Japanese Green Tea

• What is Karigane?
• Special Karigane Tea
• Karigane Items
• Customer Reviews of Karigane Items

What is Karigane?

We would like you to rediscover the value of our Karigane items for monthly recommendation.

Karigane is made from the stems of Gyokuro and high grade Sencha. Tea leaves, stems, and powder are sorted during the finishing process. The stems are called Karigane, and only account for about 5 to 10% of all tea leaves. The stems of middle or low grade Sencha are not called Karigane.

Karigane stems are rich in Teanin. Teanin is a kind of amino acid found in green tea that builds protein. The molecular structure (base arrangement) of Teanin is similar to Glutamic Acid which is known for having a sweet and flavorful taste and working to relax the brain and body.

Karigane is less expensive than tea leaves because it is a by-product. It is sorted from high grade tea leaves, and therefore has a better flavor than tea leaves of a similarly low price. In Japan some Gyokuro lovers tend to search for Gyokuro Karigane sorted from much higher grade Gyokuro. Karigane lovers are usually repeat customers - once they try Karigane they want to drink it all the time because it has such a great flavor and is an excellent value.

Karigane is sometimes difficult to find. This is because it's only made from top quality tea leaves. Since Karigane only makes up 10% of these top grade leaves, there is only a tiny amount of Karigane produced each year. So many green tea lovers in Japan search far and wide for Karigane. Fortunately Hibiki-an is able to have a steady supply of Karigane because we grow and sell only the highest grade tea leaves.

Karigane is made from the stems of Gyokuro and high grade Sencha	Processing Scene	Tea color of each Karigane item
Tea leaves for our Pinnacle grade Gyokuro just before harvest.	Tea leaves of Sencha Karigane	Tea leaves of Houjicha Karigane

Special Karigane Tea

Karigane is an excellent value because it is a by-product of green tea production. Karigane is made from the stems and veins of high quality tea leaves.
Even in Kyoto, known around the world as the center of Japanese green tea culture and production, it is difficult to find top grade Gyokuro Karigane. During tea production, green tea leaf stems (which make up 5 to 10% of the harvested tea) are separated from the tea leaves. These green tea stems are used to make Karigane. Only small quantities of our top grade Gyokuro (such as our Pinnacle grade Gyokuro) is grown each year. So we can produce only a limited amount of Gyokuro Karigane Super Premium.
Fortunately we are able to offer Gyokuro Karigane Super Premium, but only as a limited edition item and available only this season.

Tea leaves for our Pinnacle grade Gyokuro under the traditional "Honzu" canopy just before harvest.	Picked by skilled hands	Tea leaves just after steamed
One of several processing steps	One of several processing steps	New Aracha finished just some hours after harvest.
Tea leaves for our Pinnacle grade Gyokuro are shaded from sunlight under the traditional "Honzu" canopy structure made with reeds and straw. Tea leaves are carefully picked by skilled hands. Picked fresh tea leaves are processed just a few hours after harvest. All processing machines are traditional style, and tea leaves are processed with great care in the traditional way. They are finished and become Aracha just a few hours later.

Karigane Items

	[Limited] Gyokuro Karigane Super Premium (40g/1.41oz): US$21.00 Limited edition of 300 packages available only in early spring this year. Gyokuro Karigane Super Premium is an excellent value. Because it is made from the stems and veins of the only highest-quality Gyokuro, such as Gyokuro Pinnacle and Kuradashi Gyokuro Pinnacle, you can have the quality of Premium for a fraction of the cost...
	Gyokuro Karigane Premium (100g/3.53oz): US$24.00 Gyokuro Karigane Premium which is made from the stems of highest grade Gyokuro is very valuable and precious. You can enjoy the excellent flavor of high grade Gyokuro at an affordable price...
	Gyokuro Karigane Superior (200g/7.06oz): US$32.00 Gyokuro Karigane Superior which is made from the stems of high grade Gyokuro is valuable and precious. The stems are called Karigane, and only account for about 5 to 10% of all tea leaves...
	Sencha Karigane (200g/7.06oz): US$25.00 Sencha Karigane Premium which is made from the stems of high grade Sencha is valuable and precious. Karigane contains much Theanine which is the source of its sweet and mellow taste...
	Houjicha Karigane (200g/7.06oz): US$21.00 Houjicha Karigane is made from the stems of high grade tea leaves and roasted in the same way as standard Houjicha. The flavor is deeply sweet and roasted, which is quite unique among Japanese tea...

