Senryu Fukamushi Sencha
Yamecha KumaenA skillfully-crafted blend of Yabukita and Okuyutaka, this fukamushi sencha from Yame has the perfect balance of aroma, umami, and sweetness. Its 11-day shading gives it a kick of umami, while its tastefully moderate deep-steaming rounds out its body and finish, without muddying the taste.
Senryu is topped off by the signature strong firing of Yame tea, bringing slight nutty notes to its aroma.
Located in the south of Japan, Yame (八女) is best known for its shaded teas, namely gyokuro and matcha. Each year, the award for the best gyokuro in Japan usually goes to Yame (with Uji in second place).
Part of why Yame excels is their preservation of high-quality, traditional shading practices in the form of Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro (八女伝統本玉露): Yame Traditional True Gyokuro. This designation is applied to hand-picked teas shaded under straw for at least two weeks.
Outside of their gyokuro, Yame is known for finishing their teas with a relatively strong firing, imparting a nutty aroma, especially in their matcha and sencha.
Brewing Instructions
Traditional
Hot Tea
Use 3 g (0.11 oz) of tea leaves for every 100 ml (3.38 oz) of water
Heat your water to 80º C (176º F) or cool boiling water by pouring it into the cups, then into the teapot
Let it steep for 30 seconds before pouring slowly until the last drop. Enjoy!
Cold Brew (Mizudashi)
Sweet and Smooth
Add 10 g (0.35 oz) of tea to a vessel
Pour in 400 ml (13.5 oz) of cold water
Wait 30 min - 2 hr until it has achieved the desired strength
Iced Sencha
Bright and Refreshing
Use 5 g (0.18 oz) of tea leaves for every 100 ml (1.70 oz) of water
Heat your water to 70º C (158º F) or cool boiling water by pouring it into the cups, then into the teapot
Let it steep for 60 seconds before pouring over a glass of ice
Yamecha Kumaen (八女茶くま園)
Head tea master Masahiro Kuma (久間正大) is a third-generation tea farmer who sees producing Dento Hon Gyokuro as a year-long bet, requiring months of dedicated work in the hope that the spring harvest will yield delicious tea. His goal is to one day make tea that is more than just ‘delicious’, a tea that will move people’s hearts.
Overall operations at Kumaen are headed by Kazumi Nakatani (中谷一美), the fourth generation granddaughter of a tea farmer whose goal is to spread the deliciousness of Japanese tea and Yamecha all over the world.
Founded over 100 years ago, Yamecha Kumaen produces gyokuro, sencha, matcha, and wakoucha in Joyomachi area of Yame in Fukuoka. Kumaen is known for their exceptional Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro, a style of gyokuro that must follow strict, traditional guidelines, such as honzu straw shading and hand-picking. Their Dento Hon Gyokuro consistently wins many awards, with their 2017 harvest even receiving 1st place in the Gyokuro division of the National Tea Competition 2017, with a full score of 200 points.
In addition to the ubiquitous Yabukita, they also grow Saemidori, Samidori, Okumidori, Okuyutaka, Tsuyuhikari, Asatsuyu, Hikari-tsuyu, and Kirari 31 for sencha, tencha, and gyokuro production. They also produce wakoucha using the Benifuki and Benihikari cultivars.