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Sencha
Kirishima Organic

Name: Organic Sencha Kirishima
SKU: 0964-bio
Price: 11.90 EUR
Availability: InStock

Premium 93 P.

SKU

0964-bio

Premium organic sencha from Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan. The tea fields are at 670m elevation in the prime terroir of Makizono in the Kirishima Mountains. Masterful blend of full-bodied southern cultivars and yabukita. Nutritious and ideal for daily enjoyment. 100g. Also available as a 500g bulk package.

Details	Masterful blend of southern cultivars for a broad nutritional value. Robust tea from a choice terroir at high elevation. Ideal for daily enjoyment. One of the 3 teas in our Green Tea Basic Set (Sencha, Gyokuro, Bancha).
Character	Balanced, finely bitter with a touch of sweetness. Mountain character, only briefly steamed.
Tea Garden	Small, well-reputed tea farm. Family-owned business in its second generation
Terroir	Makizono, Kirishima, Kagoshima (prefecture), Japan
Harvest	1st harvest (ichibancha), beginning to mid-April, 2024
Cultivar	Yabukita, Kanayamidori, Okumidori, Okuyutaka, Meiryoku, Surugawase, Native (Zairai)
Elevation	670m above sea level
Steaming	Short (asamushi, approximately 30-40 seconds)
Organic Cert.	EU certified organic, JAS organic since 2006
Grade	93/100 p. (sencha category); Premium

In stock

Tea farmer Kenji Tofuku (東福健治), is the second generation manager of this well-reputed small tea farm in the choice terroir of Makizono. Together with his father and son, Mr. Tofuku specialises in the production of premium organic sencha. The farm boasts an impressively diverse range of southern cultivars from which Mr. Tofuku produces exceptional blends of tea.

Flavour

A mountain sencha with a rounded taste from the choice terroir of Makizono in Kirishima. The high elevation in the idyllic Kirishima Mountains lends this tea a pleasant taste that is full of character, yet sweet and mild. The leaves of the southern cultivars in this blend yield a full-bodied taste as a result of the superb growing conditions of the terroir as well as the especially brief steaming of the leaves themselves.

Leaf

Range of needles from dark to light green, long and short

Cup

Bright, greenish yellow shade typical of sencha

Sencha is by far the most commonly cultivated and consumed green tea in Japan and constitutes the backbone of Japanese tea traditions. The leaves are typically steamed for 10-60 seconds, dried with hot air, churned, and via a multi-staged process rolled into flat needles. The flavour profile of sencha is very diverse and varies between sweet, fresh and grassy to robustly bitter. The region of cultivation as well as quality of the tea play a significant role in determining flavour.

We go to great lengths to identify the finest organic tea farms across the world’s most celebrated terroirs. All our teas are sourced directly from the farmer and, with a few exceptions, are certified organic or come from pesticide-free farms. Each batch of tea for every harvest is tested for pesticides and other pollutants in an independent German lab to ensure they meet our strict quality standards as well as HACCP food safety requirements. Likewise, all the regions of Japan from which we source our teas are tested for radioactivity for every harvest.

Premium Organic Teas

Our comprehensive portfolio focuses on organic, single-origin teas sourced directly from renowned farms. We believe in creating partnerships with farmers who share our values and are committed to sustainable, responsible tea cultivation. Thanks to these strong relationships our exciting range is constantly growing and evolving. As an international team of dedicated and passionate tea experts, we are committed to preserving centuries-old tea culture while ensuring it remains relevant and continues to bring joy in the present. About Yoshi En.

Cultivation & Processing

Beautiful mountain fields at 670m elevation in the top growing region of Kirishima near Mt. Karakuni (1,700m). Kirishima is named for its fog (霧 "kiri"), which reduces UV light and naturally shades the tea plants, thus promoting the production of an umami flavour (natural kabuse).

Few tea farms exist in this idyllic region, making it an ideal location for organic cultivation. With fewer farms nearby, the risk of contamination from pesticide drift is reduced. The tea field has been certified organic since 2006 and consists of an easily monitored and managed 16ha of land.

Single Origin

This tea is exclusively sourced from the above mentioned tea farm in Makizono. Sourced directly from the tea farmer.

Organic Certification

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped tsp per 100-300ml (60°C) water. Steep for 2 minutes. Suitable for several infusions.

Packaging

High quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouch with 9 protective layers to preserve flavour and protect against oxidation and contamination. The tea is vacuum packaged according to the highest standards in Japan, with a small quantity of nitrogen added to the package to protect against oxidation.

Recommended Teapot

The ideal teapot for sencha is a red tokoname kyusu with a fine ceramic sieve, which can best bring out the taste of sencha. Alternatively, a black tokoname kyusu can be used, which is a good all-rounder for preparing green teas.

Recommended Storage

Ideally store in a quality tea caddy made from cherry tree bark (wooden, kabazaiku chazutsu) or an airtight, double-coated metal tin.

Test results

We find it very important that our teas are pure and produced in a way that respects the environment. For this reason, each one of our teas is tested for pesticide residues by an independent laboratory, the results of which can be found here. Some of our teas are also tested for specific nutritional compounds, in which case the test results are also published here.

See tests

Sencha
Kirishima Organic

Tea Farm