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 'What is Blended Sencha? (Blended Sencha / Limited)'.
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( Belended Sencha teas are now available. They are all limited edition
only available this winter season)
With a single cup of Blended Sencha, one can concurrently enjoy two different characteristics: the aroma of Sencha and the taste of Gyokuro. Blended Sencha is more sweet and mellow than basic Sencha, characteristic of Gyokuro. But, it has a more refreshing aroma than Gyokuro, characteristic of Sencha.
The aroma of Sencha and the taste of Gyokuro are created by a labor-intensive blending technique similar to that of Blended Sencha Premium or Super Premium.
Arcanum is a great secret of nature, a natural mystery or special blend of natural ingredients, known only to a small group of specialists, such as alchemists. We call this tea "Arcanum" because it is a special blend of Sencha which provides a dramatically intense and balanced flavor.
Blended Sencha shopping page: click here
Blending technique as well as evaluating technique are important factors for tea manufacturers and tea merchants in order to intensify the flavor, fill in gaps of flavor, or keep the flavor equalized throughout the year.
Our Blended Sencha Premium and Super Premium are blended in order to dramatically intensify the flavor. Depending on the skill of the tea manufacturer, the flavor of blended tea will either become dramatically intensified or completely destroyed.
The taste and aroma of the tea leaves to be blended must work well together. Most teas actually do not taste well when blended together, so the tea manufacturer must have a thorough understanding of the blending technique, as well as specific knowledge of which finished teas and breeds of tea can be blended. Some teas create excellent harmony when blended together. The tea manufacturer must choose these teas wisely to create a top-quality finished product. In addition, the difference in degrees of diffused sunlight before harvest affects the final product of the blended tea. It does not work well to blend tea leaves grown in full sunlight and tea leaves grown in totally diffused sunlight. Extreme flavors don't work well in most cases.
The above factors, especially the breed of tea and growing technique (diffusion of sunlight), largely influences the blended flavor. They are central in blending. Therefore, the tea manufacturer must train on a day-to-day basis - the blending of tea is a true art form and the manufacturer must be a skilled alchemist.
Needless to say, all our tea leaves used for blending are healthy and in ideal condition. It is impossible to redeem defective tea leaves with blending techniques. If defective tea leaves are blended with healthy leaves, unfortunately the healthy leaves absorb the unexpected flavors of the defective leaves, and the entire batch is ruined. Therefore, it is extremely important for farmer and tea producer to grow and buy only healthy tea leaves. The purity and quality of the final tea product depends on the careful and vigilant discipline of the farmer and tea producer every day from conditioning the soil and growing the tea leaves to harvest and packaging. In this way, we ensure that only healthy, top quality tea leaves are sold to the customer. This way of producing green tea with an eye to detail and quality is an important part of Japanese green tea culture and tradition.
Blended Sencha shopping page: click here
Competition Grade Tea and Blended Sencha are limited edition of just 450 packages each and Blended Sencha are limited edition of just 600 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season.
(Competition Grade Matcha Pinnacle Refill)
We at Hibiki-an have received many requests for a value refill package
of Competition Grade Matcha. If you would like to purchase a large amount
of Competition Grade Matcha Pinnacle in bulk, would you please take a look?
The price is actually discounted 17%.
Competition Grade Tea
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(Now Available: limited edition of 450 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season)
This Competition Grade Gyokuro Pinnacle has an excellent, deeply mellow taste. The National Tea Competition is held in order to improve Japanese tea agricultural and manufacturing techniques, and to congratulate and encourage those that have produced outstanding tea... |
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(Now Available: limited edition of 450 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season)
Competition Grade Sencha Pinnacle is available only at the National Tea Fair, attended by tea connoisseurs and those within the Japanese green tea industry. This fine green tea has an excellent, deeply mellow taste... |
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(Now Available: limited edition of 450 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season)
This Competition Grade Matcha Pinnacle has an excellent, deeply mellow taste. The National Tea Competition is held several times a year in Japan. Sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and attended by executives of the Japanese tea industry... |
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(Now Available: As requested by many customers, this value package was newly added for the Competition Grade Tea season.)
This Competition Grade Matcha Premium Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 17%. This has an excellent, deeply mellow taste. The National Tea Competition is held several times a year in Japan. Sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries...
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2013 Award Competition Grade Matcha
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(Now Available: This item is limited edition of 250 packages available at this time only. It is unknown how many years it may be before we could sell Award Competition Grade again.)
