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 'Maturation of Kuradashi Tea (Efforts for Kuradashi Tea)'.
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It has been said since olden days that fine Gyokuro and Matcha gain an enriched flavor and deep noble aroma and sweetness over time, and so are best some months and up to two years after harvest. Not all green tea is suitable for this process, and only certain types of high-quality Uji tea produce the finest Kuradashi Gyokuro.
From a scientific standpoint, Japanese tea does not age in the same way as fine wine, and of course it does not become alcoholic. However, it is an indisputable fact that certain Japanese tea, specific breeds of high-quality Uji tea, gain an enriched flavor by a special traditional aging process.
We would like to explain more about Kuradashi Gyokuro. What flavor is created? What type of Japanese tea gains the flavor? And what is the aging procedure?
The features of green tea enriched and aged in good condition are:
- Deepened and gained smoothness and sweetness of flavor.
- Created and gained subtle enriched and noble aroma.
- Softened and rounded refreshing aroma, in contrast to Shincha's usual brisk and refreshing aroma.
All tea does not gain the enriched flavor. Only tea leaves which meet the following criteria can possibly gain an enriched flavor:
- Fresh, high-quality, and smooth-tasting tea leaves harvested at well-managed tea farms.
- Tea grown carefully in the shade by "Tana" (not "Jikagise"). With the "Jikagise" method, the tea plants are directly covered with a type of black fabric. "Tana" is not covering the tea tree directly but building a canopy.
- At processing, the tea must not be heavily steamed. However, farmers tend to steam tea leaves for Gyokuro more heavily to produce tea with a deep, smooth taste and vivid green color. Such Gyokuro can not be aged well.
Tea leaves meeting the above criteria are just a small portion of the highest quality tea leaves harvested in Uji, Kyoto. Tea leaves that do not meet these criteria just deteriorate when aged.
However, even with the correct type of tea leaves, it is not an easy task to properly age green tea.
Tea leaves are usually packaged in aluminum foil bags filled with nitrogen in order to keep fresh flavor through the year. And they are stored in a special refrigerator.
To create Kuradashi Gyokuro, the green tea must be allowed to "breathe". Over a period of time, the oxygen has an effect on the green tea which creates the enriched flavor.
If the tea is aged by an inappropriate procedure or inappropriate type tea is aged, it will simply deteriorate.
In order to age and enrich well, tea leaves need air, oxygen. Though we put tea leaves in a foil bag, we don't seal the bag. The tea is carefully placed in a traditional wooden box (like below picture) in the special refrigerator. To enrich, the temperature in the refrigerator also should not be too cold. The air circulates in the bag, wooden box, and the refrigerator, allowing a flow of oxygen to constantly mix with the tea. In this way, the tea leaves are allowed to breathe over time.
However, because the bag is not sealed, and the temperature in the refrigerator is not so cold, tea leaves can easily deteriorate by absorbing moisture or odor. Therefore we always pay the closest attention to the tea leaves to ensure their perfection.
As above, it is not easy to enrich Gyokuro well, so many wholesalers and retailers these days are not willing to accept risks in order to enrich Gyokuro. However, the enriched flavor and subtle noble aroma and sweetness of Kuradashi Gyokuro are more than someone can dream. Would you enjoy it once?
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| Shaded from sunlight by way of 'Tana' before harvest |
Shaded from sunlight by way of 'Jikagise' before harvest |
Processing factory using traditional machines |
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| Tea leaves processed for Kuradashi Gyokuro by traditional way |
Kurashi teas put in wooden box are enriched in the special cold storage chamber. |
Enriched Kurashi tea just taken out from the storage chamber |
Many years ago in Japan, tea leaves were stored in a special ceramic jar for Kuradashi Matcha like the below pictures at early summer around June or July after the Matcha harvest was completely finished. The tea leaves stored in the jar are known as Tencha: tea leaves before being ground into the fine powder of Matcha. The jar was carefully stored following a specific process in order for the tea leaves to enrich and age in good condition. The jar was opened at Kuchikiri no Gi, a tea ceremony in mid autumn. Above is a series of the ceremony of Kuradashi Matcha.
- First, Tencha tea leaves (*) for the highest grade Matcha like our Kuradashi Matcha Pinnacle are packaged in a bag made with Washi paper.
- The package is put into the jar in which Tencha (*) for high grade Matcha like our Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium is stored.
- Then the jar is filled with the Tencha (*) the high grade Matcha. And the mouth of the jar is sealed off with Washi paper and Japanese paste.
(*) Tencha: tea leaves before being ground into the fine powder of Matcha
Until around mid 19th century Japan, the production of Matcha was monopolized by seven tea merchants in Uji, Kyoto. So the above process of storing tea in this special jar was allowed to only the seven tea merchants.
(Kuradashi Matcha Pinnacle and Super Premium will started to be sold at
the end of October. Please waint and see.)
What's Kuradashi Tea: click here
Kuradashi Gyokuro is now available! The Kuchikiri no Gi ceremony
was solemnly and mindfully held at Kosho Temple in Uji and people celebrated
Kuradashi Tea on October 6.
