I wish I knew about the condensation thing sooner – I had some loose leaf tea in the back of my fridge, and it ended up getting moist and ultimately growing mold and I had to throw it away :( I smartened up after that lol!
Thanks for putting this resource together, I found this article very helpful.
All the points are appropriate and quite enough for the non tea drinkers to start drinking. It really energize the body with new enthusiasm.
When sooo many enthusiastic people put their love and energy into this- from beginnig to the end- there is no other joice then something brilliant coming out ofthis
My wife and i and our youngest were fortunate enough to visit this magical place. Thank you to all the Obubu team for making our dream to experience tea farming in Japan a reality.
Thank you so much for your kind comments, Taryam! We loved meeting you and sharing in your love for tea. We are lucky to have tea ambassadors such as you in the world!
This is a really nice tasting sencha. I am actually surprised at how strong the umami flavor notes are. The aroma has quite a strong grassiness, so I expected something a bit sharper and more astringent, but the flavor is quite the opposite – rich and sweet, with just the right potency. Overall, an excellent sencha that I would definitely consider reordering.
Footnote: I brewed at 170F for around 50 seconds, and this produced a brew quite to my liking.
Sounds lovely! It’s hot in london this week, so I’m going to try it. Thank you Fiona and Obubu and I look forward to the next post. ?
Thanks Susan, we hope you enjoy it!
I would never have thought to cold-brew houjicha, and would never have thought to combine it with cucumbers and peaches. Because this combination is unique, I really wanted to try this recipe. I made some tonight and it is really wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.
So pleased to hear you loved the recipe and that you enjoy it as much as we do!
Wow. I never new. I drink tea almost everyday, but I like to rotate what I am drinking. So I might open a sencha the day its bought, then not drink it again until a week or two later. Its interesting to know the changes the leaves go through, whilst your not looking.
Tea has such a wide variety of flavors, it’s no wonder that it is one of the most popular beverages all over the world.
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The infusion is golden green with a sharp, sweet, green aroma. The taste is sweet and green with nori notes, a hint of sesame, and a clean finish.The full aroma and taste were present through three steepings. It’s worth noting that there was no astringency, even after a longer steeping time which resulted in a greener flavor” – Heather Porter, 2016
“A rustic tea this – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Of course this tea plays in a different league than fancy sencha and I don’t compare these directly. Still, it’s a nice, mild tea and an easy brewer”. – Phillip,Yunomi reviewer , 2015
“The first infusion produced a pale yellow color with a slight haze, but still transparent. The aroma had scents of hay, dry grass, wood, and slight marine hint. The body is medium, with a mildly savory (umami) mouth feel. The taste had notes of hay, dry grass, moderate astringency, and a slightly salty, marine seawater note. The aftertaste had notes of grass, with a mild flowery essence being left on the breath.” – by Tea Journey Man, 2014
“This is slight sweet with a somewhat hay-like flavor. It’s moderately dark and has a short finish. It’s a light tea, not strongly flavored but pleasant.” – by Rumpus Parable, 2011
“This tea was a very pleasant surprise, being extremely refreshing and full of nice green tea flavor. This is a true ‘aracha’ or farmer’s tea, made from leaves and twigs of the same tea bushes used to make Obubu’s excellent sencha teas. It has a mild sweetness and an aroma that is very much of green vegetal quality. Not a highly refined tea, it has a primal character that stands up to several steeps and is at a great price.” – by E. Alex Gerster, 2011
“The taste of the first infusion is mild and refreshing, with a creamy body and honey aftertaste. The taste is vegetal and at some points almost reminiscent of seaweed, with a natural sweetness to the taste. The finish is lingering and sweet” – by Leaf Joy, 2011
“This is a lovely everyday green, the flavor is much sweeter than I was expecting from a tea grade described as being “low” – not as buttery as the other grades of sencha, but still that vegetal “hearty” green tea flavor that steeps into a pleasing bright yellow.” – by Latte Tea Dah, 2011
“Yanagi Bancha is quite delicious. A lover of Japanese green teas, I found Yanagi Bancha to be mild yet flavorful. Naturally sweet, I thoroughly enjoyed its refreshing taste. A full-bodied tea, Yanagi Bancha has a hint of a vegetal quality throughout the cup with a floral finish. I was amazed by the changes in flavor as the cup cooled.” – by Tea Escapade, 2010
“This is a nice, cheap, everyday tea. The flavor is really good for bancha, and the leaves are big and whole.” – by Ken Durocher, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The flavor is intense, with a really rich umami and sweetness. There is only a slight bitterness in the finish. A difficult flavor to describe, there’s a bit of a fruity tanginess to it, like berries. I can definitely taste notes of melon, and there are subtle hints of mint or camphor in the aroma. The sweetness and umami of this tea really linger in my mouth, making me salivate quite a bit”- Lion, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I was pleasantly suprised by this matcha. I must admit that I didn’t expect this much quality for the price which is more than reasonable. Finely ground, quickly yields a very thick and creamy froth when whisked. More than suitable for thin matcha (usucha), some bitternis but it blends in quite nicely. Though I haven’t tried the tea as koicha (thick tea) yet but suspect it probably won’t be ideal”- Jasper, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The flavor is milky and nutty. Very fresh clean tasting like mowed lawn, kelp and lots of unami and brisk finish. I’d go with this one if you prefer to know where your food and tea are from and how it’s made. You are the type that wants your Japanese matcha straight from Japan! Company wise, this one is my favorite for all the information on the tea, production and tea farm”. – Oolong Owl, 2015
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have a green aroma with notes of sweet licorice, wood, and flowers.
The infusion is light yellow-green with an aroma of green cooked vegetables, wood, and a hint of butter. The taste contains notes of licorice, wood, and soybeans with no astringency”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nuts, wood smoke, and cocoa. The infusion is pale yellow peach in color with an aroma of seasoned firewood, buttery nuts, and a hint of cocoa powder. The taste is almost creamy with notes of smoky wood, roasted nuts, and apricots, with a lightly sweet finish”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nut shells and seasoned wood with a faint hint of cocoa.The infusion is golden with a touch of pink and a sweet aroma of pecans, honey, and a hint of grilled vegetables. The taste is smooth, sweet, and mild with notes of wood and nuts”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The scent was mostly vegetal. There is a kinda malty flavour, but I get more mild fruit. I could see having this with meals”- Lariel of Lórien, 2014 .
“The liquor is a nice golden brown, clear, and with very little leaf hair. The aroma is not unlike the scent of the leaves, bright and slightly malty. There is almost an herbal undertone to it as well, but I can’t quite place it. The taste is bright and fairly dry. There is a slight sweetness, but mostly I get brisk, slightly malty, and bitter or sour flavors; almost that of a lemon” – Cory Schmidt, 2013
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have a peppery, smoky aroma with notes of seasoned wood and a hint of brown sugar.
The golden infusion has a rich aroma of roasted nuts and smoky wood with a rich, smooth taste of roasted nuts and sunflower seeds, a thick and savory umami, and a long savory finish. The rich and savory aroma and taste you can sink your teeth into carries through two infusions. A third infusion is worth tasting as it begins to take on a green vegetal flavor and aroma and the liquor color becomes pink and gold” – Heather Porter, 2016
“My first Hojicha! Absolutely fantastic, you get the grassy, melon, tropical notes I like in a Sencha but with a toasty undertone to it”- Kevin, Yunomi reviewer, 2016
“This is first houjicha I really like of all houjichas I’ve drunk so far. It’s complex, refreshing tea. The reason for that might be the fact that houjicha is normally made of bancha tea leaves (which is considered as the lowest grade of all Japanese teas) whereas in this one Sencha tea leaves were used.
First thing that hits you even before you take your first sip is the dominance of roasted and nutty aroma in this tea. It’s very well balanced, it does not bother you as in some other houjichas. Similar to aroma taste is dominated by roasted and nutty flavors too. It’s refreshingly sweet, with no sign of astringency. The mouthfeel is delicately sweet”- Mehmet Emin Akyuz, 2015
“I have had the opportunity to try MANY different hojicha. Some I’ve liked better than others (although I can’t really recall ever not liking a hojicha that I’ve tasted.) But this Hoji Cha Gold – also called Houjicha Gold – from Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms is one of the very best, if not THE best, that I’ve tried!
What makes this tea different? This houjicha consists of only roasted Sencha leaves (rather than a combination of Bancha and Sencha, or just Bancha leaves) … maybe that’s the reason for the better flavor. I don’t know.
