About Eighty-eight Nights
Yame Tea Series 2
Reference：Jalan news
“Eighty-eight nights” is 88 days after the first day of spring. Since the first day of spring this year, 2022, was February 4, “88 nights” became today, May 2. From this day onward, they say that full-scale summer will begin, and in Japan this Eight-eight nights day is the time of a guideline for starting agricultural work such as rice planting, sowing seeds and picking first tea leaves. This “Eighty-eight nights” date is an important day for the Japanese who respect nature for agriculture.
Why is tea on Eight-eight Nights delicious?
Hand-picked 1st tea leaves around Eighty-eight nights can make the best quality tea. First of all, “Ichibancha - 1st tea” is picked from mid April to mid May. The 2nd tea is two months after the end of 1st tea harvest; e.g. mid-June to mid July, and the 3rd tea is two to three weeks after the end of the 2nd tea harvest; mid July to late August.
Reference : https://ameblo.jp/kunma-tenryu-photos/entry-12705530061.html
“One-core with two-leaves” or “one-core with three leaves” hand-pickings refer to picking the core bud at the tip with two or three leaves below it. This part is so soft and contains a lot of umami ingredients. Especially, the sprout of Eighty-eight nights contains a lot of theanine, which is an umami ingredient. This theanine changes to catechin which is a bitter taste exposed under ultraviolet rays. Therefore, the tea leaves picked around Eighty-eight Nights when the ultraviolet rays are still weak will be delicious with less bitterness and astringency.
Lucky charm
Tea leaves picked around Eighty-eight Nights have been said to be auspicious.
Eight kanji character is auspicious because its figure is wide, spreading towards the bottom and the eighty-eight nights are doubled eight and it is even more auspicious. Also, when kanji character of “rice（米）” is decomposed, it becomes Eighty-eight（八十八）and it expresses the heart of Japanese people who value rice for their life.
The Japanese people also believe that drinking this special tea will extend your lifespan and you will be healthy throughout the year. This is also the Japanese custom in which they respect the first thing of the season. They say that eating the 1st seasonal harvest will extend the lifespan by 75 days. They believe that the first product is full of vitality and they can take that energy by eating it.
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