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 'Kuradashi Matcha is Now Available!'.
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The Jidai Matsuri festival started at Kyoto city on October 15, and the main vent parade
will be held on October 22. (Detail of that is anticipated to be reported
on next issue newsletter. Please wait and see.)
At same time our Kuradashi Matcha which has been stored for over a year
was taken out from the granary. We have arranged four limited edition Kuradashi
Matcha as described below. They are limited edition of 850 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season. And Kuradashi Gyokuro and Sencha teas are still available.
(Kuradashi Matcha Refill)
We at Hibiki-an have received many requests for a value refill package of Kuradashi Matcha. We have arranged to sell Pinnacle and Super Premium grade of Kuradashi Matcha Refill. If you would like to purchase a large amount of Kuradashi Matcha in bulk, would you please take a look? The prices are actually discounted 17% or 21%.
Celebrate Kuradashi Teas 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)
The traditional canopy used to shade tea plants from sunlight known as "Honzu" is unique and different from others. They are also important factors in creating the noble flavor and sweetness of the highest grade enriched Matcha...
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(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this value package was newly added for the 2013 Kuradashi season.)
This Kuradashi Matcha Premium Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 21%. The traditional canopy used to shade tea plants from sunlight known as "Honzu" is unique and different from others. They are also important factors in creating the noble flavor and sweetness of the highest grade enriched Matcha...
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
For this Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium, tea leaves just after harvest, are steamed and dried in a special fire pit. The smooth and mellow taste is uniquely brought out by the special drying process...
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(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this value package was newly added for the 2013 Kuradashi season.)
This Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 17%. For this Kuradashi Matcha, tea leaves just after harvest, are steamed and dried in a special fire pit. The smooth and mellow taste is uniquely brought out by the special drying process...
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Aged and enriched Matcha known as Kuradashi Matcha is very special to all those who engage in tea ceremony. In the Japanese tea ceremony, even today, people celebrate aged Matcha in the ceremony called Kuchikiri no Gi every autumn. Traditionally, a special tea jar filled with Matcha was stored in a cool place like the top of a high mountain or in the ground after harvest until autumn. People would first enjoy that year's Matcha in the autumn after the Kuchikiri no Gi ceremony. And it was said that when the jar lid was opened in autumn, the marvelous fragrant aroma was savored. Indeed, when we open a package of our special Kuradashi Matcha, here at Hibiki-an, that has been aged for more than one year, the aroma is so amazing that there are no words to describe it.
To correctly age Kuradashi Matcha, there are many rules and special procedures one must follow.
Tea leaves should be stored not in powder form, but as Tencha. Tea leaves before they are ground into fine powder, but after stems and veins are removed, are known as Tencha. For Kuradashi Matcha, the Tencha is ground into powder by a stone mill called Ishiusu just before it is shipped to the customer. The reason for this is because when Matcha is ground into a fine powder, it deteriorates more easily than tea leaves such as Gyokuro and Sencha due to the fact that there is more surface area exposed to the air. If one tried to age Matcha powder for more than one year, as we do with Tencha for Kuradashi Matcha, it would not enrich but just deteriorate.
In order to age and enrich well, tea leaves need air, oxygen. The Tencha tea leaves are stored in open, unsealed foil bags in a special refrigerator that is somewhat cool, but not too cold. We keep a flow of fresh air constantly circulating through the refrigerator, allowing oxygen to mix with the tea. In this way, the tea leaves are allowed to breathe over time and enrich.
When Tencha is ground in the stone mill known as Ishiusu, the temperature is 60 to 70C (140 to 158F). The moderate heat deepens the mellow taste of the Kuradashi Matcha. The stone mill can grind only 70g (2.5oz) per hour. It takes a long time to grind the Tencha into Matcha, therefore some tea companies have several stone mills, which are very expensive and require a huge space. Though today's stone mill is turned by an electric motor, not by hand, most parts of today's stone mill are quite the same as the traditional stone mill of many years ago. Even today, the grooves of the great stones used in the mill which grind the tea are hand-carved by skilled craftsmen.
Today many manufactures tend to use power disintegrator machines to create Matcha, as it is much more efficient than traditional stone mills. Middle and low grade Matcha is often made using a power disintegrator machine. Only high and highest grade Matcha, such as our Kuradashi Matcha, is ground by traditional stone mill to deepen the mellow taste.
As above, to create the unique and subtle mellow flavor of Kuradashi Matcha, which enhances in the mouth and lingers for a while, a great deal of time and care are devoted not only to growing tea at the tea farm but also to the special process to turn fresh tea leaves into perfectly-aged Kuradashi Matcha.
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| Tea leaves of aged Tencha just before ground |
Matcha grinding factory |
Today's stone mill turned by an electric motor |
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| Traditional stone mill turned by hand |
Grinding into Matcha with the traditional stone mill |
Even today stone mills are hand-carved by skilled craftsmen |
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
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,
one Kuradashi Sencha, and four Kuradashi Matcha, 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.
Kuradashi Gyokuro and Sencha
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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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Kuradashi Matcha
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
The traditional canopy used to shade tea plants from sunlight known as "Honzu" is unique and different from others. They are also important factors in creating the noble flavor and sweetness of the highest grade enriched Matcha...
|
|
|
(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this value package was newly added for the 2013 Kuradashi season.)
This Kuradashi Matcha Premium Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 21%. The traditional canopy used to shade tea plants from sunlight known as "Honzu" is unique and different from others. They are also important factors in creating the noble flavor and sweetness of the highest grade enriched Matcha...
|
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(Now Available: limited edition of 850 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this autumn season)
For this Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium, tea leaves just after harvest, are steamed and dried in a special fire pit. The smooth and mellow taste is uniquely brought out by the special drying process...
|
|
|
(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this value package was newly added for the 2013 Kuradashi season.)
This Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 17%. For this Kuradashi Matcha, tea leaves just after harvest, are steamed and dried in a special fire pit. The smooth and mellow taste is uniquely brought out by the special drying process...
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What's Kuradashi Tea: click here
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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(Available Again: This was remporarily out of stock due to sold much more than expectation. At last this got available again.)
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
(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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Or if you prefer, we are happy to update your account info for you. Just let us know. Please don't hesitate to contact us!
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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)
