Bizenya: #03 Fukimukashi Blend – 2023 Imperial Handpicked Sayama Sencha 最高級手摘み煎茶 富貴昔 Bizenya

Shimizu-san’s Fukimukashi blend is thought to be their finest shincha. This tea originates from Shimizu-san and the Sayama tea farmers’ fields (comes from three tea plantations).

Like Bizenya’s Shourai blend, it consists of aracha (unrefined tea in which stems and leaf fannings are not filtered) from three types of cultivars: fukumidori, yumewakaba, and yabukita.

After the tea is harvested, it goes through a process of withering in which the tea leaves are first sun dried, then dried in the shade for about half a day to create the aroma. Each cultivar is hand-fired separately using a hoiro (焙炉 a special table with thick washi paper surface that is heated from the bottom), then blended to complete the Shourai blend. This tea was served to the Japanese emperor and empress to accompany their dessert at Koryo Shrine on September 20, 2017.

This tea also won the bronze medal at the competition, Japanese Tea Selection Paris 2020.

Processing

1. Withering in the sun. After 30 minutes the leaf starts to blacken with enzymatic oxidization creating a floral aroma.
2. Sencha processing
3. Finishing – sorting out stems and fannings, including green-roasting using an old-style drying machine. The hot air used in to dry out the unrefined tea for long-term storage also adds a little toastiness to the fruity floral aroma.

Product Info

• Cultivars:
• Yabukita (Bizenya & Farmers: Takanori Shimada, Yutaka Miyaoka) 
• Fukumidori (Takanori Shimada, Yutaka Miyaoka) 
• Yume Wakaba (Bizenya )
• Region: Sayama & Hidetaka City, Saitama, Japan
• Production notes: Grown without pesticides 

Steeping Recommendation from Bizenya

• Tea: 5g
• Water: 150ml
• Water temperature / time
• First steeping: 70C (158F), 30 sec – Enjoy the fresh aroma and scent
• 2nd steeping: 70C (158F), 10 sec – Enjoy the unique taste
• 3rd steeping: 85C (185F), 30 sec  – Enjoy the refreshing taste and aroma