Kabusecha is tea cultivated by covering the tea plants with a canopy about a week before harvesting. Because direct sunlight is blocked during cultivation, it contains less catechin, which causes bitterness, than regular sencha, and the tea leaves are a more vibrant green. It is a mellow tea that combines the savory flavor of gyokuro with the refreshing taste of sencha.
While the ideal brewing temperature for gyokuro can be tricky, kabusecha can be deliciously brewed even with boiling water. Our kabusecha is a blend of high-quality gyokuro and rich matcha. It is characterized by its rich flavor, the fluffy, sweet taste of gyokuro, and its beautiful clear liquor.
The tetra-shaped tea bags, which allow for easy extraction of umami, provide space for the tea leaves to move, allowing them to unfurl well and release their flavor, making them perfect for kabusecha.
Contents: 20 tea bags of matcha-infused kabusecha (4g per bag)
About Ujitawara Town where the company is located
We are very proud that Ujitawara town is the birthplace of green tea. Kyoto has Japan's oldest tea garden, and it is believed to be where Japanese people first started growing tea. Ujitawara town is located in the southern part of Kyoto and is a major tea-producing region. Nestled deep in the mountains, Ujitawara is blessed with nature and is ideal for tea cultivation. Let's delve into the history of why this town is considered the birthplace of green tea.
In the 18th century, around the time of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, a tea farmer named Soen Nagatani produced the first bright-colored green tea in Japan. While bright green tea is common today, people back then drank dark red, coarse tea made only by roasting the leaves. Soen envisioned tea that was "as bright as fresh tea leaves." He re-examined the conventional tea production methods and, after 15 years of experimentation, established a "green tea production method." This method involved gently kneading the tea leaves by hand and using heat to extract water from them, creating flavorful, bright green tea. Soen then shared his method with the local community, and Ujitawara town became the origin of Japanese green tea.
Ujitawara town is one of Japan's leading tea-producing areas. Our tea factory was established in 1926 in a scenic location where thick fog from the Uji River protects the tea leaves from frost and direct sunlight. We maintain thorough quality control by purchasing only selected tea leaves, having our tea master Noriaki Yasui check the flavor, and applying our special blending process. We not only produce green tea at our factory but also sell our Japanese green tea via mail order.
We are delighted that many people have been choosing and drinking our green tea for over 90 years. We believe we are blessed by our environment, but that's not all. We are also fortunate to have inherited the mastery of tea production from past tea farmers and masters. One such mastery is the "Ooishita Saibai," or "Covering Cultivation" method, first invented around the 16th century. This cultivation method involves covering the tea garden with a reed blanket just before the growing season.
By blocking sunlight, we can produce brighter and more delicious green tea. As a group of tea specialists, we deliver high-quality green tea, continuously improving it with our revolutionary, time-honored methods.