[Limited] Houjicha Karigane Super Premium (100g/3.53oz): US$18.00 The stems contained in this tea are usually used for Sencha Karigane, not Houjicha Karigane. Stems from the highest grade Matcha are added in order to create the unique noble aroma...

Karigane Tea Tasting Set (each 100g/3.53oz x 3): US$39.00 Karigane is made from the stems of Gyokuro and high grade Sencha. We combined three valuable Karigane items: Gyokuro Karigane Superior, Sencha Karigane, and Houjicha Karigane...

Customer Reviews of Karigane Items

[Limited] Gyokuro Karigane Super Premium
A rich, savory, brothy, and umami flavor makes this tea very unique. It's gentle and not too difficult to brew in terms of getting the right temperature/steep time. It seems incapable of producing any bitterness, but I agree with other reviewers who noticed a refreshingly clean and dry finish to this tea. Definitely the best karigane I've tried, which one would expect given the high grade and price of this tea.
--- Male, United States

Limited supply, limited time, oh no! Toss one in your order if they're still available. I just got my package and cut it open ... greeted by a gentle whiff of green and fresh, only very slightly grassy, odor.
The tea brews to a pale yellow barely green liquid even after almost 3 minutes. The taste is soft and slightly sweet, with a dry-mouth astringency at the finish but zero bite. Subtle and peaceful.
It's quite a treat. I think I'll get a few more :-)
--- Male, United States

This is the first high quality material Karigane I drunk. The dry tea-leaves (or, better said, tea-stems) vary from very light to very dark color.
The tea is very light, very subtle with nice citric flavor. Nice to drink at late night, it freshes my senses yet does not prevent me from sleeping.
--- Male, Slovakia

Gyokuro Karigane Premium
I am on the West Coast, but my tea friend, Karen, on the East Coast directed me to Hibiki-an more than a year ago. She finds the best purveyors and has exquisite taste in fine teas. I have been a Hibiki-an customer ever since my first order.
I am proud to be a returning customer to Hibiki-an. My most recent order included the Gyokuro Karigane Premium. Atsushi Yasui-san was kind and patient in assisting me with my order and recommended this tea to me. I am enjoying it thoroughly! Since I received my order just a few days ago, it has become an everyday tea for me.
As my dear tea friend, Karen, taught me, I brewed this Gyokuro Karigane Premium tea at a very low temperature (about 145F) in my Hibiki-an kyusu (a wonderful vessel for Japanese greens) for a little more than one minute. The wet stems and leaves are quite unusual; the stems glow a florescent green in the pot and contrast nicely with the very dark gyokuro leaves. My resultant brew has a tinge of blue in it; I have seen this color with gyokuros before. While I am able to achieve multiple infusions with this tea, my first cup of this tea is to my tastes always the best.
Hibiki-an is a solid vendor of fine Japanese teas and I look forward to future orders with them.
--- Female, United States

Excellent! If you are looking for a "daily Gyokoru" to drink, you have found it.
As a comparison, I have used a popular companies "gyokuro" tea here in the U.S., called "Teavana". Although they offer a decent, or average product, I have found something that is far superior, ultra-high quality, and even more economical. It is this Gyokuro Karigane Premium and it tastes excellent, far beyond the allegedly "highest quality gyokuro" that I had just gotten from "Teavana".
There is no comparison at all, this product is far above even other competitors gyokuro tea, and you have to remember this product is mostly leaf vein and stem!
Try it, you will not be disappointed!
Tastes of above average "Umami", with clear, bright and lightly sweet gyokuro freshness. Pronounced effect and feeling from high level of naturally occurring L-Theanine. Very noticable, within minutes of drinking tea, I describe it to friend's as a "liquid meditation" or "liquid zen" affectation. Ultra low level of caffeine, almost imperceptible, the L-Theanine levels of this grade of tea probably have a modulating effect on any caffeine.
Fantastic tea Hibiki-An. I received mine today (july 14 2009) and I placed my order on July 6th I believe, extremely quick service, super carefully packaged and protected also.
My money says: "Goodbye Teavana, Hello Hibiki-An!"
--- Male, United States

