Tools for a Moment of Respite
I love drinks.
Hot water, black tea, green tea, hojicha, Chinese tea, coffee, water, beer, wine, sake...
Once I started listing them, I couldn't stop.
Whether it's a refreshing cold drink or a comforting warm one,
my hand naturally reaches for one depending on my mood and the time of day.
I like eating too, but I feel more drawn to "drinking."
Perhaps that's why, before I knew it, I started to develop a slight preference for my drink-related tools.
Before I knew it, it was already August.
When the nearby junior high school became quiet, I realized it was summer vacation.
The air in Nagano, where I recently visited, already feels like a distant memory, and I miss that coolness.
The heat in Tokyo grows stronger every day, making it a little troublesome to go outside.
From morning, the air feels muggy, and the heat builds up indoors.
In this season, even a moment of feeling "coolness" is more precious than anything.
"Hinode Kagaku Seisakusho Glass Pot" brings coolness even from its appearance
Recently, I've been using the Hinode Kagaku Seisakusho glass pot a lot.
Just by adding cold herbal tea or barley tea with ice, it looks refreshing.
As I vaguely watch the tea leaves and ice sway in the clear glass, I feel the heat subside a little.
It's不思議 how simply taking it out of the refrigerator and placing it on the table makes the air feel lighter. Watching the tea slowly change color through the glass has quietly become a small pleasure for me.
At breakfast, during a midday break, or in the evening while relaxing...
No matter when I use it, it seems to gently complement the atmosphere of the moment.
Thankfully, there are many greengrocers in Kagurazaka, and
just by dropping by, I can find seasonal fruits and fragrant herbs.
Lately, buying a few lemons, mint, or rosemary and floating them in cold tea has become a small pleasure of mine.
Time to Face the Tea Leaves: "Jinsui Teapot"
As night falls and a gentle breeze begins to blow, I feel like brewing warm tea.
That's when I rely on the Jinsui teapot.
At first, I associated teapots with green tea, but now I brew various teas like black tea and Chinese tea.
There are no rules for how to use it; I simply brew my favorite tea leaves, however I like, freely.
As I go through the motions, I notice my breathing naturally deepening.
I love the comfortable fit in my hand and the feeling when pouring, so I find myself reaching for it more often.
Watching the tea leaves slowly unfurl beyond the steam, I feel as if the contours of the season gently emerge.
My current favorite is Chinese white tea.
When I was choosing tea leaves, the shop assistant told me it was "perfect for this season," so I decided to try it.
White tea is said to have a cooling effect, which is perfect for me when I'm feeling a bit tired from the summer heat.
It's also apparently good for UV damage, and I feel a sense of relief knowing I'm caring for myself from the inside out, not just by applying sunscreen.
I slowly savor it, thinking, "It's probably better than doing nothing."
A morning beginning with aroma, coffee time
I often brew coffee in the morning.
While my head is still foggy, I grind the beans and pour hot water.
Enveloped in the gently rising aroma, I feel my body and mind gradually awaken.
I have it iced on hot days, and hot on cool mornings.
Perhaps the best thing about coffee is that I can choose it effortlessly according to the atmosphere and my mood at the time.
Recently, I've found it interesting to subtly change the type of beans, grind, and water temperature, like a small experiment.
Warming up my favorite mug seems to make the mouthfeel smoother, and the gentle gurgling sound of the drip heard in the quiet morning hours somehow feels like it calms my mind.
A day that begins with the aroma of coffee feels somehow more relaxed and comfortable.
The more I want to avoid rushing in the morning, the more I feel like brewing it carefully.
What "drinking" tidies up
Whether it's brewing coffee or brewing tea, even though I'm just making a drink,
it has somehow become a precious moment for me to collect myself.
Drinking is surely one of the gentlest acts in life.
And with my favorite tools, I feel like I can touch that gentleness a little more deeply.
Tools are not just "things"; they are like quiet companions that gently accompany my time and atmosphere.
This summer, too, I intend to get through the season with the help of these companions.
