Description

Organic Mie Tokujou Sencha is made by the family of Iwao Hayashi, one of the pioneers of organic farming in Japan. A renowned expert throughout entire Japan, he was one of the first to switch his tea garden in Honshu to organic methods in the 1970’s. These days Iwao’s son Kimihiko is responsible for the tea production, helped by his family and with his father Iwao looking on and providing advice.

At first glance one is impressed by the leaves of Mie Tokujou Sencha, which are long and needle shaped with a nice, even-toned, forest green colour. On thinking about it, that makes sense: The Hayashi family is known for its expertise in Chu-Mushi” steaming – that is longer than the standard “Asa-Mushi” but not as long and intense as Fuka-Mushi” steaming. This means that while the leaves are broken down enough to release their flavour quickly and evenly, they are still fairly intact.

The success of this tea is however not due to the steaming and production process alone. For one thing the weather in Mie is cooler and damper than in the South, which means the plants grow more slowly and develop more depth of flavour. The first flush harvest doesn’t usually take place until early May, and the choice of cultivars are known for their sweetness and umami. Vivid green and slightly cloudy in the cup, this is an ideal tea for Sencha enthusiasts looking for a something a little bit different – while not as bold and full as a Fukamushi Sencha it is full bodied and sweet, substantial but not overpowering. Given that variety is the spice of life, we’d definitely recommend this tea as an alternative to the Marimo Sencha.

DE-ÖKO-006 Non-EU Agriculture

From controlled organic cultivation