Direct Trade Tea & Botanicals

Direct Trade Tea & Botanicals

At Rishi Tea & Botanicals we set our own progressive standards for ethical trade and direct sourcing. Like wine, many teas come from heritage gardens with a storied legacy. This is not like purchasing a bulk commodity on the international market. 
What Is Matcha?

What Is Matcha?

Matcha is a traditional Japanese green tea powder produced by stone-milling a shade-grown green tea called tencha into a fine powder. 
How to Brew Tea with a Kyusu

How to Brew Tea with a Kyusu

The kyusu is a traditional teapot ideal for brewing pure Japanese green teas. 
What is Gongfu Cha?

What is Gongfu Cha?

Gongfu Cha (literally, “Kung Fu Tea”) is a traditional Chinese term that refers to brewing tea with discipline and skill.
How to Cold Brew Tea

How to Cold Brew Tea

The process of cold-brewing steeps tea leaves slowly, using time rather than temperature to release flavors and catechins gently.
How to Make Ceremonial Matcha

How to Make Ceremonial Matcha

Learn how to prepare ceremonial matcha in the traditional style with Japanese tea master Ryo Iwamoto.
How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea in a Gaiwan

How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea in a Gaiwan

Brewing with a Gaiwan, the traditional Chinese tea brewing vessel, can seem intimidating, but with a little practice and following the right guidance, it is easy to master.
How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea In A Simple Brew

How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea In A Simple Brew

Regardless of the category of tea you would like to brew, many factors affect the flavor of the tea and overall tasting experience. Variables include brewing vessel, water temperature, steep time, dosage, and even quality of water!
Why Water Temperature is Important When Brewing Tea

Why Water Temperature is Important When Brewing Tea

When you use the correct water temperature it can open up a whole world of flavor that you never knew existed within tea.
What is Tea? – Origins and Categorization of Camellia Sinensis

What is Tea? – Origins and Categorization of Camellia Sinensis

The modern tea world recognizes six categories of tea: green, yellow, white, oolong, black, and dark (Pu'er). The main attribute by which a tea is put into one ...
tea drunk

Cha Qi & Tea Drunk

Qi in the Chinese language represents the lifeforce energy or the breath of life. Cha Qi is an elusive term with a slightly intangible definition. The literal translation is “tea energy”.
Japanese Green Tea

Japanese Green Tea

Japan is renowned for green teas with a natural and vivid green color, fresh bitter sweetness, and famed umami flavor. This unique character is typically imparted when the tea is steam fired. 
Earthenware-and-clay-teaware

How to Choose Teaware for Gongfu Cha

Gongfu Cha (literally, “Kung Fu Tea”) is a traditional Chinese term that refers to brewing tea with discipline and skill.
What is Herbal Tea?

What is Herbal Tea?

Herbal Teas refer to naturally caffeine-free products that are not actually “tea” in the botanical sense. New tea drinkers are surprised to learn that all true tea is made from the leaves of a single plant species: Camellia Sinensis.
tokonameclay

Tokoname Clay

Tokoname was the location of one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan and is also famed for Buddhist and Shinto shrine statue artisans. Tokoname is often considered to be the sister city of Yixing.

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