What is "Ofukucha (Great Fortune Tea)" for celebrating the New Year? How to make and enjoy it
What kind of drink will you have to start the new year? "Obukucha," with its gentle umami flavor of plum and kelp, is an auspicious tea that has been passed down since the Heian period to celebrate the Japanese New Year. A cup of this tea, consumed with wishes for good health and safety for the family, gently calms both mind and body. This time, we will introduce the origin of Obukucha and how to prepare it at home.
What is Obukucha?
In Kyoto, it has long been customary to drink an auspicious tea called "Obukucha" (or "Ofukucha") for the New Year. Drinking tea with pickled plum and kelp to wish for good health throughout the year and safety for the family is a unique Japanese New Year tradition.
Obukucha is still cherished by many as a "prayer tea" that calms the mind and body at the beginning of the year.
Origin of Obukucha
The origin of Obukucha dates back to the Heian period.
According to tradition, in 951, when an epidemic spread in Kyoto, Emperor Murakami drank this tea and his illness was cured.
At that time, Kuya Shonin of Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple prayed for the eradication of the plague and paraded through the streets of Kyoto pulling a cart with an eleven-faced Kannon statue. He then offered tea, prepared with green bamboo, before the Buddha and served it to the Emperor and the people, and it is said that the epidemic subsided.
This event led to the custom of "Obukucha" (imperial tea) being drunk by the emperor in the New Year to pray for good health for the year. Eventually, it spread to common people and became known as "Obukucha," meaning "tea that invites great fortune."
How to Drink Obukucha
Ingredients [for 2 servings]
・Knotted kelp: 2 pieces
・Pickled plums (small): 2 pieces
・Your preferred tea: 2 cups worth
Instructions
1. Place the knotted kelp and pickled plums into a teacup. If you like a stronger plum flavor, you can slightly crush the plums.
2. While praying for good health, slowly pour in your preferred tea (this time, deep-steamed sencha from Kagoshima is used).
3. Wait a little until the umami and saltiness of the kelp and plum slowly emerge, and it's ready to enjoy!
Plum and Kelp Used in Obukucha
Essential to Obukucha are "pickled plums" and "kelp." Plums have long been believed to ward off evil and have been prized as a charm for good health.
Kelp is considered an auspicious food because its Japanese name, "kombu," sounds similar to the word "yorokobu," meaning "to rejoice."
By drinking tea with plum and kelp, one warms the body from within while enjoying a moment of wishing for good fortune in the new year.
Meaning of Drinking Obukucha
Obukucha is not just a drink; it is a special tea imbued with wishes for the new year. By enjoying it with Osechi dishes and Ozoni on New Year's Day or at New Year's feasts, one prays for good health, family well-being, and daily peace. Furthermore, it is cherished as an auspicious item, sometimes consumed at milestones or celebrations in life, not just during the New Year.
Summary | Enjoy Obukucha with wishes for the New Year
Obukucha is a beautiful Japanese custom, passed down since the Heian period, for wishing health and happiness in the new year. A cup with the gentle umami of pickled plum and kelp gently soothes both mind and body. Why not enjoy some Obukucha to start the new year with a wish?
▶Click here for teas perfect for Obukucha