Tokyo has only two barley tea makers, we visited one to see how mugicha is made

Barley tea, or mugicha, is a staple of Japanese summers—refreshing, light, and steeped in tradition. But that tradition is fading fast. According to Soranews24, Tokyo now has just two artisans making mugicha by hand, and the publication recently visited one to document the craft. The process is meticulous: selecting barley, roasting it to the right color and aroma, cooling it carefully, and blending it into the final product. As instant versions dominate shelves and fewer people brew tea at home, these two makers represent the last thread of a centuries-old tradition—a quiet reminder that even the most common rituals can vanish without notice.

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