2023 First Flush: Organic Gyokuro (cultivar Gokou)

Cultivated variety: Gokou
Shading period: 29 days
Pesticide-free

Gyokuro, the King of Japanese Green Tea

Gyokuro is an exquisite tea known as the "King of Japanese Green Tea," produced through a unique method called "tana" (shading). It involves shading the tea plants for over 20 days to enhance the richness of its Umami flavor. This year, we extended the shading period to 29 days, compared to the previous year's 22 days.

d:matcha's Gyokuro is cultivated through organic methods, making it exceptionally rare. The abundance of flavor-packed, tender tea leaves makes it a delectable treat even for insects. This exclusivity allows you to savor the gentle sweetness of nature that only organic Gyokuro can offer.

【How Gyokuro Is Produced】

To cultivate Gyokuro, known for its abundant umami (savory taste), it is crucial to provide sufficient organic fertilizers throughout the year, especially around the summertime. Additionally, using the "tana" technique, we carefully shade the tea buds from an early stage to prevent the transformation of amino acids into tannins.

① What is the "tana" used in Gyokuro cultivation?

The "tana" is a structure created by covering the tea plantation with black light-shielding sheets.

Why use the "tana" instead of direct shading?
Though direct shading with black light-shielding sheets is feasible for Gyokuro cultivation, it can damage the new tea buds due to the weight and heat of the sheets. Using the "tana" allows us to shade the plants from a distance, resulting in higher-quality Gyokuro. However, setting up the "tana" incurs significant costs. At d:matcha, we collaborated with local tea farmers and installed the "tana" ourselves.

② What is "shitate" process?

For teas like Kabusecha and Gyokuro, which have a longer shading period, the tea buds grow more, leading to the inclusion of unnecessary parts like stems during harvest. To ensure the authentic taste of Gyokuro without any impurities, we work with tea merchants to carry out "shitate" processing, where the stems are removed.

Watch the harvesting process for gyokuro to learn more!

Additional Information:

• 40 g / 1.41 oz. Approximately 10 servings; please note that each serving can be brewed up to three times using water of different temperature levels.
• Cultivation method: Pesticide-free.
• Seicha processing: To further emphasise the charm of our tea, d:matcha works closely with wholesalers during the processing phase. After the tea leaves are harvested, rolled, and dried, excess stem or powder are also carefully extracted. These tea leaves are gently reheated, but not to the point of roasting, to further highlight the aroma and taste of the tea.