Stories of Hvala

STORIES OF HVALA

A curated series of stories about people connected to Hvala. In four main categories, we present to you individuals or people who are passionate about tea, arts, craft and fashion.

From arts, craft, fashion to tea, we bring to you stories across these fields.

The Night Sky of Wazuka Mesmerises

We visit the tea farmers in Kyoto, Japan, who are faithfully growing and harvesting the tea leaves. Teruko Azuma tells us of the agricultural landscape and culture of Japan.

Third Wave Tea

He removed his long sword, the mark and honour of a samurai, to crawl through a small opening into the chashistu. The room was small with only 2 tatami-mat of space, rustic and minimally decorated in muted colours. In such a space, there is only room for two. The host and...

Art Is Not a Balanced Equation

The science of the Arts is an interesting concoction. We hear from Stanley his take on commercialising his hobby — a move cited cautiously, fearfully and passionately.

It's Always Day One

The craft of pottery goes back to day one, every day. Singaporean potter, Kim Whye Kee, returns to the same motion of throwing, firing and moulding clay — as always.

Senchado

"The price of this tea is anything from a hundred gold, to half a sen. If you want to drink for free, that is alright too. I'm only sorry I can't let you have it for less." -Baisao

Slow and Steady

To take things slow in today's context may be the unbeaten track, but Chloe Yau is setting her eyes on the Chinese tea market, and inching her way up to promoting this culture.

Third Wave: Hojicha

First of the Third Wave Tea series, we explore one of the up and coming tea that is gaining traction around the world — the Hojicha tea.

Matcha Latte

Added with a layer of milk and drizzled with sugar, the matcha latte can be prepared in less than three minutes. This simple beverage packs antioxidants and is a quick on-the-go alternative.

Genmaicha Mousse

A queer and less-known taste, the genmaicha is a union of two classic Japanese flavors — roasted rice and green tea. Together, the genmaicha has an herbaceous taste that is savory and smooth at the same time. The mousse is our twist to the otherwise nutty taste. When layered with...