This Matcha won the Production Agency Head Award, and finished second place at the 2013 National Tea Fair of Japan. The price of tea finished in the second or third highest place is more moderate than the first highest place tea, though there is no significant difference in quality... |
Blended Sencha
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(Now Available: limited edition of 600 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season)
Blended Sencha Super Premium is a blend of Ohiwase and Meiryoku breeds of green tea. These tea leaves are sprouts that are small and soft and not fully-grown... |
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(Now Available: limited edition of 600 packages ONLY AVAILABLE this winter season)
Blended Sencha Premium is a blend of Sencha and Gyokuro. This tea is composed of four breeds of green tea: Kanayamidori, Sayamakaori, Yabukita, and Okumidori... |
Competition Grade Tea page: click here
What is Blended Sencha?: click here
This item is limited edition of 250 packages available at this time only. It is unknown how many years it may be before we could sell Award Competition Grade again. (shopping page: click here)
This Competition Grade Matcha won the Production Agency Head Award, and finished second place at the 2013 National Tea Fair of Japan.
The price of tea finished in the second or third highest place is more moderate than the first highest place tea, though there is no significant difference in quality. Indeed, it seems that the mellowness and deepness of this Matcha is almost the same as last year's #1 Awarded Competition Matcha, which the farmer won the first highest award in 2012, and the color may possibly be even brighter. Besides, our set price is actual production cost with minimum shipping charges, in order for many customers to enjoy this as easily as possible.
We are certain this Matcha will be the ICHIGO ICHIE (*) precious experience
of your life.
(*) ICHIGO ICHIE, which was first said by tea ceremony inventor Rikyu Sen (1522-1591), means "treasure each encounter, for it will never reoccur" in Japanese.
2013 Award Competition Grade Matcha shopping page: click here
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| The unique flavor, deep mellow taste and fresh young aroma of this 2013 Award Competition Grade Matcha is outstanding even in upper level competition Matcha. |
Color of this 2013 Award Competition Matcha is much brighter green than any other upper level competition Matcha. |
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2013 Award Competition Grade Matcha shopping page: 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
Have you chosen a Valentine's Day gift for your loved ones? In Japan, green tea is often presented as a gift because it symbolizes a wish of good health and longevity. This tradition of giving green tea as a gift is as popular today as it has been throughout history. We give the gift of green tea for good health and long life of friends, family, and loved ones. A gift of genuine Japanese tea would make a perfect gift this Valentine's Day.
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We have chosen and combined some of our most popular items which would make perfect gifts for friends, family, and professional colleagues, or any special or romantic occasion such as holidays, birthdays, Valentine's Day, weddings, or the purchase of a new home...
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We would like to introduce some of the most popular items in our Gifts category, which have good reputations and are most often chosen by our customers to send as gifts...
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We added some FUROSHIKI Gift Items to respond to customers' requests. They are carefully wrapped with FUROSHIKI Japanese traditional wrapping fabric. Please take a look. These items would make perfect gifts for friends, family, and professional colleagues, or any special or romantic occasion!...
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Japanese tea combined with traditional tea ware or with Japanese Snacks/Candy makes a wonderful gift. Atmospheric handcrafted tea ware enhances the green moment. Traditional Japanese Snacks/Candy pair beautifully with any kind of Japanese tea. Like the French "Amuse-Bouche" their purpose is to amuse the mouth or palate, in this case, while drinking green tea....
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The combination of green tea with gold flakes makes a beautiful presentation. Gold is an ancient symbol of prosperity, and adds significance to any special occasion. Would you check our Golden Celebration Tea and the Gift items once?...
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Would you prefer regular items, Gyokuro, Sencha, Matcha, Organic, Teabag, Tea ware, and so on? If so, would you visit each shipping category?...
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"Celebration Gifts in Japan" page: click here
This time, we introduce four Matcha Bowls from the series of Matcha Bowls
featuring SHOHEKIGA paintings of NIJO Castle.
NIJO Castle is not only a Japanese national treasure but also a world heritage site listed in 1994. All of the 954 paintings on FUSUMA sliding doors and murals called SHOHEKIGA at NIJO Castle are designated as nationally important cultural properties. The SHOHEKIGA paintings are from the KANO school, which was the largest and most significant school in the history of Japanese painting.
