Kurihara Tea #14: Oku Yame Black Tea Kurenai Yametsuhime 奥八女紅茶 紅 ∙ 八女津媛 Kurihara Tea Farm

While Japan is certainly not known for its black tea, innovative and dedicated tea farmers are learning to produce delicate but delicious black teas. This mellow and soft tasting black tea comes from the Kurihara family (based in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture), one of Japan’s best at creating a premium green tea called gyokuro. With this black tea, they introduce a new dimension to Japanese black tea grown in the climate of Oku Yame, a place that is abundant with nature. As these leaves come from the Yabukita cultivar, you may find that the tea leaves hold a faint sweetness reminiscent of Japanese sencha. Characterized by its pleasantly smooth and sweet flavor with a floral aroma, this black tea is meant to be drunk without sugar. The light taste is produced precisely because it uses tea leaves that are generally considered perfect for sencha green tea.

Please note that Japanese black tea has a lower caffeine content in comparison to other black teas, so it can be enjoyed by the entire family from children to the elderly. This black tea will go well with the standard sweets that generally accompany black teas, but also with Japanese sweets such as red bean paste and mochi snacks.

Product Info

• Name: Oku Yame Black Tea KURENAI YAMETSUHIME
• Ingredients: Black tea
• Harvest: Summer
• Region: Yabemura village, Yame, Fukuoka

Vendor Info

• Name: Kurihara Seicha Ltd.
• Members: Kippei, Yuji, and Akio Kurihara (Father and sons)
• Location: 4236 Kita Yabe, Yabe-mura, Yame-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture 834-1401, JAPAN
• Size of fields: About 3 hectares
• Altitude of fields: 300 – 700 meters