Japanese Food Tips

In Japan, there is a tea called Mugicha (mugi means barley and cha means tea) that is often drunk in summer. Mugicha is not made from tea leaves, but from roasted barley seeds which are boiled in hot water. Because it is roasted, it has a savory taste and is known for its ability to lower body temperature and to improve blood flow and for not containing caffeine. Mugicha is usually served cold, and households often have mugicha in their refrigerators in the summer. Mugicha is available not only in roasted barley grain form, but also in tea bags of ground barley, with which cold or hot tea can easily be made. Barley tea is also available in PET bottles, which can be purchased at supermarkets, convenience stores, and vending machines. If you are in Japan during the summer, you might want to give mugicha a try.