I hope your summer is going well.
I have two new stories for you this week, and one last reminder about a coffee that will not be around much longer.
First -
Have you heard about Ochugen? Ochugen is the mid-summer gift Japanese families and companies send to say thank you.
It sounds simple, and then you learn the timing is different depending on the region, there are people you should never send one to, and there is a right way to thank someone once without quietly signing yourself up for every year after.
I wrote down how it actually works, including what to do if a gift arrives and you were not expecting it.
Second -
I wanted to share this before the launch of Japanese Wine Co., but decided to wait until we are launched. The story is quite amazing.
An elderly man in Fujisawa, Japan tended a grape vine in his backyard for about twenty years without ever knowing what it was. When the vines changed hands and the first bottles needed a variety name, samples went to Japan's National Research Institute of Brewing.
There was no match. A full genome analysis confirmed it: this grape matches nothing previously recorded anywhere in the world.
It is named after the man's granddaughter. Japan calls it the miracle grape, and once you see the numbers — around 30 Brix where most wine grapes are picked at 20 to 26, and vines that grow from −30°C in Hokkaido to subtropical Okinawa — you understand why. Here is the whole story.
Third -
There is still time for Natsu (なつ), our summer blend.
Natsu is the summer edition of Sapporo Coffee Kan's four-seasons series, roasted in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. The roastery has kept the same idea for years: every season in Hokkaido has its own scenery, and each one deserves its own cup.
Beans from Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia, taken to a medium-dark roast — dark chocolate sweetness with a crisp, clean finish. It is very good hot, and I think it is even better over ice.
It is a limited seasonal roast, so once summer is done, so is Natsu.
Fourth -
May I ask you for one more favor? Voting for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards closes on Sunday, August 17, and you can vote once every day until then.
It takes about ten seconds and it genuinely makes a difference for a small family company like ours. You can vote here. Thank you so much to everyone who has already been voting.
With love and gratitude,
Kei Nishida
& the team from Dream of Japan
