Dear Sir and Madam,
We at Hibiki-an THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your continued patronage and support.
We are pleased to offer useful information for your healthy life and continued
enjoyment of Japanese green tea. In this issue, we talk about 'Cultivation and Production Steps of Tencha (Tencha - Pure Elegant Flavor)'.
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Tencha is the name for tea leaves used for Matcha, before the leaves are
ground into fine powder. The Tencha flavor, brewed in the same way as Gyokuro,
is quite unique, pure, noble, and elegant. The tea color is pale green,
the taste is deep and mellow, and the subtle noble aroma lingers in the
mouth for a while. It is different both from Gyokuro and Matcha. We would
like to introduce Tencha cultivation and production steps.
Fertilizing at Tencha, Matcha, and Gyokuro Tea Farm
Tea trees for Tencha, Matcha, and Gyokuro are fertilized three times as much as other kinds of tea, such as Sencha, in order to create the characteristic deep sweet taste. Please see the pictures below from a Tencha (Matcha) tea farm where the tea trees are fed about three times the usual amount of fertilizer as well as another tea farm.
Harvest
Twenty to thirty days before harvest, green tea trees for Tencha, Matcha, and Gyokuro are covered with special curtains. These curtains are used to shade tea trees from direct sunlight. Tea grown this way has a sweet and mild flavor, because without sunlight there will be few bitter tannins. Carefully grown in the shade for twenty days before harvesting, a cup of Tencha, Matcha, or Gyokuro has several unique features: an elegant aroma, a sweet taste and a light green color. Shading tea sprouts from the sun creates Theanine, a natural element that gives Tencha, Matcha, and Gyokuro a mellow taste. Tencha Pinnacle and Tencha Super Premium are carefully harvested by hand.
Aracha Processing of Tencha
Tea leaves which have not yet been ground into the fine powder of Matcha are known as Tencha. Fresh tea leaves are processed just after harvest. At the most, they should be processed within 24 hours after harvest. Tencha (Matcha) processing includes 1) Steaming, 2) Cooling down, and 3) Drying. Matcha tea leaves before ground into powder are called Tencha.
In contrast to that, processing steps for Gyokuro and Sencha are 1) Steaming, 2) Kneading, 3) Shaping, and 4) Drying. Tea leaves for Tencha (Matcha) are not Kneaded at the processing steps.
By the kneading process, the cell walls of the tea leaves are broken down, so that the flavor (and beneficial nutrients naturally found in tea leaves) can easily infuse into water. Because Matcha is ground into fine powder, kneading is not necessary to break down the cell walls. So, Tencha is not kneaded. Since Tencha does not go through the kneading process and is not ground into powder, this is one reason why the flavor of Tencha is quite unique, pure, noble, and elegant.
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| Fertilized at tea tree roots |
Tea Farms built "Tana" canopy |
Tea leaves for Tencha in "Tana" canopy |
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| Hand picked harves |
Tea leaves dry in a three or four level fire pit, heated from underneath by a burner. |
Tea leaves emerging from the fire pit |
Both Tencha teas below are limited edition of 600 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this summer season. We hope you will enjoy the pure and elegant flavor of Tencha!
(Tencha Premium: As requested by many customers, Tencha Premium was newly added for the 2013 summer season.)
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(Now Available: limited edition of 600 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this summer season)
Traditionally, Tencha was not brewed like Gyokuro or Sencha, because this was not included in the traditional Tea Ceremony teachings. And so, for many years, brewed Tencha has quietly been enjoyed in secret among only a few Matcha manufacturers... |
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(Now Available: limited edition of 600 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this summer season)
This Tencha Super Premium has specially been arranged in order to be brewed
in the same way as Gyokuro or Sencha. The taste is deep and mellow, and
the subtle noble aroma lingers in the mouth for a while... |
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(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this was newly added for the 2013 summer season.)
Tea leaves for Tencha (Matcha) are grown in the same way as Gyokuro, but processed differently than Gyokuro. The growing and processing bring the unique excellent flavor of Tencha. Of course, this Tencha also makes a lovely iced tea. The flavor is uniquely elegant... |
What is Tencha?: click here
Are you enjoying your green moments? Hibiki-an encourages those who love
to drink green tea. If you have any requests or questions regarding our
teas or services, please don't hesitate to contact us. We sincerely hope
that you enjoy genuine Hibiki-an Japanese green tea direct to you from
Kyoto, Japan.