At same time, our Kuradashi Tea which has been stored for over a year was
taken out from the granary. We have arranged three limited edition Kuradashi
Gyokuro teas and one Kuradashi Sencha, as described below. They are limited
edition of 850 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season.
Celebrate Kuradashi Tea and enjoy the remarkable enriched flavor and sweetness
which can only be experienced once every year! We are certain that the
fine enriched flavor and sweetness will captivate you.
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
Kuradashi Gyokuro is different from ordinary Gyokuro in aroma and flavor. The superb enriched and sweetened flavor and aroma lingers in the mouth for a while. The aroma is full, but not too strong. The flavor is rich and subtle. The taste is both mellow and enhanced...
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
All Gyokuro does not gain an enriched flavor but only specific kinds of Gyokuro. It depends on some factors. We have enriched this highest grade of trimmed Gyokuro for one and a half years...
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
Tea leaves for this special tea grow in the Ogura area in the Uji region, which is known as one of the foremost production centers of the highest grade of enriched Gyokuro. The Ogura area was the area in where Gyokuro and Matcha were firstly grown...
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
Long time ago the quality and good conditioned Sencha in Autumn season must have been similar in taste and aroma to this fine Kuradashi Sencha. And that time, only few people could enjoy the excellent flavour...
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What's Kuradashi Tea: 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
We have arranged for 8 limited edition and 10 new tea ware items. The 8
limited edition items are all available only this autumn and winter season.
The new and limited edition tea ware includes Yunomi (teacups), Kyusu (teapot),
and Chazutsu (Tea container). New and limited edition Matcha Bowls will
be informed separately soon.
Some of the items are designed with modern, sophisticated style, while others use traditional handcrafted techniques for a more traditional design.
We have chosen items that are of exceptional quality yet reasonable in price. They will certainly enrich and enhance your green moment.
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(Temporarily Out of Stock. Available again around October 20. This was sold much more than expectation.)
This Kyusu gives the impression of a spring breeze with butterflies and cherry blossom petals. You will certainly feel that the room and atmosphere around this Kyusu are calm, relaxed, and leisurely. To consider the effort and technique on this Kyusu, this price is absolutely reasonable...
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This Lefty Kyusu is very convenient for left-handed users. This is Lefty Kyusu created by a sought-after artisan. We asked an artisan, Mr. Sawada to create a Lefty Kyusu which is not only practical but also beautiful...
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This Yuzamashi is just like our popular SHOHRYU Yuzamashi, only without the handle. Some people find it easier to use a Yuzamashi without a handle. This is easy to use and easy to maneuver and control the water flow with no handle...
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This Yunomi is a long-selling favorite in Japan for more than 20 years. Turned upside down, each Yunomi looks like Mt. Fuji. SUSONO and MIHO are both famous views of Mt. Fuji. Combination of sunrise and crane is one of the most auspicious omen motifs. Pine is also an auspicious omen...
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Visual impression, hand and mouth feel, and so on are mysteriously quite gentle and tender, though the form of each part, such as the scraped patterns or discoloration of ceramic ware, are dynamic and vivid...
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The name of this CHAZUTSU refers to a tea jar with a special shape or form. It is said that it is very difficult even for the veteran craftsman to form wood into a complex shape like this. Besides, body, lid, and inner lid, also must fit...
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The name of this CHAZUTSU refers to a small ball. TEMARI means ball, and KO means small in Japanese. This CHAZUTSU is very beautiful and spreads gracefulness around, so this is also suitable for display in your home or office...
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RYUBOKU means driftwood and hints WABI SABI atmosphere in Japanese. The rim, top surface, center, side, and base are all designed with natural and simple atmosphere, which brings out the beauty of Japanese zelkova...
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This set of two coasters is made from high grade Japanese traditional fabric. The name of these coasters, KIKUBISHI RYU is a combination of motifs of the most auspicious omens. The fabric evolved together with the Japanese Tea Ceremony...
(Value Set: click below)
[New]KINRAN KIKUBISHI RYU Coaster Value Set: US$26.00
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This set of two coasters is made from Japanese traditional pattern fabric which was used for Kami Shimo, a type of Kimono. AKAJI SAME KOMON Kami Shimo, which is very rare, is put on by women when they perform a Shinto religious ceremony...
(Value Set: click below)
[New]AKAJI SAME KOMON Coaster Value Set (6 Coasters): US$14.00
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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 Madeleines recipe. Click below and take a look!
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How to make Matcha Madeleines...
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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) Price Reduction on All Merchandise
We reduced our prices approximately 4% to 6% on all merchandise on our website due to recent exchange rate fluctuation. The updated price was effective on and after September 1, 2013. This is the second price reduction in the past 6 months and the total reduction range is approximately 15% to 18%. We will continuously make efforts to provide genuine Japanese tea and culture to our customers.
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Japanese Green Tea Hibiki-an
36 Shimonoto Yuyadani
Ujitawara, Kyoto 610-0221
Japan
http://www.hibiki-an.com
![[Limited] Kuradashi Gyokuro Premium (80g/2.82oz)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/KuradashiTea/KuradashiItems/KuradashiPre.jpg)
