Murata Tea Garden: Hashiri Shincha (Yabukita) From Kikugawa, Shizuoka Murata Tea Garden

Single origin, single estate, single cultivar.

The term “hashiri” means “running” literally. It implies that the farmers have run out to the tea fields to harvest the leaves at earliest point possible.

This particular tea was cultivated by tea farmer Yuya Murata using the Chagusaba Tea Agriculture Method, a UNESCO designated Agricultural Heritage. Deep steamed into a fukamushicha for a strong bodied taste.

Tea field photo above from 2019/04/10.

Flavor Notes

Strong body, grassy astringency, complex vegetal flavors. This profile is likely a result of the lack of shading. Slightly buttery aftertaste with very slight hints of umami. Suitable for those who dislike the umami of shaded teas. 

Steeping Notes

As a fukamushi, this product steeps very fast. We recommend tea: 5 grams, time: 60 seconds, water: 70C/160F, 200 ml. But if this is too strong for you, reduce the amount of leaves or the time. Use a hotter temperature for even stronger body, lower temperature (or even cold steeping) for a sweeter profile.

Product Info

• Ingredients: Green Tea
• Cultivar: Yabukita
• Harvest: Early May
• Region: Kikugawa, Shizuoka

About Tea Farmer Yuya Murata

Murata-san is a 4th generation tea farmer, certified Japanese tea instructor, and father, based in Kikugawa, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Japan. He is a member of the Kikusui Tea Cooperative and utilizes the Coop’s factory to process his fukamushi or deep-steamed sencha green tea. In his 20s he worked at an IT company, but returned to the family in his 30s to learn and take over the family heritage.