What I do know is that I taste a really deliciously sweet, roasty-toasty, nutty flavor. I taste not just nutty flavors, but hints of caramel and even a slight floral tone that is interesting.” – by Sorosi Tea Sisters, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“It’s a very nice, green bundle of joy. The tea is very flavorful, grassy and has a bit of bitterness. This morning I blended some with raspberries and soymilk. I found it needed a touch of sugar. Most of my experiences with matcha have been that they are slightly bitter so that isn’t unusual. I can see how this will be great for making smoothies! And for cooking!” – by TeaBrat, 2012
“My first time making it went well I think. No lumps and nice an frothy. It is has a nice gassy taste to it, but a little bitterness as well. I have had other matcha that was a bit sweeter then this, but all in all not bad. Might make a latte with this.” – by BTVSGal, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of antique wood, barley malt, nuts and sweet oats.
The infusion is caramel in color with an aroma of maple, roasted vegetables, and nuts. The taste is smooth and sweet with light woody notes and a hint of maple and caramelized sugar”- Heather Porter, 2016
“The aroma is delightfully loamy and mildly roasted, it reminds me of the forest at the end of autumn. Brewing the tea makes the roasted aroma and loamy aroma more intense and it brings in notes of umami as well. The taste is earthy, loamy, and a hint of woody with very mild roasted flavor. I have to be careful to not chug this tea because it is delicious and soothing. The mouthfeel is buttery and smooth. As the tea cools it becomes sweeter and smoother.” – by Amanda, 2013
“Roasting the bancha leaves produces a tea that combines the best of hojicha and bancha together in one brew. The light grassy flavors are enhanced by the light smokiness, and the astringency is cut to a minimum. The sample I had of this was used up quickly as I tried brewing it both hot and cold the same day, and both were equally satisfying. I hope to order more of this soon, as I have found all of Obubu’s teas to be exceptionally delicious.” – by E.Alex Gerster, 2013
“I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time because it’s not easy to find this type of green tea outside of Japan. The taste is woodsy, with no noticeable astringency nor bitterness, it even has a slight sweetness!” – by My Japanese Green Tea, 2013
“This is my first known experience with a Kyobancha … it is sweet and toasty, reminding me a bit of a cross between a white tea and a Houjicha. It is roasty-toasty like a houjicha, and light and sweet like a white tea.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“It is more gentle that I thought it would be but I like this mellow flavor on the tongue. Springy! Gently Roasted! A near Steamed rice/veggie type flavor, even. With a sweeter finish! Lovely!” – by Tea Equals Bliss, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
” The dry leaves have an aroma of marine air, green grass, warm hay, and wood.
The infusion is light yellow-green with a sweet, vine green aroma and a taste that is green and woody with low astringency and a long green finish.
This sencha remained pleasantly mellow with a sweet aroma throughout three infusions. I even picked up a hint of maple in the second infusion” – Heather Porter, 2016
“This tea is taking me back to my childhood summertimes in an agricultural town, and it is such a winner from the sampler!
It is deeper than the Spring Sun, though maybe a little less complex. Dry leaf is gorgeous – a few shades of green varying in the leaf, and smelling like fresh cut grass (a big summer signifier for me). In the warmed kyusu, that became the scent of hay, then finally in the cup, a very vegetal taste – big leafy greens, like a rich salad in a cup” – pkmnnerdfighter, 2016
” I really enjoy this tea. It’s sweet and grassy but doesn’t have that slight astringency that other senchas have. It’s very smooth and bright” – CarthagoDelinda, 2016
” The first steep is sweet, it starts with a sweet grass taste that fades to fresh cherry. After this initial sweetness, the taste fades to a grassy bitterness and a touch of kale. The finish returns to a gentle sweetness that takes all the bitterness away, the hay sweetness lingers for quite a while” – Amanda Freeman, 2014
“I rarely drink greens, but in my limited experience I really liked this one. The smell of the dry leaves was sweet and a tad fruity, with a main sent somewhere between grass and pine needles. May not sound too pleasant in words, but its quite nice. The brew itself was sweet, with a bit of vibrancy and umami, and a nice dark taste going down the throat. The taste and aroma managed to linger quite some time after the final infusion, which I always find quite enjoyable. I also felt a light and pleasant energy from the tea.” – by PurplePotato, 2014
“This is very different from the senchas I’m used to. It is still buttery and spinachy, but there’s a haylike or grassy quality as well. Kind of like sencha with some white tea thrown in? I find it interesting that this is the summer harvest sencha, because the hay notes really make me think of summer time!” – by Stephanie, 2014
“Very nice, and quite different from other Japanese Senchas I’ve tried. This tea is very much like the description depicts: it starts off with a savory bitterness which wanes into a smooth sweetness toward the tail, and then there is an astringency that cleanses. I enjoy this for how different it is. It is probably not a Sencha I’d drink every day, but, it is one that I’d enjoy on occasion, and it would definitely make a pleasing palate cleanser after meals.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“A very nice sencha that brews up well in 4 infusions, keeping a bright green color and lightly savory flavor. Bright, lightly buttery, and yes a small amount of bitterness in the first brew. But a good kind of bitterness like fresh mustard greens or spinach. Shipped direct from Japan, this tea is actually quite reasonable, and much better than many of the more expensive senchas available in the USA.” – by E Alexander Gerster, 2011
“I drank this iced. I love love this tea. Tastes like buttery spinach. Used 1 tablespoon for 16 oz. This is my kind of sencha. No real astringency, slight sweetness.” – by Mel, 2011
“A lot more savoury and less bitter than I was expecting, especially as I brewed this tea with near-boiling water. I really like this tea – it has a surprisingly strong taste for a sencha, very vegetal and buttery as you might expect, but with more umami than I would have expected.”- by Sunlandictwins, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The orange-amber infusion has an aroma of caramelized vegetables and smoky roasted nuts with a hint of caramelized sugar. The taste is full-flavored, smoky and smooth, with notes of fresh roasted nuts and wood and a long finish.
This hojicha is smooth and palate friendly, producing at least three flavorful infusions. I made a separate pot later in the day, forgetting about it for over five minutes, and the resulting tea was still delicious with no bitterness” Heather Porter, 2016
“I was pleasantly surprised as to how flavorful and interesting this tea is. It has a very savory smell to it but when tasting it, the brew is actually calming and rather comforting. I think its great for anytime of day” – Alison, 2016
“This was the first Hojicha iv ever tasted and it was a great introduction-it really blew me away because I had never experienced such wonderful , exciting flavours before. It had a earthy , woody smell with a smooky , oaky robust flavour . It has a lovely seaweed aftertaste . I cant wait to try the dark roasted Hojicha!” – Bhamnini L, 2016
” The umami mixture of roasted kelp and campfire washes over your tongue, again it reminds me of a seaside bonfire. At the very finish transitioning into the aftertaste you get a touch of toasted marshmallow, this delicate sweetness with a bit of smoke lingers for quite a while. I can see this being the perfect end of summer beginning of autumn tea, it reminds me so much of that last visit to the ocean before summer is over, but you can start feeling the chill in the air at night”- Amanda Freeman, 2014
“Sweet and delicious, with a moderate amount of astringency … this is different from the usual Houjicha which I might describe as a mellow, easy-going kind of tea … this one has a certain lively vibe to it that makes it different but still quite delightful. If you like Houjicha … add this to your MUST try list!” – by Sorosi Tea Sisters, 2013
“This was a very interesting Houjicha … I could still taste the vegetative tones of the Sencha in this tea, as well as some of the floral tones of the Sencha … usually, it’s been my experience that with the roasting process, the houjicha becomes an entirely new flavor but here, I taste notes of the Sencha still … I like that though! The vegetative notes taste a bit like roasted vegetables … and I like this unique taste. There is a slight creamy tone to this cup too … it’s a little bit nutty, a little bit toasty and warm, a little bit vegetative and savory, and a little bit sweet and creamy! A really nice cuppa.” – by LiberTEAS, 2013
“Thumbing through the reviews, I was glad to see I wasn’t the only one getting the Sencha flavor still coming through in this cup. It’s definitely a unique experience, as I’m used to that flavor being blitzed away through the roasting” – by Moraiwe, 2013
“The steep color IS a beautiful amber color. I like it for the steep color alone! The flavor is roasty, toasty and surprisingly sweet (and I steeped it hot and for a while). Good stuff!” – by Tea Sipper, 2012
“This is a mighty fine Houjicha but it’s a tad different than your standard Houjicha…it just has that little extra something-something. Sure – it has that robust roasted flavor and notes of woodsy/nutty goodness but it has a sweet-mineral type flavor to it too! I like it!” – by Muppetlove, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“It was very simple, but perfect. I was a little surprised at how murky the water became when I was brewing this in my houhin. Besides that this reminds me a little of a Kabushincha and a little bit of Gyokuro, although it is missing the sweetness of a kabushincha and the depth of a gyokuro. Regardless it was quite interesting despite its simplicity”- Rah, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Very solid green tea. Fairly delicate taste and slight astringency make it very easy to drink and enjoy”- Piotr S, 2016
“The first steep is delightful moonlight pale gold, like a moon coming up over the horizon! The taste is really quite mild and subtle, it might be the most subtle first steep of a Sencha I have run into. The mouth feel is very smooth, it starts off with the green taste of grass and stems, this moves into the very distinct taste of bamboo leaves, and after that we have sweet hay and a finish of edamame that lingers. The first steep is relaxing, I could almost see myself sipping this before taking a nap” – Amanda Freeman, 2015
“The flavour is a bit grassy, but more sweet, dry hay than fresh cut green grass. There’s nutty notes, and maybe a hint of kale and honey.