Sincerely yours,
Atsushi Yasui
Here are some new iced tea recipes for you to enjoy. Once you try it, you're sure to love the pure refreshing taste, which brings energy and hydration in hot weather. It's easy to prepare as well; just follow the quick and easy recipes below. We hope you'll try iced green tea and enjoy a refreshing green moment this summer season!
You can prepare Iced Japanese by using our regular items.
Hibiki-an shopping category:
click here
Iced Gyokuro and Sencha recipes: click here
Iced Matcha recipes: click here
Iced Houjicha recipes: click here
Iced Tencha recipes: click here
Iced Tea Using Teabag recipes: click here
Iced Tea Recipes page: click here
To prepare all kinds of iced tea, it is not necessary to purchase special tea ware for iced tea. It is only necessary to prepare all kinds of iced tea with usual tea ware. However, to prepare only iced tea brewed by cool water, it is more convenient to use Iced Teapot, Glass Teapot, Dobin, or Large Kyusu. Would you please take a look?
We have arranged for some glass tea ware and porcelain, which are all limited edition only available this summer season. They are all designed with modern, sophisticated style, while others use traditional handcrafted techniques for a more traditional design. They will all expand in application depending on your idea. Please take a look.
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This drawing pattern is designed in the motif of maple leaves in spring and autumn which are both well appreciated in Japan. The drawing pattern creates a feeling of calm, and the relaxed scene invokes the comfortable murmur of a brook...
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(Now Available: Out of Stock Soon)
This is a sophisticated tumbler glass with Japanese traditional painting by a Kyo Yaki artisan. This can be used for serving a wide variety of food and drink from Japanese tea or sake to ice cream and parfait and is perfect for everyday use or special occasion...
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(Out of Stock)
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(Out of Stock)
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This Matcha bowl is flat and open style. The flat style was originally developed in order to choreograph coolness in the summer season in the Middle Ages. This HANADA color is quite elegant and beautiful like a clear blue sky or crystal clear aqua ocean...
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Teapots / Cups shopping page: click here
Matcha Bowls / Accessories shopping category: click here
We plan to introduce one Tea Recipe each week, including sweets, ice cream, drinks, and so on - all made with Matcha or other Japanese tea - on our Newsletter. In this issue, we share with you our Matcha Pudding recipe. Click below and take a look!
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How to make Matcha Pudding...
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(Notice 1) Improved Customer Review Posting by Nickname and Picture
We improved our website by adding an option to use a nickname and upload a picture when you post a customer review. Now you can enter a nickname when posting a review in order to remain anonymous. Previously our customer review page requested the reviewer’s real name.
And now our customer review page also allows you to upload and add a picture to your review. Please post your candid review with a picture of our tea and your family, pet, lovely landscape, or anything meaningful to you. It surely would be a great help for other customers to enrich the enjoyment of Japanese tea!
(Notice 2) New Optimized Website for Smartphone
We have recently finished developing a new optimized website for Smartphone screen size. By visiting our website (www.hibiki-an.com) with Smartphone you will be automatically led to the optimized website.
All pages of our website have been optimized for Smartphone. So, the new site will enable you to take advantage of our website in a new way. For example, you will be able to access our Tea Recipe pages on your Smartphone in the kitchen as you follow along and prepare an amazing green tea dessert!
We hope you will find many ways to enjoy our new website whenever and wherever you would like.
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Japanese Green Tea Hibiki-an
36 Shimonoto Yuyadani
Ujitawara, Kyoto 610-0221
Japan
http://www.hibiki-an.com
![[Limited] Tencha Pinnacle (30g/1.06oz) US$33.00](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/PureElegantTencha/TenchaItems/TenchaPinnacle.jpg)
![[Limited] Tencha Super Premium (30g/1.06oz) US$26.00](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/PureElegantTencha/TenchaItems/TenchaSupPre.jpg)
![[Limited] Tencha Premium (60g/2.12oz) US$28.00](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/PureElegantTencha/TenchaItems/TenchaPremium.jpg)
