One cup or two. * Sixtyexpress

Japan

Do you like green tea? I like the tea with brown rice roasted with the leaves as it is light and refreshing on a hot day. We are visiting a tea plantation to see how your green tea is made. Tea plants are picked 4 times a year for 30 years. The first harvest is done by hand to create Sencha . Only the top 3 leaves are picked. Machines are used for the other 3 harvests.

Basically the leaves are picked, steamed slightly, rolled ,steamed ,rolled and then dried.

Now I hope you are wiser and are feeling sorry for that pulverised, steamed leaf.

We all know a visit to a factory means shopping! Tea is available in its every form….ice cream, biscuits, chocolate, alcoholic, tea bags, leaves and bottled. Then there are cups, bags, containers, teapots, flasks and other tea remotely related items. I just bought tea and a tea caddy, how about you…..there seems to be a bag or two.,

Next we are often to see an enormous Buddha statue…with perhaps a photo stop for Mount Fuji if she shows her face today.

Yes she was available today.

Travelling along the Japanese ‘Gold Coast’ we can see people enjoying the warm weather….surfing, swimming and windsurfing.The surf here can get to the giddy height of half a metre .

Next stop….the big Buddha at Kamakura

This particular Buddha has survived storms and a tsunami for 400years. Originally it was in a pavilions and was surrounded by copper lotus leaves. The pavilions were rebuilt twice and all but 4 lotus leaves have been lost but the Buddha has survived. The grounds are not extensive but are definitely peaceful don’t you think.

Would you like one of these boxes on wheels? Most families have small cars as the garage is sometimes just slightly wider than the car.The guide said that sometimes owners push the car in….not sure if this is true.