I’m really enjoying this cup a lot. Easy to drink, complex but still delicious if you’re sipping absentmindedly”- Anlina, 2014
“This one’s off to a nice start, with the dry leaves in the warm kyusu having a scent of moss and crisp iceburg lettuce. The wet leaves smell like more moss and a sort of fruity smell that is like the inside of a melon or a pumpkin, also like the smell of fresh strawberries. I don’t mean the smell of cooked strawberries or strawberry ice cream or anything like that, but the smell of the berries fresh off the vine, tart and ripe”- Lion, 2014
“I think this is REALLY incredible! This has all of the ‘right amounts’ of all of the stereotypical green flavors in it without any one flavor dominating the others. It leaves a sweeter after taste that is really wonderful! If you were to put the song “I’m a little bit Country – I’m a little bit Rock N Roll” up against this tea…well. it would be the tea equivalent to that song! A little bit of EVERYTHING GOOD in a Green Tea! Totally YUM!” – by TeaEqualsBliss, 2011
“It is rich and vegetative with a nutty undertone. There is an intriguing bittersweet flavor to this cup. Not a bad “bitter” – but a savory one that perks the taste buds right up and calls upon them to take another sip to experience the taste yet again.” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“I really enjoyed this Sencha. Rather than the sweet, buttery notes that I sometimes get from a Sencha, I am getting an interesting bittersweet taste with a nutty undertone. The taste is fresh and exhilarating. Very nice!” – by LiberTEAS, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of smoke, seared wood, and roasted nuts.
The dark amber infusion has an aroma of caramel and smoke and a taste that is smooth with notes of smoke, nuts, and caramelized sugar.
By the second and third infusions, the sweetness had faded and the liquor color darkened to copper while the taste remained smooth throughout” – Heather Porter, 2016
“The taste was woody and sweet with just a slight hint of smoke. At first I had a hard time putting my finger on exactly what I was tasting and then hit me. Maple syrup! Talk about autumn in a cup. I could imagine few teas more perfect for the time of year when there’s just a hint of chill in the air (even if the day I drank it was more like an unusually warm spring day). This is probably the most complex flavor profile that I’ve ever gotten from hojicha. Even though it wasn’t a heavily bodied tea I was still able to get three very tasty infusions out of one kyusu. There wasn’t any astringency to speak of, even when pushing the water temperature or steeping time. I picked up some really cool things on this order, like a smoked black tea, as well as restocked things like sakura blossoms” – Nicole Martin, 2016
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a dark roast houijcha before so I was looking forward to trying this. It’s pretty yummy! It definitely has a roasted flavor that is reminiscent of coffee, but there’s also a fruity, sort of cherry flavor about it and something creamy that would best be described as caramel. Normally houijcha is nothing for me to get super excited over, but this was a delicious sample. Glad I was able to try it” – Tea Brat, 2015
“Happy Summer. Though I made my first iced tea today, I have still been having it hot. This has a nutty/ roast scent, with some sweetness. The flavour is kinda caramel nut, with a rich roast almost coffee taste. There is a little grain/ toast as well” – Lariel of Lorien, 2015
“i cannot tell you how much i love this! the flavor is deep and chocolately and earthy and mushroomy and smoky and just incredibly rich and delicious! and that was just the first steeping! the second steep is not quite as pungently composty (in a good way), but seems to have evened out in tone and smoothness of mouthfeel”- Julie, 2014
“Brewing the leaves makes the aroma much richer with stronger notes of cedar and hints of earthiness. The tea leaves smell savory, like dried oak leaves and roasted wood. Again it is very evocative of autumn air. The liquid however is sweeter, like freshly mown hay and roasted nuts. There is still notes of cedar smoke but it is much fainter” – Amanda Freeman, 2014
“Houjicha (Dark Roast) of Obubu Tea is, as the name suggests, strong roasted. The fragrance is woody and slightly reminds me of tobacco, pipe tobacco. The tobacco scent was persisting in the liquor too. In addition taste of dark chocolate and coffee joined the tobacco taste. Again, I see parallels to certain Pu-erh teas. Toasty and smokey flavors are only subtle while earthy tones are predominant. The liquor is shimmering chestnut brown in the cup – an unusual color for a green tea.” – by Teamania, 2013
“WHOA, very rich! Houijcha Dark Roast has a very robust, rich, earthy roasted flavor that reminds me of coffee. I guess we need a smokey meter – 5/10 on the Smokey-o-meter. It’s not like campfire smokey or raw pu’er smokey, it’s roasty smokey, like the smell of roasting chestnuts. No bitterness or dryness.” – by Oolong Owl, 2013
“This is deliciously roasty. I love the buttery-caramel taste to it. Silky yet rustic. One of the best Houjicha teas I’ve come across yet.” – by LiberTEAS, 2010
“I was not expecting to like it. I read in the reviews the word “smoky” and mentally wrote this tea off. Wow, this tea makes me rethink houjichas! Deep, robust, very chocolately.” – by Mel, 2010
“Whereas the loose leaf is DARK the infused tea is not. It sort of smells like roasted nuts with a musky smell of mushrooms hiding underneath. The taste is quite good tho! Probably one of my favorite Houjicha’s to date!”- byTeaEqualsBliss, 2010
“I have always been fond of Houjicha (or Hojicha) green tea because I really enjoy its deep roasted flavor. This is one of the best Houjicha teas that I’ve encountered. Even though the tea has a roasted and somewhat rustic taste, the tea still maintains an unbelievably smooth flavor and consistency. It has a slightly earthy/woodsy, smoky note that unites almost seamlessly with the roasted flavor. It has a silky mouthfeel that is almost a contradiction to the roasted earthiness of this tea. A delightfully delicious contradiction. What I like best about Houjicha tea is the sweet, caramel taste that the roasting process imparts upon the leaves. It seems to remove much of the vegetative notes of a typical green tea, and the buttery notes seem to turn to a rich, buttery caramel taste. So YUMMY!” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2010
“I noticed, that when getting ready to taste the tea, you are hit with a smoky/woodsy aroma, which is one of the tea’s strengths. The liquor is a dark orange, almost a deep amber. The tea has a robust, roasted flavor with notes of nutty, sweetness and a hint of chocolate.” – by Tyros of Tea, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I love this genmaicha! It tastes like a fresh wheat field, very unique and something everyone should try” – Lattisha, 2016
“The dry leaves have a green aroma with notes of rice, popcorn, nuts, and nori.
The infusion is light green with a aroma that is faintly green and heavily popcorn and a taste that is faintly green with bold notes of popcorn and roasted peanuts and a long nutty finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“As soon as you get the hold of tea leaves you can easily understand the freshness of it. Both bancha tea leaves and brown rice have very vibrant colors .It’s full of roasted brown rice which surface up as soon as you pour water into teapot. Bancha tea leaves that are used in this tea are quite fresh as well. The sweetness of this tea comes from roasted brown rice which is combined with somewhat astringency of bancha tea leaves. As a result they made a very special tea to drink even for those who’re not into Genmaicha tea” – Mehmet Emin Akyuz, 2015
“I’ve always enjoyed genmaicha. It’s my go to comfort tea on a cold day. This particular rendition is probably the best one that I’ve ever had. The taste was nutty and sweet with a buttery mouth-feel. No wonder genmaicha is called popcorn tea! I couldn’t resist snacking on a few pieces of popped genmai before steeping and they were delicious. I found this tea to be quite a bit sweeter than other genmaicha that I have tried. There was a light, refreshing astringency but there was no bitterness whatsoever.” – by Tea For Me Please, 2013
“It’s smooth with sweet,nutty, green, and slightly roasted rice and green veggies, as well as that popped rice/corn flavor you would expect but it’s not as harsh or involved as some tend to be. I like that – with this specific offering, that is. It’s refreshing, in a way! It makes me crave more. This is really brilliantly fantastic! The more I sip the more I crave!” – by Tea Equals Bliss, 2013
“Excellent tea by Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms. I highly recommend it!” – by Caj Room, 2013 (Translated form Czech)
“This is an excellent flavor-packed tea with a medium body and smooth taste. There is a slightly sweet, peppery aftertaste that adds layers of depth and complexity to the tea.” – by Leaf Joy, 2011
“Very nice. I think this is only the 3rd genmaicha i’ve had, but this is easily the best. The toasted rice isn’t too overbearing, like has been the case in the previous genmaichas. Very drinkable.” – by Mark Torromeo, 2011
“This was a tasty little genmaicha. Satisfyingly roasty, but nice and sweet. It tasted lighter and brighter than others I’ve had.” – by Jessie, 2011
“I love how with a tea like this one you can have pot after pot and they are all wonderful, the taste mellows and changes with each one, and the popcorn scent changes. This is one tea I will absolutely buy again, it’s amazing.” – by Deb Huff, 2010
“This is a slightly different tasting Genmaicha than some others that I’ve tried. The tea tastes different – but not in a bad way, in a very, very good way! I can definitely tell that I’m tasting a sencha rather than a bancha – I can taste the fresh, bittersweet flavor of the sencha.” – by LiberTEAS, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Really strong, earth flavour. Only had the sample size of this one but really enjoyed it” – Jeremy, 2016
“The dry leaf aroma is smoky and peppery with notes of wood and salt.
