Ujitawara Asanoka Shincha
RishouenMade from young, tender leaves of the early-budding Asanoka cultivar, this sencha from Ujitawara captures the vibrant, fresh, and fleeting aroma of spring tea fields
Producer: Rishouen
Region: Ujitawara, Kyoto
Elevation: 220m
Cultivar: Asanoka
Harvested: April 28th, 2024
Picking: Handheld Machine
Uji city in Kyoto prefecture has long been at the centre of Japanese tea and has been famed for its high-quality matcha production for centuries, dating back to the 12th century. The shading method used to produce modern matcha (c. 15th century) along with sencha (1737) and gyokuro itself (1835) were all invented by Uji farmers looking to push the boundaries of tea quality.
Though the name Ujicha remains associated with high-grade tea, most tea branded as Ujicha is produced in the neighbouring towns of Ujitawara, Minamiyamashiro, Kizugawa, and primarily Wazuka.
Asanoka (朝の香 - Morning Aroma) was registered in 1996 as a cross between Yabukita and a Chinese tea plant. Known for its frost resistance and early budding, Asanoka is also high in amino acids, contributing to a sweet, umami flavor.
Brewing Instructions
Traditional
Hot Tea
Use 2 g (0.07 oz) of tea leaves for every 50 ml (1.70 oz) of water
Heat your water to 85º C (185º F) or cool boiling water by pouring it into the cups, then into the teapot
Let it steep for 45 seconds before pouring slowly until the last drop. Enjoy!
Rishouen (利招園)
Descended from a family of tea farmers, the head of Rishouen, Koji Kagata now focuses on working with high-grade tencha producers in Uji and the greater Kyoto tea producing region to create top-tier matcha blends suitable for use both inside the tearoom and in day-to-day life. As a practitioner of the Japanese tea ceremony himself, Kagata-san has a keen sense for blending exquisite matcha for usucha and koicha
Rishouen (利招園) is a small, family owned tea producer located in Uji, Kyoto. Founded in 1947, they specialise in selecting tencha from the best fields in Kyoto before skillfully fine-tuning blend recipes and flavour profiles to produce high-grade matcha