Home Green Tea Japan Sencha

Sencha Yakushima
Sofu Pest.Free

Name: Sencha Yakushima Sofu
SKU: 8280
Price: 15.90 EUR
Availability: InStock

Super Premium 97 P.

SKU

8280

Japan's first Sencha 2023 from the southern Pacific island of Yakushima in untouched nature, grown without chemical pesticides, rare Gourmet Cultivar Sofu, directly from Takehiko Fujiyama, 80g

Rare and aromatic Sofu cultivar
The tea plants benefit from the clear air and water in one of the rainiest places in the world

Character	Umami, extremely elegant and very refreshing, with a grassy hay aroma and notes of celery tuber plus essential herbs like yarrow
Tea Garden	Mr. Takehiko Fujiyama
Terroir	Anbo, Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Harvest	1st harvest (ichibancha): April 3rd, 2023
Cultivar	Sofu
Elevation	108m above sea level
Steaming	Between asamushi and chumushi (35 seconds)
Organic Cert.	Cultivated without the use of plant protection products
Laboratory Tests	Radioactivity (region as of 04/2022)
Grade	97/100 p. (Sencha category); Super Premium

In stock

Mr. Fujiyama recently took over the farm from Mr. Kosaku Hidaka 日高好作. Mr. Hidaka, now governor of Yakushima, was one of the most popular and well-known tea farmers on the island. His popularity is what propelled him from farming to politics.

Flavour

The heady, maritime umami and full body of this tea give it a nourishing and palatable character with an elegant bitterness, traits which are accompanied by a sharp freshness and strength and the typical Sofu floral notes of jasmine and orchid. This Sofu Sencha has a particularly sweet grassiness as well as vegetal notes of celery tuber, making the tea even more refreshing.

Leaf

Alternating light and dark needles, small leaf pieces

Cup

Soft, yellowish green

Sencha is by far the most widely grown green tea in Japan and forms the backbone of the Japanese tea tradition. The leaves are traditionally steamed for 10 - 60 seconds after harvesting, dried with hot air, shaken and then rolled into small flat needles. The flavour profile of Sencha is versatile, ranging from sweet, fresh, grassy notes on the one hand, to strong, tart, noble, bitter notes on the other, depending on the region of cultivation.

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, 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

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 1993, Yakushima is famous for its unique primeval landscape. 90% of this subtropical island is covered by the temperate Mononoke rainforest, which hosts approximately 300,000 tourists annually, of which many come for hiking activities.

The average temperature is 19.4°C, with an approximately 6–7°C difference between day and night as a result of the high mountains. The snow-covered Mt. Miyanoura peaks at 1936m above sea level and is the highest mountain in Kyushu. Yakushima is therefore referred to as the “Alps of the Ocean”.

The island receives the highest rainfall in Japan at 4400mm per year. As a result, Yakushima not only boasts many waterways and springs, but also a large amount of fog.

Clear water, fog and significant fluctuations between day and night temperatures in this subtropical climate come together to create some of the best conditions for cultivating high-quality sencha.

Single Origin

This tea is sourced exclusively from the above-mentioned tea plantations in Yakushima and is purchased directly from the farmer.

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped teaspoons per 100–300ml water (50–60°C). Steep for 2 minutes. Suitable for several infusions.

For a particularly strong infusion which contains the full character of the cultivar, we recommend using nearly boiling water (90–100°C) and steeping for 1 minute.

Packaging

High-quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouch with 9 protective layers to preserve flavour and protect against oxidation and contamination.

Recommended Teapot

A high-quality violet Banko kyusu with a fine ceramic strainer best enhances the aromas, flavour complexity and body of this very umami-rich tea. On the other hand, a classic black Tokoname kyusu would be ideal for emphasising the fresh sencha grassiness of this tea.

Recommended Storage

A high-quality tea caddy made of cherry bark (solid wood, kabazaiku chazutsu) is ideal, though any airtight tea caddy with internal coating will suffice.

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.

Confirmation of analysis

See tests

Sencha Yakushima Sofu Pest.Free

Tea Farm

Character