Maruyasu Tea Co. release artist crayons they claim “produce the colours of Japan”

Source: PR Times


Japan is a country rich in colour, from the seasons and nature, through to traditions and the culture.
For example, think of the first season that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘Japan’…was it filled with the pastel pinks of the sakura season? Or perhaps your mind raced towards the reds and golds of autumn.
In terms of culture, you need look no further than a traditional kimono to find all the colours of the rainbow intricately woven into the fabric. This love of colour is even reflected in the food, with dishes being turned from the ordinary into works of art that are sometimes just too beautiful to even eat.

Now, if we were to narrow down Japan to just one colour, some might suggest associating the country with red, for all the vermilion torii gates of shinto shrines that crop up across the country and of course the red circle of the Nisshōki (Flag of Japan - more commonly referred to as ‘Hinomaru’ in Japan). However, I think there is another colour that better represents Japan and its culture, and that is the colour green.
– Green for the rich amounts of bamboo that grow plentiful across the country, green for the bountiful harvests of rice, green for the ground wasabi that accompanies a plate of sushi and green for the cup of matcha that you might be sipping on whilst reading this post.

Maruyasu Tea Industry seems to agree, as they have recently unveiled a set of artist’s crayons available in five different hues of “tea”. This set has been produced as part of Maruyasu’s crowdfunding project to revitalise the Shiga tea industry.

Named “Ohairo Crayon” (Lit. Tea Colour Crayons), the crayons are made entirely out of discarded tea leaves. This is in acknowledgement to the disappearing culture of tea drinking across Japan.
Though still widely practiced, there has been a steady decrease in the demand for traditional types of Japanese tea over the most recent years, with the industry in Shiga prefecture suffering a particularly big blow. This decline has not been without effects, as tea farmers have had to give up the trade and abandon their crops.
The Ochairo Crayon set is designed not only as a way to make use of abandoned crops, but also to boost the tea industry with a new way to utilize products. On top of that, a portion of money made from sales is guaranteed to go towards the upkeep of working tea farms and the redevelopment of those that are abandoned.

.... read the original article on the grape Japan website:

https://grapee.jp/en/194424