Xinyang Young Leaves ORGANIC | Xin Yang Mao Jian

An everyday favorite among Japanese people, Bancha 番茶 has a bold, refreshing spirit. This tea is crafted with leaves harvested in late summer and then steamed and rolled. Though its production process is similar to that of Sencha, Bancha leaves are harvested later in the season for a sweet, yet bold and robust flavor. It can be enjoyed cold or hot. 

Kamairicha 釜炒り茶 is produced by pan-fried method (kamairi), instead of the conventional Japanese method of steaming. This style of transformation gives a particular balance between bitterness and sweetness, exempt from the typical astringency found in Sencha style teas. 

The writer Ludvík Kundera, in his book Drinking Tea writes of Sencha tea that “when there is more than enough bitterness, suddenly a spark of sweetness jumps out: gently casting doubt upon its classification”. The aforementioned bitterness, so strong as to be acute, is characteristic for this tea, and if the tea is correctly prepared will be congenially complemented with sparks of sweetness. Generally speaking this provides a very refreshing taste.

If you have ever tried Karigane, you will know that stalks give sweet flavor. To make our Houjicha Karigane, Sencha tea is used for roasting (Ichibancha from the first harvest of the year). Through the roasting process the tea attains a brown colour and a distinctive roast aroma with nut to cinnamon elements. True delicacy!

In translation Fukamushi-cha means deep steamed tea. The opposite pole would be the lightly steamed asamushi-cha tea. Hot steam is used on Japanese teas in order to halt the oxidation of the leaves, by which they differ from the majority of Chinese teas.