Cradling the warm teacup in my hands, I unconsciously lean toward the hibachi, drawn to the comforting heat of the glowing red coals. Taking a sip of my habu cha, I turn the page.
It’s incredible, the things you find in an old house. Tucked away in forgotten corners—letters long left unread, remnants of lives once lived, and every now and then, a treasure like this: an old magazine.
This particular issue was printed in 1941. The cover, however, is a reprint of a Taishō period edition. The first two-thirds of the magazine were fresh and current—at least, they were in 1941—while the last third is a reprint from the original Taishō publication.
So much has changed. The doma, the kimono, the kamado—even the language itself. And yet, some things remain comfortingly familiar. Among the pages, I find a simple but enduring message: Eat your vegetables. A sentiment as timeless as the warmth of a hearth in winter.
It’s in quiet moments like these that I’m grateful I took the time to learn Japanese. The ability to peer into the past, to connect with it in an intimate way, is a reward all its own. And I’m happy to share a little bit of that journey with you. But for now, my cha leaves have steeped their last, and it’s time to refresh the pot. Until next time—またね。
