A beautiful flower blooming in the cold wind. With its faint sweet scent, it quickly signals the arrival of spring. The bright colors of red, pink, and white in the still, still winter landscape give you the feeling of the breath of life. Manyoshu, Japan's oldest collection of poems, contains many songs with the theme of plums, which have fascinated people since ancient times. Speaking of plum-related lucky charms, Daifuku-cha is a tea made with pickled plums and kelp that is drunk on New Year's Day. Its origins date back to the mid-Heian period, when Emperor Murakami drank it when he was sick and recovered. I started drinking it while praying for good health throughout the year.