The orange amber infusion has a rich and smoky aroma with notes of roasted nuts and wood and a hint of fruit. The taste is smooth and light, nutty and woody, savory and almost sweet with a long nutty finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“Opening the bag of this tea I loved how rich and earthy it smelled. I couldn’t believe how dark the leaves were-everything about this tea seemed to say that this was a black tea.-even when brewed up. But alas, I looked it up on the website and it is indeed a green tea. Apparently it is virtually caffeine free due to the roasting process, so I saved this tea until after work around supper time. I’ve been trying to work 6 days/week in order to pay off my credit card and save money and although I do not work a physically demanding job, I do need a pick me up after work. This is nice because it’s “real” tea (i.e not a tisane) but without caffeine. I love the depth of flavour and the smokiness” – Kristal, 2014
“This tea is roasty and comforting. It isn’t as sweet as some houjicha I’ve had but it is really mellow. There’s a bit of sweetness in the aftertaste. The aroma gives hints of burnt cedar… and as usual with me and heavily roasted teas there is a note of dill. The flavor is of toast, a little bit nutty, mild and very relaxing. The wet leaves in the teapot smell like cigar tobacco. Now that I’ve noticed that and the tea has cooled some, I can definitely taste cigar smoke in the taste” – Lion, 2014
“I’m rapidly falling in love with Japanese green teas and hojicha in particular. This hojicha had a lighter color than the others that I’ve tried. It also had a slightly less roasty taste and was closer to other Japanese greens in my opinion.” – by Jennkay, 2013
“This isn’t as roasty or toasty as some Houjicha’s I have had but I’m ok with that! There is always a place and a time for a more gentle Houjicha. This is that time. Equal parts woodsy and nutty – this is satisfying and soothing. A delight!” – by TeaEqualsBliss, 2012
“I love a good Houjicha and this one is definitely good. Sweet and toasty and soothing too. The toasty notes give this a very autumnal feel. Nutty, sweet and delicious. There is very little astringency to this. I don’t really notice much of a smoky note, but more of a roasty-toasty kind of taste to it. The smokiness seems to arrive toward the end of the sip, and linger into the aftertaste.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“I prefer the darker roasts, but this is wonderful iced. Very tasty, toasty and refreshing.” – by Mel, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The brewed leaves smelled like nice steamed vegetables, maybe asparagus as another reviewer noted. The first steep was a bit bitter with nutty and piney notes and a sweet grassy honey finish. Reaaaally good. This one was pretty powerful as well. I’m sure it wasn’t just this tea, as I had been drinking quite a bit before this one as well, but I noticed myself just trance out listening to whatever house-type beats my brother happened to be playing for a couple minutes at a time. Good times. Next steep was less bitter, but also not quite as sweet on the finish if that makes any sense” – Matu, 2016
” The aroma of the soggy leaves is so green! It smells like crisp bamboo leaves, clover leaves and flowers, edamame, and sea air, it smells to me like summer. The liquid is light and sweet, like clovers and honey with distant cut grass and broken vegetation, it smells refreshing” – Amanda Freeman, 2016
” The golden infusion has a buttery, peppery, nutty aroma with notes of cooked edamame. The taste is moderately astringent, green, savory, and nutty.
While it was enjoyable after being steeped for 2 minutes, a shorter steeping time did bring out more savory qualities” – Heather Porter, 2016
“This one tastes and smells strongly of honey. In addition to the honey, this also has some strong umami and grass notes, with a noticeable but pleasant bit of bitterness” _ Anlina, 2014
“Flavour is sweet and grassy with light floral tones. Subtle strength overall with a minimal dry after taste. Slightly bitter and crisp” – Kayleigh, 2014
It was a fresh vegetal tone with a spice and mineral undertone. It gave me a powerful tingling mouthfeel with soft and warm umami. This reminds me of the smooth tones of the earth. It tastes of early buds, first leaves, young roots, small pebbles, and light ocean waves with a little sunshine. The next brew the flavors aged and became more prominent. The liquor also turned into a serpentine jade” –haveteawilltravel, 2014
“Very different from any other sencha I have tried. Complex, rich, and interesting. I would especially recommend this for people who don’t like the fresh grassy and seaweedy tones of sencha, because it had the least of these characteristics of among any sencha I’ve tried. It was ever-so-slightly more oolong-like.”- by Alex Zorach, 2013
“This is a fantastic Sencha. Each time I try a tea from Obubu I am impressed by the flavor. No exception with this tea. There is an earthiness to this Sencha that I don’t think I’ve experienced in another Sencha. It also has a charming spice note to it that is quite good. Certainly one of the most interesting and unusual Sencha teas I’ve tasted recently, and I am really liking it.” – by LiberTEAS, 2011
“This tea is appropriately named, because there is also an earthy quality to the flavor of this tea that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before with another Sencha tea. With this earthy note and grassy tones, this tea truly is a Sencha of the Earth!” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“I was pleasantly surprised with the earthy taste that this tea has, it really is worth trying.” – by 365 Days of Tea, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I feel like I love this tea more and more each time I brew it. This sencha has some body, and a brothyness, that makes me really want to make chazuke from it some time. The spent leaves already make a good salad” – pkmnnnerdfighter, 2016
The dry leaf aroma is sharp, fresh-cut green, lightly marine with woody notes and a floral hint.
“The pale green infusion has a light fresh green and nutty aroma with a taste that is sweetly green with notes of macadamia nut and oats, a hint of umami, and a clean green finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“On the palate this is predominantly honey with some nutty notes. There’s the characteristic vegetal notes of sencha but they are not as pronounced as they usually are – they mostly pop up in the finish, as a bit of a green tang. This is very sweet and really delicious. If I take a big gulp, there’s a brothy quality at the back of my throat and peas on the finish, but small sips don’t carry those notes” – Anlina,2015
“The steeped leaves deepened to a robust spinach scent. The liquor was a pale iridescent jade. The initial sip was fantastic. This is truly a spring fiery brew. The flavor is light and floral with just the right amount of vegetal and umami. This brew carries a sweet honey undertone and is deeply refreshing. The brew became deeper and more full of darker tones as the steeps increased” – Haveteawilltravel, 2015
“A warm juniper and fresh cut grass scent shines through. Flavour is mild, sweet and very fresh with grass and floral tones with some lightly toasted hay towards the after taste. Particularly sweetpea and mild but fresh seaweed” – Kayleigh, 2014
“I will say, this absolutely makes me think of Spring, so the name is perfect! It has a nice sweetness as well as a touch of astringency that makes me want to drink more. There’s a strong and surprising hay-like flavor that reminds me of white tea a bit, along with a little bit of bitterness that balances the sweetness nicely. I can taste light vegetal and grass notes, but they’re much more subtle than most sencha. There’s a subtle fruity note here, something mild and sweet like apple. Overall, quite tasty! – ” Cameron, 2014
“It has a beautifully balanced taste and is simply very good!” – by Caj Room, 2013 (translated from Czech)
“Obubu claims a zen-like mistiness for this tea, and however normally I am against such descriptions, I cannot but agree. The tea is not for a regular daily drinking, but for a quiet enjoyment and relaxation. The taste is neither too strong nor too weak, with enough bitterness and sweetness to satisfy sencha lovers” – by Cajnekronike, 2013 (translated from Croatian)
“As to Obubu i can say one thing; Sencha of the spring was incredible, it was the first Sample of the 17 i ordered and i have never drunk a Sencha like this before. You can totally taste the spring, it is light, tender and really fresh, especially when you drink it cold it gives you a fresh citrus taste. The leaves are even edibl . Even if you let the tea steep longer this Sencha doesnt really get bitter.” by VanFersen, 2013 (translated from German)
“When I think of a sencha, this is what I want. It’s medium-strong flavor, great balance of savory, sweet, and astringency. Perfect iced and hot.” – by Mel, 2011
“One of the best green teas I’ve ever tasted. I highly recommend this tea for it’s sweet, subtle flavor.”- by The Tea Show, 2011
“I love this tea. I make it the way they recommend, with lots of leaf and boiling water for multiple VERY short steeps. This brings out the bitterness that I love in a Japanese tea in the first infusion; subsequent cups are sweet and creamy, a little floral. It cold-brews beautifully too.” – by Joie De Tea, 2011
“Delicious! This tea has a grassy, earthen smell in the bag, and a grassy, floral sent once brewed. The color is a nice bright green and the flavor is a near perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness (the good kind). Obubu doesn’t disappoint!” – by Ken Durocher, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The aroma of the toasted rice is really delightful. It smells a little bit like freshly roasted nuts, but with a grainy sort of fragrance to it too. It smells delicious. And the flavor is remarkable! If you drink a Genmaicha because you love that roasty-toasty flavor … you really should try the Genmai on it’s own! Sweet, deliciously roasty and toasty with a lovely rice note” – Sororiteasisters,2013
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaf aroma is green like sun-warmed grass with just a hint of salty marine air and dry seasoned wood.
