Kurihara Tea #25: Single Cultivar Yame Sencha – Kirari 31 単一品種八女煎茶きらり31 Kurihara Tea Farm

A Kirari 31 single cultivar sencha from Kurihara Tea Farm’s new tea field in Yame, Fukuoka prefecture. 

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

• 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
• Harvest: May
• Region: Yabemura village, Yame, Fukuoka
• Notes: Regular steaming (40-50 seconds) used but leaves are young and delicate so the results is close to a deep steaming (fukamushi)

Producer 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