Sencha Karigane (200g/7.05oz)

Sencha is harvested three or four times a year. But with each harvest, the tea becomes slightly lower in quality. This is why the first flush, or Ichiban Cha, is the best. All of our Sencha products are made exclusively from Ichiban Cha.

Sencha contains more of the beneficial nutrient catechin than other green teas, because it is grown in full sunlight, thus it becomes yellowish green in colour. Sencha tastes gently astringent and smells wonderfully fresh.

Our Sencha Karigane is an excellent value. It is made with Karigane (stems and veins) of the highest-quality Sencha such as Sencha Premium.

Karigane stems are rich in Teanin, the constituent found in Gyokuro and Matcha grown in defused sunlight 20 to 30 days before the harvest. Teanin provides an element of sweetness and flavor to the tea.
In contrast, traditionally-made Sencha is known for having an excellent balance of sweet and bitter flavors and a refreshing aroma. Sencha Karigane differs from basic Sencha – it's more sweet and less bitter.

Like Gyokuro Karigane, Sencha Karigane is less expensive than basic Sencha, so you can enjoy a high grade flavor and aroma at a reasonable price!

Price:US$23.00

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Features of This Tea

Mellow Aroma
Refreshing Aroma
Roasted Aroma
Sweetness
Flavor

Selected unique and sweet-tasting stems from high quality Sencha

Karigane

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 Theanin. Theanin is a kind of amino acid found in green tea that builds protein. The molecular structure (base arrangement) of Theanin 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.