The infusion is golden green with an aroma of freshly cut green grass as well as savory and buttery macadamia nuts. The taste is savory with umami, nutty, and grassy green with a long green finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“The flavor has a mellow nutty start that changes to a slightly green and vegetal one with afternotes of cooling mint sensation. I can easily see why this Sencha of Brightness was named from the idea of sparkling light reflecting on cooling waters. The tea is very mellow with almost no astringency, only a slight bit in the finish” – Lion, 2014
The flavor is very mild and sweet. It has some light grassy notes but also a bit of sweet vegetables like corn. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Japanese tea that’s this mild before, no astringency whatsover. It’s very tasty and soothing, like floating away on a green tea cloud” – TeaBrat, 2013
“It tastes amazingly good, refreshing and ‘sparkling’ — but definitely not too sweet. It is beautifully clear, and an appealing gold-green.” – by E Alexander Gerster, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“he flavor of this tea was very sweet and grassy. The tea had a thickness to it, but it didn’t feel heavy if that makes any sense. The leaves also just kept on giving. I got five steeps and feel like I could’ve gotten at least one more decent one if I wanted to. At the third steep, the grassiness died off a bit, replaced by a sweet green floral flavor. This is what kept it going for me, that flavor was awesome and didn’t feel like it was about to give out at any point”, – Matu, 2016
“Multiple infusions provided a milder yet pleasantly refreshing flavor and aroma. Extending the steeping time slightly brought out more character without a noticeable increase in astringency. The finish after each infusion was refreshing and clean”- Heather Porter, 2016
“The leaf are long thin delicate emerald shards. They carry a sweet and inviting scent of warm grass, seaweed, and a creamy undertone, I dusted off my kyusu and prepared for brewing. I made mine thick, so I can pull more sweetness out. The brew was slightly clouded, but I bright pale jade. The taste is sweet with a lemon finish. The aftertaste presents thick umami which wipes away the citrus tone. I can catch some bitterness and harsh veggies within the body”- Haveteawilltravel, 2016
“I love this sencha, the leaves are big and not much broken, of an intense green, the smell is grassy and fresh. I start with a 50-60 degrees infusion (1 min, 1 heaped teaspoon, 100 ml)to fully enjoy the sweetness and freshness and then increase time and warmth going on, holds a 4th infusion at 80 degrees where you can enjoy the complex umami. should be steeped with purpose until someone finds what works best for them, it’s a really great sencha, but still easy to drink” – Claudia, 2016
“The tea liquor is light and definitely on the sweeter side, with notes of spinach and peas. There is only a very slight palate cleansing finish in the astringency. There’s something about the flavor in this that’s really nice and delicate, but not too light on impact” – TeaBrat, 2014
“The taste had notes of sweet hay, fresh cut grass, and a moderate astringency. The aftertaste was sweet hay, with a lingering flowery essence left on the breath.” – by Tea Journey Man, 2013
“THIS is what I picture when I think of green tea. It was perfect. It was all there, the grassy flavor, the faint fruit aroma, tinge of bitterness, followed by a hint of sweetness. Sencha of the Wind was unlike a lot of green teas that I have had, with full body but still clean and refreshing.” – by Elonwy, 2013
“Another fantastic Sencha from Obubu. So smooth, sweet and with a lovely fruit note that hits the palate toward the end of the sip. Beautiful.”- by LiberTEAS, 2012
“This is one of the softest Sencha teas I think I’ve ever encountered. It is like a bit of fresh air – which seems right considering the name of the tea. The flavor of this tea is very delicate yet refreshing. There is so very little vegetal/grassy taste to this Sencha. It has no bitterness to speak of. It is sweet and possesses a very interesting fruit-like note that hits the palate towards the end of the sip. It tastes smooth and clean, with a pleasant crispness to it. It tastes like the early days of spring to me.” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“Sencha of the Wind had a gyokuro-like softness. I can recommend it to anyone who is looking for quality.”- by Teateka, 2011 (translated from Hungarian)
“I don’t know how the name of the tea initially came from but all in all the drinking experience was exactly like breeze of the wind in the spring, sweet, gentle, smooth and pleasant.”- by Tea Emperor, 2010
“The tea brews to a pale yellow color and is remarkably sweet and smooth. I detected no bitterness and not much of an overly spinachy flavor. The tea has a savory/broth-like quality to it, but avoids being aggressively vegetal. This is a calmer, milder Sencha than I am used to, and one that I really appreciated. On several occasions as I was drinking this tea, I caught myself saying “yum” alound.”- by Vanessa, 2009
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The scent and taste are surprisingly more like cherries than I’d imagine. I thought it’d be a bit more floral. I think some of this is actually plum flavor coming from the plum vinegar. There’s a hint of saltiness to this tea that is subtle, but if you save the initial brine from the flower that was soaked in hot water, you can scoop back in a little of this salty and flavorful brine a bit at a time if you want your drink to be a little more salty and flavorful” – Lion, 2014
“The aroma of these beautiful flowers is very mild, sweet and tangy like pickled peaches with a hint of flower and salt. The flavor is incredible, I can see some people not liking it, but for me it is perfection. The taste is smooth and creamy mixing with floral notes and nuttiness. It mixes really well with other teas and makes an incredible latte.” – by Amanda, 2013
“Once soaked, flower looks wonderful. Tea is a sufficient one. The smell is still reminiscent of plum … and taste … the taste is special … slightly salty, slightly floral. a little Japanese …” – by Cajnekronike, 2013 (Translated form Kroatian)
“This is a truly beautiful tea. In the back the tiny flowers have a smell of light umeboshi, salt, plum/cherry, and floral hints. It is simply amazing to watch them steep. I wish I had a decent camera because you can see the veins in the translucent skins of the flower petals. As much as I enjoy watching blooming teas, this feels much more organic. ” – by Tamm, 2013
“Quite a light tea – I get a cute kiss of a sweet cherry taste that is floral. The sakura tea’s flavor flutters softly towards a more savory flavor that’s a little salty. The more I sip away, the more stronger and floral this tea gets. I gotta say, I quite like the floral here. I’m so used to jasmine and rose florals – sakura floral is on another planet. A cute planet, with fairies, white chocolate, tiny tea cups, big pink dresses and cuddly white owls. The floral is sweet and fluffy.” – by Oolong Owl, 2013
“This was something I have never tasted before. The first taste was bright and sweet, and then followed with a savory aftertaste. The savory taste was very soft, but still held the floral notes of the cherry blossom.” – by Nicole, 2011
” tea is a fragrant, but not too flowery, lightly salty tisane. This may sound very bizarre to many Western tea drinkers, but the salt turns what might be an extremely floral tea into a more subtle, mature drink. If you have trouble stomaching the idea of a salty tea, think of it as a broth or soup–suddenly, it’ll be delicious! A benefit of removing the salt in a separate cup in Step 2 is that you can then season your main drinking cup to taste. And consider pairing this tea with something sweet–the contrast might delight you. Beneath the saltiness, you’ll find the unique taste of sakura blossoms–a sort of light, airy, but fragrant sweetness.” – by Caclob, 2011
“This tea was sweet and slightly floral. It was almost as though the blossom just very lightly scented the water. A lot of teas use artificial cherry flavoring and this tea tastes nothing like those. I was expecting it to be extremely salty tasting but it was actually rather subtle. I would definitely recommend this tea.” – by Tea For Me Please, 2011
“It’s made from salt-pickled cherry blossoms, which you soak to remove the salt before you brew, and oh my god is it delicious. The tea has a very delicate cherry scent, with a salty undertone, and tastes similar. The taste is much stronger than I expected from a single blossom: uniquely floral and refreshing, mildly sweet, with a hint of salt. If you have glass teaware, I recommend using it with this tea so that you can watch the blossom unfurl itself when you pour on the water.” – by Sunlandictwins, 2011
“Flavor: Sweet and lightly floral as you would imagine a cherry blossom to smell. Tiny bit salty but most of the flavor was removed during the 5mins I let the flower soak in warm water, as directed. I then put in a spoonful of water, one at a time using the water the flower was soaking which adds a bit of a salty flavor. I noticed after the second spoonful that the sweetness vanished and the flavor became completely different. I wish I could describe it but let’s just say it was very unique and no it doesn’t taste like water with salt. I am glad I tried it and recommend you give it a try knowing it is a big risk. I imagine this to be a love it or hate it experience for most.” – by Rachel, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Because you only need a few blossoms to make a cup of this tea, it’s not overly flavorful, but very contemplative. I found it rather soothing. A beautiful, subtle tea that welcomes spring”- Sakura Sushi, 2016
“The taste is the same as before but without any traces of saltiness. The flowers open up beautifully and the infusion is just a very pale pink/yellow tint. The aroma is more floral while the flavor is a bit more sweet and fruity” – Lion, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“There is no vegetal aspect to the smell, but one does get the feeling that it is fresh.
