From Traditional to Modern Tools  The vibrant green powder known as matcha has transformed from a traditional Japanese ceremonial tea into a global sensation. Whether in specialty cafés or home kitchens, matcha's distinctive preparation process requires specific tools—central among them, the matc...

In the heart of Toronto's vibrant Chinatown, tucked away on Spadina Ave is a hidden gem that offers the perfect setting for memorable first dates. ICHA TEA, with its serene atmosphere and loose-leaf Asian teas, provides an elegant alternative to the typical coffee shop meetup. A second location i...

Most people are unaware that tea, outside of North America, is the second most popular beverage in the world (after water). Over 2 billion cups of tea are consumed daily, across many cultures. Equally interesting is that tea leaves began as a medicine. Tea has been prized for its health propertie...

The Art of Tea Rinsing -  The Secret to Unlocking Deeper Flavour Understanding Tea Rinsing Lately, new loose-leaf tea enthusiasts have been asking us: what is the deal with pre-washing/rinsing tea leaves? Why do we discard the first infusion? They see it happen during tea ceremonies and they se...

The Many Faces of Tea The tea leaf, originating from China thousands of years ago, has evolved into six distinct categories through various processing methods. Most people don't realize that all the different types - White tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, pu-erh tea, gaba tea an...

Golden Matcha!? Yes, you read that correctly! Golden Matcha is a thing, although it is not entirely made of gold. Rather, KIN-SAI Matcha (Kinsai Kinpaku iri Matcha) is a ceremonial grade matcha, blended with actual edible gold flakes!  We started calling it Golden Matcha and it started to stick...