A great expression of the soil on the foothills of Fuji; this very versatile, making killer cortados, iced matcha or a light usucha.  

Experience:  vibrant green with notes of beansprouts, watercress and wild chrysanthemum; it’s intense start, characteristic of the foothills of Mt. Fuji, gives way to a mellow mouthfeel.

Brewing recommendations:  

- For usucha, use a little bit more water at slightly lower temperature than for our other Cafe Experience teas.  Try 2g of tea on 75ml of water @ 65°C.

⁃ For a vibrant cortado, 2g of tea on 55g of water @ 65°C on 55g of steamed milk.

Origin:  Okabe Cho, Shizuoka

GPS:  34.9°N   138.3°E

Matcha Shokunin:

Tatara Takayuki 多々良 高行 is a 5th generation tea professional and Japanese Instructor from Shizuoka; his family’s company dates back to 1876, when they started manufacturing and wholesaling tea in Shizuoka.  As such, his family is deeply immersed in the vibrant green tea that defines this most famous region.

Tatara San serves also as Vice President of the Bancha Research Association, dedicated to preserve many of Japan’s fairly unknown yet extremely interesting folk tea styles.  Japan is home to teas are currently made by a handful of aging artisans; Tatara San’s team studies with such artisans and uses modern techniques to recreate (as much as possible) the recipes in Shizuoka.

His family is also involved in the revitalization of abandoned tea plantations.  Tatara Kayo, his wife, is a master artisan in the field of textiles; she uses tea leaves as a natural dye for clothing.

Cultivar:  yabukita