Gyokuro Karigane Superior
This is a tea that I really enjoy. I find the aroma sweet and when I infuse the stems/leaves I will leave them in longer than say, Sencha - maybe 2-3 minutes minimum, though I haven't timed it.
I find the flavour is also sweet, somewhat like a sweet gooseberry if there is such a thing! Like a previous review, I notice that the flavour falls off quickly with subsequent infusions - say more than 2, probably because this is predominantly leaf stem and vein with a small percentage of leaf. I find this a wonderfully refreshing drink, not bitter at all (unless you really overdo the water temperature, amount of tea or the length of infusion). I have no hesitation in recommending this to all tea drinkers, whether very experienced or a newcomer.
--- Male, United Kingdom

Outstanding tea at a very good price! This is the first tea that I've tried from Hibiki-an and it is the best green tea that I've ever tasted. The shipping to Canada was very fast. The tea was very well packaged and very fresh after opening. Overall, I am very impressed with Hibiki-an!
--- Male, Canada

Sencha Karigane
I regularly order Sencha Superior (another excellent purchase), but thought this month I would try the Karigane as well. Not being sure what to expect, I can confirm that Sencha Karigane is a most pleasant surprise! I am very pleased with the taste, aroma & appearance.
I will order the Sencha Karigane again without hesitation; & recommend that you give it a try.
Yet again, delivery to the United Kingdom was under a week. First class service from Hibiki-an!
--- Male, United Kingdom

I hope hibiki-an always offers sencha karigane of this incredible quality, especially since I prefer sencha karigane over gyokuro karigane.
I opened the Sencha Karigane the day I received it. It is very good, very well made, very fresh and aromatic. It is the possibly the best green stem/vein tea I have ever had. The stems/veins consist of around 90% of the tea by volume, very unusual for karigane that can often have just as much leaf particles as stems. Also, as I said, very well made, it is as if they have tea elves trimming all the twigs into uniform lengths, again compared to others I have had, this is also a delight to behold, and completes the karigane experience...it is like geese (karigane is Japanese for geese I think) are floating in my kyusu.
The aroma of the dry leaf... if I closed my eyes, and smelled it, the way I interpret it is like a fresh cool sweet tropical sea breeze. It is amazing.
The flavor and aroma of the brewed tea is lovely, light, fresh and very refreshing, like a warm tropical breeze (LOL). There is a distinct sweetness and tartness apparent in each infusion.
Well, I really like it, a nice inexpensive low caffeine green tea with a very different flavor profile. I also find I can blend other teas with this if I want a reduced caffeine session or just something a little different.
--- Male, United States

Houjicha Karigane
This is an excellent houjicha, the best I've had outside of kaiseki restaurants. The initial aroma is a lovely and produces an excellently balanced tea... pleasantly sweet and lightly roasted. This is probably my favorite tea in general, it just gives you such a nice warm and nostalgic feeling.
In comparison to normal houjicha, this tea is mellower, and sweeter. I would find it hard to go back to the normal houjicha after this.
--- Male, United States

Excellent! The best houjicha I've ever had--sweet and nutty, it's especially comforting now that the weather is getting cooler (try adding just a sliver of fresh ginger for another dimension of enjoyment). I get three nice infusions brewing at the minimum time--don't forget to soak the used leaves covered overnight for a light breakfast pick-me-up. Good value, too, especially if you weigh rather than rely on a measuring spoon.
--- Female, United States