How did everyone start the first day of the new year?
Today I want to share with you one of my favorite Kyoto New Year's traditions.
It's called Dafu Tea.
It's not a dessert, nor is it some complicated tea ceremony.
It is the first cup of tea that people in Kyoto drink on New Year's Day morning.
What is Dafu Tea?
Daifuku tea, pronounced asおおぶくちゃin Japanese , means "tea that brings great blessings."
Traditionally, this tea is made by brewing tea leaves , dried plums , and kelp together.
In Japanese culture, dried plums symbolize health and ward off evil.
Kelp, because its Japanese pronunciation sounds similar to "joy," represents happiness;
Tea itself is something that brings peace and purification.
Therefore, Dafu Tea is a cup of tea that allows you to drink blessings directly into your body.
｜Origin of Daifuku Tea｜
The origin of Daifuku tea dates back to the Tenryaku period of the Heian era, when a plague swept through Kyoto.
A monk named Kūya Shōjin , on the emperor's orders, prepared a tea drink made by adding umeboshi (pickled plums) and kelp to sencha (a type of savory tea) and distributed it to the sick. The patients gradually recovered after drinking it. To commemorate this event, Emperor Murakami personally drank this tea every New Year's Day thereafter and named it "Oufukucha" (皇服茶), which means "tea drunk by the emperor".
Because the Japanese pronunciation of "皇服茶" (Ofukucha) is similar to that of "大福茶" (Ofukucha), the Japanese people later called it "大福茶" or "大福" (Daifukucha), which means "great happiness" and became an essential auspicious tea for the New Year.
| New Year's Morning in Kyoto |
Imagine the morning of January 1st.
Brew yourself a cup of Dafu tea, and in the cold winter air, take a sip of hot tea to start the new year.
Like saying to yourself:
"Please continue to guide me this year as well."
Why I like Daifuku tea |
I first encountered Daifuku tea this year at the Jiyugaoka Select Shop Today's Special in Tokyo. I happened to see Daifuku tea from the old Kyoto tea shop Ippodo, found it very interesting, and decided to buy some to try.
The taste of Daifuku tea, if no other ingredients are added, is actually a light genmai green tea flavor.
The aroma of genmai green tea, in this fast-paced era, and the subtle flavor of daifuku tea seem to be telling us that in the new year, there is no need to rush to figure out the whole year's plans at the beginning of the year. It is a reminder to savor the taste of life before moving forward.
The new year needs this kind of ritual!
Bring Dafu Tea into your life |
You don't necessarily have to be in Kyoto.
It doesn't necessarily have to be on New Year's Day.
On a morning when you need to start over,
Brew a cup of tea and give yourself a moment to slow down.
Use your favorite cup and drink it slowly.
That's the Dafu Tea that's right for you.
A better version: Spotify