Gyokuro - Kiwamecha (Single Origin)
Gyokuro is a high-quality Japanese green tea known for its distinctive umami flavor and cultivation process. Grown in shaded fields for several weeks before harvesting, it develops a rich, sweet flavor with a deep umami taste due to the enhanced chlorophyll and amino acids.
What makes Kiwamecha special is the traditional Honzu (本簾) method, where tea plants are shaded with rice straw mats, as opposed to the standard black synthetic netting, to intensify their umami flavor and aroma. This meticulous process significantly enhances the savory and sweet notes while minimizing bitterness. This Gyokuro is carefully hand-picked and made solely from the Ujihikari cultivar.
Featured on the packaging is Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga (Scrolls of Frolicking Animals), a renowned collection of four picture scrolls (emakimono) housed at Kyoto's Kōzan-ji temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This artwork is on the packaging a nod to this tea producer's history of managing the care of the Kozan-Ji Temple's tea farm, Japan's oldest tea farm, for 3 generations.
Shōchō Hagami, a prominent 20th-century Japanese Buddhist leader, praised and named this Kiwamecha(極茶: The Ultimate Tea). It reflects Japanese traditions of craftsmanship and mindfulness, resonating with the essence of traditional tea ceremonies. Hagami's recognition of Kiwamecha adds a spiritual dimension, encouraging you to savor cultural heritage with every sip.
Maruri Yoshida Meichaen, located in Uji, Kyoto, has been producing Uji tea for 16 generations since the Edo period, passing down the tradition from their ancestors. They continue to uphold traditional tea production techniques such as hand-rolled tea processing and the Honzu covering method, which shades tea plants with rice straw mats to enhance flavor and aroma. Their Uji tea is carefully picked from meticulously managed tea farms and crafted with the highest level of skill.
Since 1947, they have participated in the National Tea Competition every year and have won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, the top prize, 20 times. The fourteenth-generation owner, Yoshida Kisaburo was registered as intangible cultural heritage in Uji-City. Since then, they have managed the care of Japan's oldest tea farm, Kozan-ji Tea Farm—the birthplace of Uji tea and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Kozan-ji Temple.
Location: Uji, Kyoto
Taste Profile: Umami
Cultivar: Ujihikari (Single Origin)
Steaming Level: Light (Asamushi-cha)
Umami: ◾◾◾◾◾
Sweetness: ◾◾◾◾◾
Astringency: □
Aroma: ◾◾◾◾
Best for: Special occasions, the deep, rich umami flavor provides a luxurious and relaxing experience.
How to brew:
- Use 8g of tea leaves. (2 servings)
- Add 50ml of 120°F water
- Steep the tea for 2.5 minutes.
- Squeeze out every last drop before serving.
This is the first crop of 2024.
50g