After preparing it, it frothed into a beautiful cup of matcha. I did notice the creaminess, it is rich and savory. The umami taste is evident as well” – Ricardo Caicedo, 2015
“Obubu’s Gokou Matcha has changed everything for the better. I ordered it from Yunomi.us during the Matcha Day sale. It’s slightly sweet and creamy— without having to add cream or sugar” – candyforbreakfast, 2013
“Fresh from the minute I opened the pouch to the instant I whisked and drank it. It’s got the trademark bitter leaf taste that is, well, matcha, but it’s not so bitter or flat that it makes you want to set your cup or bowl down. Sweetest variety of matcha I’ve yet tried that wasn’t labeled as ceremonial grade. Nice emerald color, not as chalky as restaurant grades. Love it.” – by Latte Tea Dah, 2011
“It’s powerful stuff. Quite bitter and very, very ‘green’ to my taste buds; some sweetness in the aftertaste. It does not taste anything like a sencha; there is no brothiness, no ‘seaweedy’ taste. I feel like saying ‘grassy’ but that’s not quite the right word either. I’m not sure how to describe it. ‘Green’ is the best I can do – and not even a specific kind of ‘green’ either. Just quintessential greenness!” – by Joiedetea, 2010
“This is exactly as described. It is milky and creamy. I would suggest this matcha for a newbie who is not used to how bold a matcha can be. It is very subtle. I think next time I may make this as a latte.” – by Rachel, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Very vegetable and pure. The liquid comes out darker as you rebrew it, which is rare for me to do with sencha. I brewed this three times and was quite happy every single time, it was close to a gyokuro without the buttery texture. The smoothness and size of the leaf of this tea when combined to its color-” Liquid Proust, 2015
“The aroma of these leaves is pure vegetal. This tea evokes growth! I prepare my kyusu for a pleasant brew. The first steeping was a translucent nectar. The syrup was softly sweet with notes of light grass. This brew carried a bright spring scent of a vegetable garden in full swing. The next subsequent brews gained more and more depth. This drink became grassy and full of umami. I was able to get four steepings from these leaves (which is a lot for japanese sencha). I love this tea and I cant wait for this years harvest!”- Haveteawilltravel, 2014
“This is an earthy sencha – in that it gives me no marine/seaweed characteristics whatsoever. It is grassy, and again, that sweet, buttery spinach is what I taste. It doesn’t have what I necessarily consider to be umami, but it does have just a touch of astringence when it cools”- JoonSusanna, 2014
“Its sweetness and vegetal tones are hard to match. The first cup is tasty and sweet, even creamy.” – by Tebebi, 2014 (Translate from Spanish)
“It had quite a bitter taste, but that didn’t stop me from drinking the whole pot over the course of an afternoon! It tasted so much fresher than the usual green tea teabags I drink, and felt healthy too” – Allison Muskett, 2014
“This Kabuse Sencha from Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms was the perfect tea to study tonight. It provided me with all of the benefits that I was looking for in a tea. It was refreshing, hydrating, and uplifting. ” – by Tea Journey Man, 2014
“One of the best Kabuse Sencha, that I have had” – by Caj Room, 2013 (translated from Czech)
“This high-grown partially-shaded tea tastes almost like a light, grassy, springlike sencha blended with a rich gyokuro. But this is not a blend — it’s the inherent quality of the tea itself.” – by Tea Guide, 2011
“I couldn’t figure out why I liked it, but it didn’t have the typical gyokuro flavors (nor the typical sencha ones)… it wasn’t strongly marine flavored or vegetal, or super sweet or bitter, or fruity, and yet somehow it was full of flavor and gave 5 good infusions.” – by Shinobi_cha, 2011
“So far so good. Nice and sweet, but with a backbone of complexity and depth. Looking forward to figuring this tea out and really getting it to sing.” – by Mark Torromeo, 2011
“The flavor did not have any bitterness or astringency at all, though it was not directly sweet either, but rather had green asparagus undertones” – by Blekte, 2011 (Translated from Swedish)
Hi.
My name is Bruno, I lived in Madrid and I just found out that they did a tour in Madrid, I lost it.
I am a matcha lover, I would like to know if I can get your matcha in Madrid.
Thank you very much.
A greeting.
Hello Bruno,
Thanks for asking! We have a few retailers in Spain, but none in Madrid, so I think your best option will be our online store. Here is a link to our matcha options: https://obubutea.com/product-category/matcha/
Please don’t hesitate to ask any other questions!
Thanks for sharing such a knowledgeable information.
Very few people know this much about black tea…Thanks for sharing this usefull information with us
Lovely blog! I love how in Japan, the type of tea ware chosen is part of the whole experience – almost as important as the tea itself :) I used to take tea ceremony lessons (sadou) and the teacher always chose chawan with a design to match the season. I love to use kyusu with the side handle when I brew tea for myself.
Cool post, do you mind if I link to it from my
new blog/tea shop? Its called Lovely Tea Teas?
Thanks in advance – Oliver aka Mr Tea
Rubbed tea. Oh I thought it was called Matcha because it was made differently. Nice knowing. Great article.
This is a pleasant tea with grassy and light umami flavors and a nice lingering finish. Light to medium body. No bitterness, astringency, or off flavors.
I’m looking for a place to actually get kombucha while I’m in Fukuoka… I’ll be here for another 18 months… been here for 6 now and I miss drinking it regularly. I’m originally from Denver, Colorado… where they have a good amount of brewers.. like High Country… anyway, I’m not sure where exactly they would sell such a drink here and my stomach could certainly use it after having beat it up over the last 6 months eating all this delicious Japanese food.
We visited a workshop in Japan- imazi g!
Great idea to bring it to London!
I would like to book 3 places.
I love this simple receipt! May I translate and re-post it on my blog? :)
Dear Valentina, we are happy to hear that. You are welcome to translate and re-post it, just please credit Obubu as the source of the original.
This tea is one of the best I’ve ever tried; smooth with a surprising sweetness.
A rich and earthy sencha, with a little sweetness as well; a great choice if you are looking to try something new!
It was really great to meet you in Paris ! #teafriends ?
This is definitely a must-have book for the majority of tea lovers!!! Well done!
I think this book will be a great addition to my tea books collection!
This was my first experience with genmaicha and I love it! The tea was absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something different to try
Those long neck bottles with red silicone lids- is that your scoby hotel?
Ashleigh, something like that:]
I would like to join the tea picking tour in July with my friend, how can I sign up ?
Dear Budoor, we are glad to hear that you are interested in the Tea Picking and Rolling Event. To join it you can sign up here.
I have a friend who loves kombucha who recently moved from the United States to Nagoya.
I am trying to find a place in Japan to purchase kombucha to send to her. Can you help?
Hi Jamie glad you are interested in Kombucha. We recommend contacting Kobo Tea who is a konbucha maker in Wazuka town, Kyoto.
What are the suggesting brewing instructions?
Thank you for the question. For Japanese Black Tea we recommend the following: 200 cc of water at 85C over 5g of tea leaves to steep for 30s. We hope that will help.
very superb
It was a great event, had fun!
Ottimo bancha , per ogni momento della giornata!! Si sente il fresco sapore di erbe primaverili !!!!
hi,
i bought my daughter some wakoucha for christmas. after some experimentation with steeping times we managed to work out what seems to be a good timing that works for us. tonight we made up 3 pots between us at around 7pm. it’s now 3am in the morning and neither of us can sleep because we are buzzing from the effects. it’s like having overdosed on energy drinks without the palpitations.
my body seems to have passed way more fluid than i have been drinking.’i’m a bit irritated because i want to sleep but i feel so energised and raring to go that i can’t see myself getting any sleep before daybreak.
the thing is, the taste is so very sublime, i could have had way more simply because it was so enjoyable to drink.
it’s not bitter in any way, it has a gentle almost delicate flavour profile that i have never experienced before. even with multiple steepings it just keeps delivering a wonderful feeling of contentment; almost like an internal hug.
so my lesson from this? never drink wakoucha in the evening if you value your sanity.
morning to mid-day should be fine for this divine tea secret, but never ever again a few hours before bedtime.
the annoying thing is that i could go for another pot of it right now…
This is the black tea to end all black teas in my opinion. I became intrigued after finding Obubu and learning more about Japanese tea. I had always been a fan of black teas and my interest was piqued when I saw that they actually had a Japanese black tea. I had to try it. I loved that the leaves were rolled, which look beautiful before and after steeping. The smell of the dried tea was amazing and once it’s brewed, it’s a sight to behold. The color of the liquor is amazing. Rich amber. I was in love. The smell was intoxicating, exactly what you’d want from a high quality black tea. The taste is beautiful. I recently ran out and had bought the Pine Needle Wakoucha to try, but I have to tell you. I’m missing this one!
