The Japanese Secret of Green Tea 

Discover the virtues of Japan’s ancestral beverage 

Izumi Forasté delves into the secrets of one of the oldest beverages in the world to share with the reader its many virtues, whether in the kitchen or in the creation of cosmetics for skin care, or in relation to spirituality and self-knowledge. 

The author, of Spanish and Japanese descent, begins by tracing the history of green tea, whose origins lie more than 4,000 years ago in traditional Chinese medicine. It was not until Japanese Buddhist priests imported it to Japan after a trip to China 1,200 years ago that it began to be enjoyed as a beverage. The prized infusion, at first only available to priests and the nobility, would become much more widely popular in the West. 

The book explores aspects such as the tea ceremony and its link with mindfulness, tea varieties, cups and teapots, its benefits and Japanese protocol, and even take us on a journey through popular proverbs. Forasté also explains how to prepare a good cup of tea and proposes simple recipes with matcha to help us incorporate more beauty, simplicity and health into our daily lives.