Gokou Cultivar

Gokou is native to Kyoto Prefecture. It has a long standing history of all things noble due to its luxurious taste. The name of this variety is derived from the phrase "Hotokesama no ushiro no hikari), which means "the light behind Buddha". 

Gokou is often chose to be produced into Gyokuro or Matcha due to its distinct flavor profile after shaded. At d:matcha, we grow our Gokou in a Tana to produce Gyokuro, and use direct shading method for matcha. 

From a farmer`s perspective, the harvesting window of Gokou should be monitored closely. Although the growth period of Gokou`s shoots is similar to Yabukita, the former hardens much quicker. Young shoots that are soft in the morning could have harden by nightfall. Extra attention is crucial, especially for the spring harvest.