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The Art of Japanese Gyokuro Tea

Although its name translates to ‘Jade Dew’, in reference to the pale green colour of the cup, Japanese Gyokuro Tea is perhaps better known as ‘precious dew’ and it is a truly striking tea. Considered to be one of the rarer teas in the world, it is also Japan’s finest grade of tea and one that requires considerable skill, knowledge and patience to produce. Highly sought after not only by the Japanese, this beautiful green tea is also one of the most expensive teas in the world.

Japanese Gyokuro Tea

The history of Gyokuro teas

The history of Gyokuro dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868) and the region of Japan’s former capital, Kyoto. It was invented sometime in the 1830s, but as often is the case, there are many different origin stories. In fact, Gyokuro was most likely created through a group effort of producers and merchants, aimed to reinvigorate the dwindling interest in tea of the ruling warrior class (samurai), who were also the main consumers of tea at the time.

However, one of the more popular tales is that of a famous merchant from Edo (modern day Tokyo), Yamamoto Kahei, who travelled to Kyoto to purchase tea and unknowingly stumbled across a unique harvest. At the time, it was a common practice for the farmers to cover the tea bushes with straw in order to protect them from frost and cold. Around the time of Yamamoto’s travels, the winter had been particularly long and harsh, which in turn required more protection for the plants. Inadvertently, a fully shaded tea was created and when our merchant processed the leaves, he was quite astonished by the intensity of flavour and aroma. When he sold it back in Edo, people quickly fell in love with this new variety of tea. It did however take Yamaoto a little while to figure out that the secret to his ‘Jewel of Dew’ was in fact in the longer covering, or shading, of the tea bushes.

How is Gyokuro produced?

Shading is a uniquely Japanese cultivation technique used to this day in the production of three different types of green teas – Gyokuro, Kabusecha (or ‘shaded tea’) and particular tencha leaves, which are used in the production of higher grades of matcha (powdered tea).

This technique is all about carefully limiting the amount of sunlight that reaches the newly growing tea leaves, usually by erecting special canopies over the tea bushes. The result is a greener leaf (due to higher levels of chlorophyll) with less astringency (bitterness) and more umami (savoury) notes. It is also worth noting that the more umami a tea has, the higher grade it is considered to be in Japan.

Unlike many of the other types of green teas, Gyokuro is made from only one harvest in any given year, which takes place in late May or early June. The shading process is done in two consecutive stages for a total period about three weeks. The first stage traditionally starts when the new shoots are about 2 cm long and lasts about ten days, after which more straw is added to the canopies, further decreasing the amount of sunlight. This second stage lasts another eleven days, at the end of which the buds are carefully picked by hand, a rarity in a country that has converted nearly all of its tea plucking to machine harvesting.

The actual processing of the leaves is similar to other Japanese green teas, starting with a carefully controlled steaming to prevent oxidation of the leaves, and followed by the typical cycles of drying, rolling and shaping that are necessary to produce aracha (raw, unfished tea). The aracha is then sifted and sorted, resulting in different grades and quality of leaves, but only the best of those will then be selected to create Gyokuro through a final stage of drying and rolling. And just to add that final touch of mastery, the finished tea will often be left to age and mature to further develop its flavour and this can be anywhere between a week and six months for fully aged Gyokuro teas.

It is this combination of limited supply due to a single annual harvest, longer cultivation time due to shading, more expensive and skilled manual harvest, precision and skill of leaf processing, highest quality of leaf and additional aging that results in the tea’s high prices. Not to mention the fact that Gyokuro teas are also considered to be some of the most flavoursome teas in the world.

How to make a perfect cup of Gyokuro?

Traditionally, Gyokuro would be prepared using the Senchado technique, which focuses on multiple short infusions (30 seconds and less) using the same tea leaves. These subsequent infusions allow new flavours to develop with each brew. This method requires a small kyusu teapot and small bowls, similar to sake cups.

Japanese Gyokuro Tea

However, it is possible to brew this beautiful tea at home using a more western approach, as long as one remembers a few key factors:

  • Water quality – whenever possible, use fresh filtered water and avoid hard water, as this will make the infusion look dull and the flavour flat.
  • Water temperature – be very mindful of the temperature, as green teas should never be brewed using boiling hot water. The unoxidised leaves are delicate and very hot water will damage them, turning the cup overly bitter. Gyokuro teas especially should be brewed using cooler water, about 60 °C or 140 F. You can achieve this by letting the boiled hot water sit and cool for a few minutes before pouring it over the leaves or into your teapot.
  • Leaf amount – typically we would recommend a heaped teaspoon of tea per cup, but with Gyokuro it is best to use two teaspoons per cup to fully appreciate the depth and intensity of flavour.
  • Brewing time – brewing green teas for too long will have a similar effect on the leaves as using overly hot water, turning the infusion bitter and unpleasant. Two minutes should be more than enough, but we do encourage you to try playing around with multiple infusions. A typical Gyokuro can easily yield three infusions, so start with around 30 seconds for the first brew, then 45 seconds and finally a full minute. Just make sure to pour out all of the tea each time, as otherwise the tea will continue to brew in the teapot.

What makes Camellia’s Gyokuro Asahi special?

Japanese Gyokuro Tea

The most remarkable and best Gyokuro teas are grown in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, where this tea originates from, but also in Fukuoka Prefecture, a region where the first tea gardens were established by Monk Eisai back in the 12 th century.

Camellia’s Tea House Gyokuro comes from Fukuoka, which is located in the northern parts of the Kyushu island. The region’s climate and unique terroir, as well as its rich tea history, means that the premium teas produced here, such as Gyokuro, are of an exceptional quality. We also selected a Gyokuro made from an Asahi cultivar, which although still rarely used for Gyokuro teas, is nonetheless considered to be especially good for high-end shaded teas, making this tea not exquisite but also quite unique.