I waited on bated breath after finally realizing how much I loved Genmaicha! I had tried it at a friends place so I was very excited to try Obubu’s Genmaicha. Roasty, toasty, yet smooth and satisfying. After placing my order I was so excited that I had gotten another brand to tide me over, but Obubu blows them out of the water. I noticed with other Genmaicha that I can’t drink as much of it, it tends to get bitter, but not Obubu! I highly recommend this tea, especially if you tend to prefer coffee, or would just like a savory cup of tea.
So when I first tried this tea I wasn’t as impressed as the first “fern shoot” wakoucha. However! This tea should only be used in a kyusu or houhin teapot that allows the leaves to expand fully! The leaves in this are quite large and anything that may constrain them will not allow you to experience the fullness of this tea. I use a kyusu teapot for this tea, one that has a mesh towards the pour spout, NOT a basket. After this switch, this tea impressed me just as much as the fern shoot wakoucha. Japanese black tea has just the right amount of astringency that I enjoy in my tea without turning bitter. If you have not tried a wakoucha, I highly reccomend it!
I live in Honolulu Hawaii.I’ve been brewing K/Tea for 28 years.Maybe we can do business together…just a thought. Aloha!
Dear Goerge, thank you for the comment. We are glad to hear you are interested in working together. More information about our wholesale program is here. We need to mention, though, that Obubu is a Japanese tea producer and we do not make Kombucha. For Kombucha specifically you should contact Kobo Tea directly.
Will you hold another Seminar and class this year in The Hague?
Thanks a lot in advance
Kind Regards
Beatriz
Dear Beatriz, thank you for the question. This year we are planning to go to The Hague between 23rd-24th October and more information will be announced soon.
Will you have any tea picking events in October?
Thank you for your message. We hold the tea picking events 3times per year which are in April, July, and September.
Please visit the link below for more detailed information about the tea picking event in 2020 and 2021! https://obubutea.com/tea-picking-rolling-event/
Hi Kai,
This is really great. Keep posting and keep sending recipes doable here in North America. You’ve got readers.
Can’t wait to see and hear more about your foodabulous tea inspired creations!!!
This is my absolute favorite green tea! I buy from Obubu because the tea is so fresh – more fresh than the Genmaicha I’ve bought from other farms in Kyoto. Thanks!
Thank you, sir, for sharing a piece of valuable knowledge about Black Tea. I follow you for a long time. You have written very well about Black Tea.
The Hojicha Latte look wonderful! Can you post the recipe?
Thank You!
Hello!
Do I need to reserve space for this?!
Looks super fun!!
Thanks,
Jesse
Very interesting read! Thanks for sharing, Giedre. Excited to read the next one!
Thank you!
I love using “used” tea leaves for cold brew! Today I wanted some cold tea fast (it’s hot here in Texas!) so I made iced tea by steeping some sencha (Autumn Moon) at double strength and then pouring it over ice. Now the same leaves are cold brewing in the fridge, so I can have tasty and refreshing cold sencha waiting for me tomorrow, too!
I’ll have to try it with gyokuro next time!
great idea.
I love mint in every food or beverages and the experimental recipe you have provided is excellent and for me it is time worthy to read your article.
Thanks a lot for the informative post.
Let’s hope for the best.
Now that’s super interesting, thanks !
Thanks for this post! I adore Aracha, and drink it every morning.
Are there coupons available
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your interest in our Japanese Oolong Needles. Currently there are not any coupons available for Japanese Oolong Needles, however, we make coupons and announce them every Friday on our instagram live stream which we also post on our instagram account. Keep an eye out for the latest coupons!
Enjoy some delicious tea!
– The Obubu Team
Hi Skye!
Thank you very much for your question and for choosing Obubu! We harvest Sencha of the Autumn Moon a little early I the Autumn while the leaves are still small. So as the leaf is younger and has also been ageing in since it’s production it has developed this sweetness?
Something we also find is that the water used has a large effect on the flavour that you will be able to find in each tea. To pinpoint this flavour down in the bigger picture of Obubu’s flavours I would recommend two things, firstly trying to use some other water to brew the tea with and see how that transforms the flavours. Secondly try other teas from Obubu to see how the flavour profiles of our Tea Gardens show themselves for different times of year and quality of tea.
I hope that has been able to give some guidance and some ideas to try out!
I hope you have a great day!
Kind Regards,
The Obubu Team
This was a very yummy black tea.
This was an awesome post! I really enjoyed reading about the competitions and how you tended for the new tea garden!
Very good sencha. When I brew this tea with 140 F water, it taste slightly sweet like honeydew and after that I re-brew this tea with 160 F water it taste fresh grassy, slightly marine taste and sweet buttery aftertaste
Very good, this tea is rich and balance the sweetness, grassy and umami
Hi Andrew,
Thank you very much for the question! We are currently unable to ship via Japan Post Airmail Services as Japan Post has closed the shipping route to the UK. Unfortunately we are only able to offer shipping via DHL at this time (pricing is the pricing we receive from DHL) and we are looking forward to being able to offer Japan Post shipping again as soon as possible!
Thank you again for the question and I hope you have a great day!
– The Obubu Team
Strong vegetal taste, less complex than the spring one, but not bitter nor too astringent
Still good sencha although not as rich as Yabukita sencha (kabuse / spring sun)
Refreshing light body, vegetal and slightly grassy
Refreshing light body, smoky and nutty aftertaste
Nice everyday teapot, pours well and cleans easily. It was a bit larger than I expected from the photos but I don’t mind; it brews smaller quantities for single sessions well and it’s nice to have the option to brew more for larger groups. Overall I’m very satisfied with my purchase.
Hey Tea Potatoe ;)
my personal guess – without any further research on calcium – is, that the calcium must either enhance the extraction of polyphenols or maybe somehow change their structure. I recently researched that the polyphenols (catechins and so on) are yellow-ish and turn even browner when oxidized. So that’s why the tea gets darker and even more astringent with calcium, because it try to sticks to calcium and either extract more or boost it somehow. Very wild guess by me haha.
Q1+Q3: I’d say Hojicha has less catechins or maybe almost any of them anymore. So maybe the calcium looks for different compounds to react with so the color doesn’t change that strongly?.
Would be interesting to find out what compound defines the “roast” aroma. Are they still some kind of polyphenols or something completely different ones? Maybe the calcium sticks to whatever that is so you have less aroma.
Q2: Green color is for sure chlorophyll. I just give a guess to the yellow/brown polyphenols again which are mixed in more into the green of the chlorophyll so it just turn darker and let’s say muddier in appearance I would guess. I learned the chlorophyl color is dominant. Autumn leaves color change apparently are the left over polyphenols after no more chlorophyll is produced.
Ps. Love that post and experiment :) Just saw that one and have to check out the first experiment as well :)
Loved reading this, with teary eyes! <3
Well done on the Houjicha House, must have been so much work! Looking forward to seeing it some day.
xxx
Intern #50
My absolute favorite green tea! It has been my daily for many years now. Thank you Obubu Team!
Interesting!
A delicious rich yet mellow sencha – somewhere in between a classic sencha and a gyokuro. Intense but smooth vegetal flavor with notes of spinach and fresh green grass, with a lovely umami undertone that reminds me of kabocha, and also a delicate sweetness. Supremely smooth and wonderfully restorative with a luxuriously silky texture.
Thank you for writing about the samue! Interesting article.
On my first trip to Japan I discovered a second-hand kimono shop, and have been in love with Kimono since. There is so much to learn about kitsuke (the way you wear kimono) that I’m still learning something new after 7 years.
I hope you keep up the interest too.
What a fantastic and delightful day it has been!
I had the pleasure of visiting Obubu Tea Farm (an experience I highly recommend) and sampled Genmaicha. I instantly fell in love with its rich, toasted flavor. It is smooth and yet almost hearty in its complexity. I am home now in Canada and enjoying the Genmaicha I brought back. It has become a very favorite tea of mine.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
It is as if I am there. Your explicit account of events and experiences renewed my time there, on a visit, 8 years ago.
Thank you
English (UK) 
Français
I wish I knew about the condensation thing sooner – I had some loose leaf tea in the back of my fridge, and it ended up getting moist and ultimately growing mold and I had to throw it away :( I smartened up after that lol!
