Obubu KY009: Kyobancha – Winter-grown, Roasted Green Tea Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms

Bundle of 8 OBUBU TEA HOJICHA

Unique to the city of Kyoto from which it gets name, Kyobancha is harvested from tea leaves and twigs that have matured over the winter months and then roasted producing a very woodsy flavor. As bancha, it is unrolled, so we sell it in larger 200 gram bags.

Often called ‘bancha for babies’ (akachan bancha 赤ちゃん番茶) because it has almost no caffeine, it is also called ‘spring bancha’ (haru bancha 春番茶) because it is harvested in March from winter matured leaves. Rarely offered outside of Japan, it is even quite rare to find it in supermarkets in Japan as well.

Akky’s Kyobancha has resulted in a tea that produces a light, refreshing, and easy-to-drink taste–a healthy alternative to sugary drinks. We recommend steeping it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or steeping it with cold water for 2-3 hours for iced tea.

Video illustrating how kyobancha, the winter-grown roasted tea, is made and prepared.

Created by Interns at Obubu.

Product Info

• Ingredients: Green tea
• Harvest: March (pre-spring harvest)
• Region: Wazuka Village, Kyoto
• Cultivation: Leaves and stems that have matured over the winter, cut to prepare the field for the spring harvest
• Production notes: Steamed and dried without rolling, then roasted
• Tasting Notes: Extremely low in caffeine, light body