Saemidori Kabusecha (Shaded Sencha) 2024

The Garden

The Henta family’s organic garden sits in Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu island, in south Japan. This is an active volcanic region, making the soils volcanic and rich. Henta-san himself prioritises the quality of the soil and has a craft approach to tea, ideal for making individual high quality teas on their organic garden. I visited them in May 2024. Henta san is on the right in the photograph.

This Batch

This tea is a Kabusecha which ranks above sencha in Japanese teas. Kabusecha is made by shading the tea plants (see photo). Shading increases the umami (savoury taste) in the leaves, giving Kabusecha its characteristic umami, which is an important flavour in Japanese cuisine.

This batch was made from Saemidori varietal tea plants which were covered from the sun for 13 days before picking. The leaves were then picked and steamed in the ‘asamushi’ style (short steaming) for 30 seconds. Asamushi preserves the shape and natural clarity of flavours of the tea leaf. The heat from the steam keeps the leaves green, which is how green tea is kept green.

Tasting Notes

This batch has the characteristic mushroom notes of the Saemidori varietal. Think of buttered spinach and mushroom, dressed with tart garden herbs. The texture is wonderfully thick, and the umami finish is long. It’s an excellent match for goat cheeses and seafood, or Japanese food in general. If you like Japanese food, this tea is highly recommended.

Infuse at 6g (1 tablespoon) per 150ml (teacup size) at 40°C for 3 minutes. This is the authentic Japanese way which brings out the most umami. If you prefer, you can infuse at 60°C for 1 minute.

Storage and Ageing

As with most Japanese green teas, kabusechas are best fresh and young, so we suggest storing this tea in a cool, dry place and enjoying it while it’s young; optimally within 18 to 24 months but it will be fine for 3 years.