The Story of Japanese Green Tea

The Art of Japanese Green Tea

Green tea is the tea leaf in its purest form, manufactured by preventing oxidation of the fresh leaves and hence preserving its natural green colour. Since its first invention in China many centuries ago, green tea has become ever popular all over the world due to its renowned health benefits and reviving taste.

Green tea offers various different leaf styles and distinct flavour characteristics. Although green tea will be left to wither to reduce its water content, oxidation is avoided through the use of heat, which kills the enzymes.

Steaming and pan-firing are the two main methods used to stop oxidation, each producing a tea with a different character. Sometimes the rolling is done by hand, creating distinct shapes such as the little pellets of China Gunpowder tea. Or in Japanese teas they are typically machine rolled to flatten the leaf. Finally, the tea leaves are dried until the water content reaches 5-6%.

To many people Japanese tea is much more than a beverage and commands universal respect. Around the year 794, tea travelled to Japan and was introduced by a Buddhist monk – Saicho. Due to the complicated nature of relations between China and Japan, tea did not stay in favour for long. It was until Monk Eisai in 1191 firmly established tea in Japan, after studying Buddhism in China and then setting up first proper tea plantations. He also wrote the first Japanese book on tea – Kissa Yojoki.

Most Japanese teas fall in the non-oxidised, green tea category and undergo steaming in the initial stages of the processing to stop all oxidation. Japan produces about twenty different types of tea, the most famous of which is Sencha, accounting for roughly 80% of Japan’s tea production.

The other main types of Japanese teas include Bancha (2nd flush tea from late summer and autumn harvests), Hojicha (roasted tea), Genmaicha (Sencha or Bancha mixed with roasted brown rice and popped rice), Kabusecha (semi-shaded tea), Tamaryokucha (dehydrated tea, reminiscent of Chinese ‘curled’ green teas), Gyokuro (shaded tea and the highest grade of tea produced in Japan), and Matcha (powdered tea).

Shading is a cultivation technique unique to Japan and consists of limiting the amount of sunlight that reaches the newly growing tea leaves, usually by erecting special canopies over the tea bushes.

The result is a greener leaf with less astringency (bitterness) and more umami (savoury) notes. In general, the more umami a tea has, the higher grade it is considered to be in Japan.

The main difference between Kabusecha (or ‘shaded tea’) and Gyokuro (also known as ‘precious dew’), is that Kabusecha is shaded for about two weeks, whereas Gyokuro for nearly three weeks in two consecutive stages. However, the resulting teas differ significantly in flavour and quality, making Gyokuro a highly desired and respected tea. This high demand tends to make it a ratherexpensive tea, but it is absolutely worth it.

Japan Sencha

Sencha often comes from Shizuoka – the most tea-growing prefectures of Japan making up about 40% of the country’s tea production. Sencha, which means ‘infused tea’, is the most popular grade it has thin straight needle like leaves tea which is steamed, rolled and dried – it is always a blended tea, a combination of aracha, carefully chosen by an expert tea blender. This is a highly skilled art form, often compared to a perfumerie – part natural ability and part learned skill.

Sencha must be steeped carefully in 70 ℃ and infused for no more than 2 minutes to develop a robust and vegetal “green” flavour and a vibrant grassy and bright aroma. It is traditionally prepared using the Senchado brewing method and often sipped from small cups or bowls. It is a fantastic accompaniment to savoury snacks. In fact, tasting something savoury before drinking Sencha helps to emphasise the natural sweetness of the tea.

The health benefits of Sencha have become well known in the last 10 years. This Japanese green tea is low in theine but incredibly rich in Vitamin C, and it is an excellent choice both during and after meals, as it is believed to aid digestion. The world of Japanese green teas is a complex and rich one, full of many different grades, traditions, rich culture and intricate ceremonies. A good quality Sencha tea offers an enticing glimpse into this world with its fresh and vibrant flavour. Brewed correctly and eaten with the right foods, it can provide a fabulous culinary experience or it can be asimple moment of revival and focus, with the purest of taste.

Camellia’s Sencha Teas

Japan Sencha

Sencha, which means ‘steamed tea’, is by far the most popular tea in Japan. It has a tender and sweetish note, which will appeal to everyone’s taste!

Sencha Organic (semi shaded)

This particular organic green tea is grown in semi shaded conditions which creates the very highest quality green tea. The tea is picked in July and offers a pale golden-green cup with a light and pleasantly tangy flavour, the aroma reminiscent of freshly cut grass and sea breeze.

Genmaicha

Genmaicha, or ‘rice tea’, is a combination of green Sencha, roasted grains rice and popped rice. This distinct Japanese tea has bright golden infusion and nutty, slightly savoury flavour.

Japan Green Tea

Cherry Blossom Tea

This is a delicious Japanese Sencha which is blended with peony flower petals, rose petals and cherries to produce a beautifully balanced tea with a distinctive cherry undertone.

Green Lemon Tea

A tea with a kick! Japanese Sencha green tea is combined with lemon peel and lemongrass to produce a wonderfully zesty green tea which makes this a must for any green tea enthusiast.

Peach Tea

This tea captures the flavour of the summer with its sweet and aromatic taste of ripe peaches. A mild tasting Japan Sencha is infused with peach essence and sunflower blossoms to create a delicious and attractive looking tea.

Green Earl Grey

An alluring blend of Japan Sencha and the essentially British flavour of Earl Grey tea. The two combine and complement one another fantastically, providing a classic green tea flavour with the sweetness and citrusy aroma of bergamot oil.


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