Organic Makurazaki Tezumi Koucha Hime Hikari

Description

A superior quality 100% handpicked first flush organic Japanese black tea hailing from a small family-run farm in the famed black tea production area known as Makurazaki which is in Kagoshima prefecture! Made from the tea bush variety known as “Benihikari” which was bred in Japan for black tea. It's comprised of the delicate young leaves that are carefully hand-picked at the optimum timing creating a sweet and fresh flavored koucha with little astringency, sweet fragrance, and a lovely lingering after-taste. JAS certified LIMITED organic koucha and one not to miss!

100% HANDPICKED

(Handpicked = Tezumi in Japanese) Although most tea in Japan is harvested by machines, the cultivators of this organic black tea choose to pick all leaves by hand. All leaves are checked for quality by eye and with their fingertips as they pluck them. The annual yield of the farm is therefore quite low meaning that each black tea is limited, but is ultimately superior in quality.

Makurazaki Black Tea

If you know your time-line on Japanese black tea, you'll know that Makurazaki in Kagoshima prefecture was one of the main cultivation regions of high quality black tea in Japan in the 1960s. However, restrictions on black tea imports were lifted in Japan in 1971 which led to cheap import black tea bringing the Japanese domestic black tea market to its knees causing it to dwindle and eventually collapse. Unfortunately, Makurazaki suffered the same fate. Thankfully, that didn't stop the passion for cultivating Japanese black tea. Therefore, still today there are black tea farmers, including some of the older original farmers, that are still cultivating and innovating the production of high quality organic black tea in the region! Therefore, it remains possible to enjoy the high quality taste of organic Makurazaki black tea!

Additional Information

Harvest? First Flush (100%) Harvest Year 2009 Tea Bush Varietal(s) 100% Benihikari Origin Makurazaki, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan NET Weight 40g (1.41oz) Certified Organic By JAS.