We, Hibiki-an and Zenshoh Yamaoka, who is the leading expert of paintings derived from masterpieces in the middle ages, cooperated and arranged a series of Matcha Bowls featuring SHOHEKIGA paintings of NIJO Castle.
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MATSU TAKA ZU was painted for the OHIROMA great hall, where is decorated with paintings that honored the SHOGUN emperor. When the DAIMYO vassal lords looked up to see the SHOGUN emperor, they felt as if the great pine tree arced above the SHOGUN emperor...
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KIKU ZU was painted for the KUROSHOIN rooms, where the SHOGUN emperor carried out everyday tasks with his followers, are decorated with relaxing, elegant, and gentle paintings of birds, flowers, trees, and so on in order to create an atmosphere of abundant fertility...
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CHIKURIN GUNKO ZU was painted for the west wing of TOHZAMURAI great entrance hall, where is decorated with strong, dynamic paintings in order to show the dignity of the SHOGUN emperor to DAIMYO vassal lords. DAIMYO vassal lords should have felt awed to see paintings of the tiger pride...
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ROGAN ZU was painted for the anterooms of the SHIKIDAI rooms, where are decorated with affable, kindly, and elegant paintings to cultivate a feeling of warm hospitality. This ROGAN ZU is popular because of the affable, kindly, and elegant atmosphere...
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Matcha Bowls featuring NIJO Castle KANO Paintings page: click here
It is said that Bamboo Charcoal works to give water a pure flavor. Indeed, Bamboo Charcoal is frequently used not only by tea connoisseurs but also at RYOH TEI high-class Japanese restaurants.
Bamboo Charcoal gives water a fine and fresh flavor, actually changing the composition of the water on a molecular level to reduce the size of the water cluster structures, add minerals, and remove impurities. It infuses the water with calcium, potassium and magnesium. One piece of Bamboo Charcoal may be used in this way for approximately 6 to 8 months. It depends on usage conditions.
Bamboo Charcoal can also absorb the chlorine smell and taste of tap water. For removing the smell and taste of chlorine, a piece of Bamboo Charcoal may be used for approximately 1 to 3 months.
Bamboo Charcoal is also frequently used as deodorizer for refrigerator or rooms. For removing the smell in refrigerator, 1 to 3 pieces of Bamboo Charcoal may be used for approximately 1 to 3 months. It can recover the function of absorbing smell 4 to 8 times by boiling and drying. Bamboo Charcoal can release organic substances from air holes by boiling and drying.
In Japan, Bamboo Charcoal powder is also taken internally (usually mixed into foods) for wellness and to improve digestion.
Tea connoisseurs understand that good water makes good tea. We believe this method of purifying and improving the water flavor is very simple and healthful. In addition, it supports our local tea farmers. Of course, the container, in which this Bamboo Charcoal is packaged, can be used for preserving tea leaves.
Bamboo Charcoal in Tea Container shopping page: click here
Bamboo Charcoal in Tea Container shopping page: click here
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Japanese Green Tea Hibiki-an
36 Shimonoto Yuyadani
Ujitawara, Kyoto 610-0221
Japan
http://www.hibiki-an.com
![[Limited] Competition Grade Gyokuro Pinnacle (40g/1.41oz)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/CompetitionGradeTea/CompetitionGyokuroPinnacle.jpg)
![[Limited] Competition Grade Sencha Pinnacle (40g/1.41oz)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/CompetitionGradeTea/CompetitionSenchaPinnacle.jpg)
![[Limited] Competition Grade Matcha Pinnacle (20g/0.71oz)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/CompetitionGradeTea/ComeptitionMatchaPinnacle.jpg)
![[Limited] Competition Grade Matcha Pinnacle Refill (60g/2.12oz)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/readings/CompetitionGradeTea/ComeptitionMatchaPinnacleRef.jpg)
![[NIJO Castle KANO] MATSU TAKA ZU (by Zenshoh Yamaoka)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/upload/Matsutakazu_A01.jpg)
![[NIJO Castle KANO] KIKU ZU (by Zenshoh Yamaoka)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/upload/Kikuzu_A01.jpg)
![[NIJO Castle KANO] CHIKURIN GUNKO ZU (by Zenshoh Yamaoka)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/upload/Chikuringunkozu_A01.jpg)
![[NIJO Castle KANO] ROGAN ZU (by Zenshoh Yamaoka)](http://www.hibiki-an.com/images/upload/Roganzu_A01.jpg)
