Kuma Tea Garden FK033: Mountain-Grown Yame Sencha (Unshaded), Single Cultivar Kirari 31 Kuma Tea Gardens

Another new sencha for the year 2022, this Kirari-31 sencha comes from the award-winning Kuma Tea Gardens in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture. The Kirari-31 tea bushes were cultivated through the open-field cultivation. This tea will please you with a silky smooth mouthfeel and with its elegant and refreshing aroma. It is a tea that you will want to keep drinking. 

Unshaded, it will have slightly more bitter profile than sencha that have been shaded for a few days, and suited for those who like a strong-bodied green tea.

A note about the Kirari 31 cultivar

A cultivar that is receiving increasing attention. It was derived from a cross of Sakimidori (the mother or pollen parent) and Saemidori (the father or pollen parent. Saemidori itself a cross between Yabukita and Asatsuyu cultivars). The cultivar was first produced in 1994 with traits such as disease and cold resistance, good growth, and tea quality in mind, and indeed has shown very good resistance against frost so has been recommended to farmers cultivating at higher elevations. In general, the quality of tea made from the Kirari 31 is greater than that of Yabukita and compares with the umami level and color of Saemidori. Ready for harvest in general 3-4 days earlier than Yabukita, it has an excellent color (as you may be able to tell from the photo) with a mild flavor that is similar to Saemidori quality.

Steeping notes

• From Kuma Tea Garden
• Tea: 3-5g
• Temperature: 57-80℃ / 135-176˚F
• Water: 140-210ml
• Time: 30-60 sec 
• Our recommendation:
• Tea: 5 grams
• Temperature: 70C / 158F
• Water: 200 ml
• Time: 60 sec
• Can be re-steeped and enjoyed 3-5 times

Product Info

• Ingredients: Green tea
• Cultivar: Kirari 31 cultivar
• Harvest: April 2022 
• Region: Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan 
• Notes: Mountain-grown

About the Farm

Japanese tea instructor Kazumi Nakatani manages Kuma Tea Gardens as a brand representing her tea farmer uncles and cousins, and uses her expert palette to design exquisite sencha and gyokuro teas from the leaves farmed by her extended family. Cousin Masahiro Kuma is quickly becoming a legend in Japan, having won the top prize (Minister’s Award) for the gyokuro tea category at the 2017 National Tea Competition. Learn more about the family here.