The simple life of Tokyo people: small tranquility holds great power

Pan San no Ocha in the suburbs of Tokyo is where the owner keeps alive the dream of the Findhorn spiritual community, selling Japanese-style small steamed buns made from domestic wheat

Tokyo in September, with temperatures above 34 degrees C; because of the impact of the 311 earthquake, the streets seem to have a little less traffic. At a rest stop beside the highway, as soon as you walk in you see red electronic digits flickering with a solar power output that is hard to understand; office workers in white shirts and OLs come and go, and central Tokyo is still full of busyness and speed.

Two to three hours by car from the city center, in the suburbs, there is a small shop called Herbal NoteSimples (Herbal Notes) that specializes in natural herbal teas and essential oils. The understated wooden cottage is hidden among the greenery of the mountains, quietly standing apart; on weekdays it is not lonely at all, and you still hear soft conversation and gentle laughter. The customers who come here are either regulars or people who have made a special trip with real intention, most of them from Tokyo, longing to find relaxation and rest in the shade of the trees.

At the shop entrance, free herbal tea is offered; holding a warm clear glass cup, you see a dazzling array of seed counters, but what is actually more attractive is the mysterious yet tranquil glimmer inside the house, like the boundless reach of a Gypsy girl, and also like the inherited healing arts of an old European witch.

Herbal Notes is a tea rest shop where Tokyoites enjoy breathing in the forest

Herbal Note Simples sells not only selected herbal teas from around the world, but also many organic herbs grown by the proprietress Ms. Hagio (Eriko Hagio) herself. Founded in Tokyo in 1970, it provides busy city people with a third place between home and company.

Ms. Hagio, who loves gardening, is skilled in cooking, plant dyeing, pottery, aromatherapy, handcrafts and more. Over ten years she carefully planned a 3000-tsubo farm to supply freshly picked ingredients to a rural restaurant and attract customers, and she has published many books on herbs, aromatherapy and cooking; in recent years she has continued volunteering at hospitals to promote horticultural therapy. In 1981 she moved to her current residence and continues to be active in advocating the joy of living and the beauty of the four seasons. In the shop there is a small classroom, and around a large wooden table many learners who love nature and art often gather to share a beautiful, hazy atmosphere together.

Shelves filled with natural organic honey

Yatsugatake in the suburbs of Tokyo is rich in forest resources, surrounded by birch forests and alpine plants; its idyllic scenery is like a European landscape painting. Although it has no well-known sights that locals can recite offhand, it is the favorite summer resort of Japanese people. Herbal NoteSimples is like a spiritual cottage in a fairy tale, and under the protection of Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps, it stands proudly alone among the mountains and countryside, shining brightly and inspiring endless yearning.

Not far away, there is also an equally plain and equally healing "Pan San no Ocha" (Pan San's Tea Shop), whose owner is Pan San, a man with a boy's pure and delicate heart. This is a tea rest shop known for Japanese-style small steamed buns. The tiny wooden house can hold only two to three tables, and in the extremely intimate space sits a black piano with quiet steadiness, along with handmade cotton goods, books, music, and flowers everywhere; but what draws the most attention is the dazzling bulletin board at the entrance, exchanging information on spiritual growth courses, concerts, community activities, and stray dog adoptions.

 
Pan San no Ocha: an ordinary coffee shop, yet filled with radiant energy

The owner Pan San is about forty-something. Twenty years ago he moved to Yatsugatake, when he had just returned from the Findhorn Community in Scotland, and he also wanted to create a place that respected human nature, sharing and care. So together with his parents he learned to make Japanese-style manju. Japanese-style manju (まんじゅう) is different from the large Shandong-style steamed buns of China; it is an improved sweet similar to wagashi, paired with tea or coffee, and is generally popular among Japanese people.

Pan San says that at first he did not know much about ingredients, but because the price of imported wheat fluctuated greatly, in order to ensure quality and price he later decided to use domestic wheat and carefully selected organic pesticide-free wheat flour, while the filling ingredients are made from pesticide-free cultivated green tea, black tea, buckwheat, salted cherry blossom jam, and brown sugar. Baby-faced Pan San says: every small steamed bun in the shop has a complete traceability record, and these are all published on the website so customers can feel at ease. Supporting pesticide-free cultivation is the constant commitment of this tea rest shop.

The tiny shop, with only himself and his family as staff, actually cannot produce in large quantities, and therefore every Japanese-style steamed bun full of love and positive energy is like a work of art on display; placed in rustic Japanese-style vessels, the heart instantly warms as well.

Making Japanese-style small steamed buns is the main source of income

Summer is the busiest time. Tourists with distinctive taste like the small vases of flowers on the wooden coffee tables at "Pan San no Ocha," and they also like the handmade cloth items sold on consignment in the shop. This understated and simple little way station sells only a few flavors of Japanese-style steamed buns and coffee or herbal tea, which exactly suits the Japanese character of liking simplicity without flashiness; when business is quieter in winter, Pan San is not afraid of loneliness either. Alone, he quietly makes steamed buns, reads, listens to music, and occasionally holds steamed bun-making workshops for children. The "half-farming, half-X" life advocated by Naoki Shiomi is concretely practiced in Pan San.

Because it is simple, he persists, just like the rice that must be eaten every day. When ingredients are reassuring, there is more time to do what you like, reducing the worry caused by turbulence in the commercial environment; the heart becomes more grounded, knowing you are doing the right thing and eating the right food. No outside force is needed; one person can create a sustainable virtuous cycle.

References

Herbal Note Simples
http://www.herbalnote.co.jp/
〒391-0213 10284 Toyohira, Chino City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL.0266-76-2282 FAX.0266-76-6416

Pan San no O cha
http://www.f2.dion.ne.jp/~pansan/
391-0111 17217-571 Kamisato, Haramura, Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture
TEL/FAX:0266-70-2330