night)
Miscellaneous festivals are days that mark the change of seasons other than the 24 solar terms and five seasonal festivals.
In addition to the 88th night, other miscellaneous festivals include Doyo no Ushi, Setsubun, and Higan.
Miscellaneous festivals complement the 24 solar terms, allowing us to more accurately grasp the seasonal changes throughout the year. They were created in accordance with daily life and agricultural work, and have been integrated into Japanese life since ancient times. Many of them are familiar annual events and folk customs.
"Yasohachiya" means the 88th day from the beginning of spring, and is considered the turning point from spring to summer, and it is from this day that people start preparing for summer. It is around the end of April or early May.
This year, 2023, it will be on May 2nd.
The 88th day is the season for new tea.
As the song goes, "Summer is approaching, the 88th night...," the weather is getting warmer as early summer approaches. Since ancient times, this day has been an important day for people who work in agriculture.
New tea is a lucky charm!
Tea made from new buds picked at this time is called "shincha" or "ichibancha."
It is said that drinking tea on the 88th day after harvest will extend your lifespan and keep you healthy for a year. In Japan, it has long been believed that the first fruits of the season are full of vitality and that you can take in that energy. There are also many customs that respect the first fruits of the season, such as the saying "first fruits 75 days" that says that eating the first fruits of the season will extend your lifespan by 75 days.
It has also been said that the 88th night is auspicious because it is picked on a day that brings good fortune.
Tea leaves can be harvested three to five times a year.
Depending on the time of picking, tea is called Ichibancha (new tea), followed by Nibancha, Sanbancha, Akifuyubancha, etc., and it is generally said that the earlier the tea is picked, the higher the quality and the tastier it is.
It is said that new tea contains three times as much theanine, a sweet and savory component, as second- and subsequent-season teas. The longer the buds grow, the less theanine they contain, so they cannot be left to grow too late. However, if they are harvested too early, the result will be a small harvest, so the timing of harvesting is considered important.
One of the sayings about the 88th night is, "The farewell frost on the 88th night."
Around the 88th day, the number of days with frost decreases and it is considered a suitable time for picking tea and sowing seeds. The harvest is then done all at once, depending on how the season progresses.
On the other hand, there is something called "the crying frost of ninety-nine nights."
Spring weather is still unstable, and sudden cold fronts can cause late frosts. If frost falls between the time the tea leaves sprout and the time they are picked, the soft parts of the buds will suffer frost damage, turning the buds brown and causing great damage to the tea fields.
To prevent this from happening, tea farms where new buds begin to sprout just before the 88th day after harvest use frost prevention fans and other equipment to carefully grow the tea leaves until the day they are picked.
How to make delicious new tea
The amount of tea leaves needed to make delicious new tea is two teaspoons per person. The water temperature should be 70-80℃, the amount of water should be 150-200ml, and the extraction time should be about 40 seconds.
①Put tea leaves into the teapot.
The more tea leaves you add, the deeper the flavor will be.
2) Pour hot water into a teacup, cool it to 70-80°C, and pour it into the teapot.
③After extracting for about 40 seconds, gently rotate the teapot 2 to 3 times.
This allows the tea leaves to open up and release their full flavour.
④ Pour evenly little by little, squeezing out every last drop.
New tea is also popular as a gift, and you can enjoy its fresh aroma and taste, reminiscent of new green leaves.
I'd love to enjoy the scents of the season.
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The Grain Rain season coincides with the Golden Week holiday in Japan.
This year, the coronavirus pandemic has eased restrictions on wearing masks, and almost all countries now allow people to travel abroad without entry restrictions. It is expected that there will be a lot of people traveling domestically and visiting tourist spots.
Meanwhile, this time of year is normally said to be a time when temperatures are relatively mild and it is easy to enjoy travel and sightseeing, but in recent years it is not uncommon for the weather to become unstable due to a sudden return of the cold weather or a stagnant spring rain front.
Also, for families with children, there are celebrations for children such as Children's Day and Boys' Festival. How will you enjoy Golden Week this year?
Come enjoy the refreshing new greenery of early summer and feel the change of seasons!