A Simple Joy in My Garden: Homemade Mugwort Tea (Yomogi-cha)

 Mugwort tea — known as yomogi-cha in Japanese — is a traditional herbal tea with a gentle aroma and many believed health benefits. These days, I don’t often find many things that bring me joy. But recently, I discovered something quietly delightful — mugwort growing abundantly in my garden.

Mugwort tea is said to have many health benefits. It’s comforting to know that I don’t need to buy expensive herbal teas when I have such a rich resource right at home. There are also some mugwort plants growing near the roadside, but I avoid using them since they might have been exposed to dog urine. Luckily, we don’t have a dog, and the plants in our garden grow safely inside our gate, so I feel confident using them.

For the past week, I’ve been picking the fresh, tender tips of the mugwort and enjoying them as tea. After doing a bit of research on YouTube, I noticed that most people dry the leaves before using them. Inspired by their methods, I started gathering the taller stalks and trimming the soft tips to dry for future use.

Of course, separating the young leaves carefully takes time. If I tried to be too precise, it would take hours. So I found a way to work more efficiently — after all, it’s just for me, and it’s meant to be enjoyable. Now, the freshly washed mugwort is drying, and in two or three days, it should be ready.

I’m looking forward to tasting the finished tea. I hope it turns out gently sweet and soothing.

In a world where prices are rising and daily life can feel a bit heavy, it’s a small comfort to find peace and satisfaction in something as simple as a homemade cup of tea. Maybe joy doesn’t have to be loud or big. Sometimes, it’s green, fragrant, and quietly waiting in your own backyard.

As I approach the age of sixty, I find that both my physical strength and my ability to concentrate have gradually declined. That’s why I prefer to spend time on the things I truly enjoy, while handling less important matters efficiently and without getting too caught up in the details.

I’ve come to believe that doing what I can, with what I have, right where I am, is enough. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Those words remind me to be kind to myself, and to treasure the small joys in everyday life without chasing perfection.

That’s why I let myself work patiently when picking tender mugwort leaves — but I don’t worry about being too meticulous. It’s the gentle rhythm and quiet pleasure that matter most.