Founded in 2021, Colorful Studio Co., Ltd. operates the recycled kimono specialty store “Chuemon,” the cute clothing for adults “KEI collection,” and the handmade experience workshop on Lake Hamana “Lubera” on Lake Hamana.

Chuemon, which has a history of about 100 years in selling recycled kimonos, has started a kimono rental business and a recycled kimono remake business as its next new endeavors.

Through these projects, they hope to contribute even a little to reducing the amount of kimono waste, which is a social problem, and to encourage people to incorporate kimonos, a traditional part of Japanese culture, into their lives.

This month’s recommendation is “Chuemon,” a recycled kimono specialty store run by Colorful Studio Co., Ltd.

This year too, the delicious treasure grown in the forest, “Kicoro forest scented tea,” will be coming to town.

It is Kuromoji tea from Tenryu Forest, which was created with the idea of ​​being an “entrance to get people interested in the forest,” and is harvested only once a year in early spring.

I first encountered this tea four years ago. At a cafe in Tenryu Ward, a friend recommended it to me and said, “This Kuromoji tea is delicious. It’s made from wood.” When I asked her, “What is a tree? You mean the leaves on that tree?”, she answered that they were not actually leaves. When we think of tea, we think of green tea or herbal tea, which is made from soft materials such as leaves and flower petals. So when I was told that it was made from wood, I couldn’t imagine it.

What arrived on the table was a gentle pink tea with a very nice aroma that overturned the image of “wood”.

You may not be familiar with the “Kuromoji” tree, but you might know it as a sweet toothpick used to cut up Japanese sweets and bring them to your mouth.

Nowadays, many of them are made of plastic or other wood, but they were originally made from the Kuromoji tree, which has a pleasant aroma and antibacterial properties. It is well known that when Sen no Rikyu, a famous tea master, made tea for Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he offered them a freshly shaved fragrant toothpick from a branch of the Kuromoji tree in his garden. The scent of Kuromoji may have soothed the spirits of war-torn military commanders.

Japanese sweets and Kuromoji cutting sweets

Kuromoji is said to be an aromatic native to Japan, and its refreshing yet sweet scent is said to have antiviral and relaxing effects. It is said that it is also included in Chanel No. 5, and it is a tree that is like the savior of today’s times.

Kuromoji has been drunk for treatment and health since ancient times. A herbal medicine called Usho is made from the leaves and branches, and it is also brewed and drunk as a health tea. So, what is the difference between Tenryu no Mori’s Kuromoji tea and the health teas that have been drunk up until now?

The person who makes Tenryu Forest’s Kuromoji tea is Mr. Takeshi Maeda, who works as a “visible woodcutter” to connect the mountains and the city. Even though I don’t like the outdoors or the rain, I was selfish because I wanted to see the black moji tree. Then, on a rainy day at the start of the rainy season, Mr. Maeda showed me around Kikoro Forest in Tenryu.

Hamamatsu is easily accessible from Tokyo and Nagoya by shinkansen. The city is full of wonderful places to visit – from the splendid Hamamatsu Flower Park to the Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments. Learn how to enjoy your time in Hamamatsu and savor specialties like eel and gyoza!