Thanks for putting this resource together, I found this article very helpful.
All the points are appropriate and quite enough for the non tea drinkers to start drinking. It really energize the body with new enthusiasm.
When sooo many enthusiastic people put their love and energy into this- from beginnig to the end- there is no other joice then something brilliant coming out ofthis
My wife and i and our youngest were fortunate enough to visit this magical place. Thank you to all the Obubu team for making our dream to experience tea farming in Japan a reality.
Thank you so much for your kind comments, Taryam! We loved meeting you and sharing in your love for tea. We are lucky to have tea ambassadors such as you in the world!
This is a really nice tasting sencha. I am actually surprised at how strong the umami flavor notes are. The aroma has quite a strong grassiness, so I expected something a bit sharper and more astringent, but the flavor is quite the opposite – rich and sweet, with just the right potency. Overall, an excellent sencha that I would definitely consider reordering.
Footnote: I brewed at 170F for around 50 seconds, and this produced a brew quite to my liking.
Sounds lovely! It’s hot in london this week, so I’m going to try it. Thank you Fiona and Obubu and I look forward to the next post. ?
Thanks Susan, we hope you enjoy it!
I would never have thought to cold-brew houjicha, and would never have thought to combine it with cucumbers and peaches. Because this combination is unique, I really wanted to try this recipe. I made some tonight and it is really wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.
So pleased to hear you loved the recipe and that you enjoy it as much as we do!
Wow. I never new. I drink tea almost everyday, but I like to rotate what I am drinking. So I might open a sencha the day its bought, then not drink it again until a week or two later. Its interesting to know the changes the leaves go through, whilst your not looking.
Tea has such a wide variety of flavors, it’s no wonder that it is one of the most popular beverages all over the world.
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The infusion is golden green with a sharp, sweet, green aroma. The taste is sweet and green with nori notes, a hint of sesame, and a clean finish.The full aroma and taste were present through three steepings. It’s worth noting that there was no astringency, even after a longer steeping time which resulted in a greener flavor” – Heather Porter, 2016
“A rustic tea this – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Of course this tea plays in a different league than fancy sencha and I don’t compare these directly. Still, it’s a nice, mild tea and an easy brewer”. – Phillip,Yunomi reviewer , 2015
“The first infusion produced a pale yellow color with a slight haze, but still transparent. The aroma had scents of hay, dry grass, wood, and slight marine hint. The body is medium, with a mildly savory (umami) mouth feel. The taste had notes of hay, dry grass, moderate astringency, and a slightly salty, marine seawater note. The aftertaste had notes of grass, with a mild flowery essence being left on the breath.” – by Tea Journey Man, 2014
“This is slight sweet with a somewhat hay-like flavor. It’s moderately dark and has a short finish. It’s a light tea, not strongly flavored but pleasant.” – by Rumpus Parable, 2011
“This tea was a very pleasant surprise, being extremely refreshing and full of nice green tea flavor. This is a true ‘aracha’ or farmer’s tea, made from leaves and twigs of the same tea bushes used to make Obubu’s excellent sencha teas. It has a mild sweetness and an aroma that is very much of green vegetal quality. Not a highly refined tea, it has a primal character that stands up to several steeps and is at a great price.” – by E. Alex Gerster, 2011
“The taste of the first infusion is mild and refreshing, with a creamy body and honey aftertaste. The taste is vegetal and at some points almost reminiscent of seaweed, with a natural sweetness to the taste. The finish is lingering and sweet” – by Leaf Joy, 2011
“This is a lovely everyday green, the flavor is much sweeter than I was expecting from a tea grade described as being “low” – not as buttery as the other grades of sencha, but still that vegetal “hearty” green tea flavor that steeps into a pleasing bright yellow.” – by Latte Tea Dah, 2011
“Yanagi Bancha is quite delicious. A lover of Japanese green teas, I found Yanagi Bancha to be mild yet flavorful. Naturally sweet, I thoroughly enjoyed its refreshing taste. A full-bodied tea, Yanagi Bancha has a hint of a vegetal quality throughout the cup with a floral finish. I was amazed by the changes in flavor as the cup cooled.” – by Tea Escapade, 2010
“This is a nice, cheap, everyday tea. The flavor is really good for bancha, and the leaves are big and whole.” – by Ken Durocher, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The flavor is intense, with a really rich umami and sweetness. There is only a slight bitterness in the finish. A difficult flavor to describe, there’s a bit of a fruity tanginess to it, like berries. I can definitely taste notes of melon, and there are subtle hints of mint or camphor in the aroma. The sweetness and umami of this tea really linger in my mouth, making me salivate quite a bit”- Lion, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I was pleasantly suprised by this matcha. I must admit that I didn’t expect this much quality for the price which is more than reasonable. Finely ground, quickly yields a very thick and creamy froth when whisked. More than suitable for thin matcha (usucha), some bitternis but it blends in quite nicely. Though I haven’t tried the tea as koicha (thick tea) yet but suspect it probably won’t be ideal”- Jasper, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The flavor is milky and nutty. Very fresh clean tasting like mowed lawn, kelp and lots of unami and brisk finish. I’d go with this one if you prefer to know where your food and tea are from and how it’s made. You are the type that wants your Japanese matcha straight from Japan! Company wise, this one is my favorite for all the information on the tea, production and tea farm”. – Oolong Owl, 2015
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have a green aroma with notes of sweet licorice, wood, and flowers.
The infusion is light yellow-green with an aroma of green cooked vegetables, wood, and a hint of butter. The taste contains notes of licorice, wood, and soybeans with no astringency”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nuts, wood smoke, and cocoa. The infusion is pale yellow peach in color with an aroma of seasoned firewood, buttery nuts, and a hint of cocoa powder. The taste is almost creamy with notes of smoky wood, roasted nuts, and apricots, with a lightly sweet finish”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nut shells and seasoned wood with a faint hint of cocoa.The infusion is golden with a touch of pink and a sweet aroma of pecans, honey, and a hint of grilled vegetables. The taste is smooth, sweet, and mild with notes of wood and nuts”- Heather Porter, 2016
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The scent was mostly vegetal. There is a kinda malty flavour, but I get more mild fruit. I could see having this with meals”- Lariel of Lórien, 2014 .
“The liquor is a nice golden brown, clear, and with very little leaf hair. The aroma is not unlike the scent of the leaves, bright and slightly malty. There is almost an herbal undertone to it as well, but I can’t quite place it. The taste is bright and fairly dry. There is a slight sweetness, but mostly I get brisk, slightly malty, and bitter or sour flavors; almost that of a lemon” – Cory Schmidt, 2013
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have a peppery, smoky aroma with notes of seasoned wood and a hint of brown sugar.
The golden infusion has a rich aroma of roasted nuts and smoky wood with a rich, smooth taste of roasted nuts and sunflower seeds, a thick and savory umami, and a long savory finish. The rich and savory aroma and taste you can sink your teeth into carries through two infusions. A third infusion is worth tasting as it begins to take on a green vegetal flavor and aroma and the liquor color becomes pink and gold” – Heather Porter, 2016
“My first Hojicha! Absolutely fantastic, you get the grassy, melon, tropical notes I like in a Sencha but with a toasty undertone to it”- Kevin, Yunomi reviewer, 2016
“This is first houjicha I really like of all houjichas I’ve drunk so far. It’s complex, refreshing tea. The reason for that might be the fact that houjicha is normally made of bancha tea leaves (which is considered as the lowest grade of all Japanese teas) whereas in this one Sencha tea leaves were used.
First thing that hits you even before you take your first sip is the dominance of roasted and nutty aroma in this tea. It’s very well balanced, it does not bother you as in some other houjichas. Similar to aroma taste is dominated by roasted and nutty flavors too. It’s refreshingly sweet, with no sign of astringency. The mouthfeel is delicately sweet”- Mehmet Emin Akyuz, 2015
“I have had the opportunity to try MANY different hojicha. Some I’ve liked better than others (although I can’t really recall ever not liking a hojicha that I’ve tasted.) But this Hoji Cha Gold – also called Houjicha Gold – from Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms is one of the very best, if not THE best, that I’ve tried!
What makes this tea different? This houjicha consists of only roasted Sencha leaves (rather than a combination of Bancha and Sencha, or just Bancha leaves) … maybe that’s the reason for the better flavor. I don’t know.
What I do know is that I taste a really deliciously sweet, roasty-toasty, nutty flavor. I taste not just nutty flavors, but hints of caramel and even a slight floral tone that is interesting.” – by Sorosi Tea Sisters, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“It’s a very nice, green bundle of joy. The tea is very flavorful, grassy and has a bit of bitterness. This morning I blended some with raspberries and soymilk. I found it needed a touch of sugar. Most of my experiences with matcha have been that they are slightly bitter so that isn’t unusual. I can see how this will be great for making smoothies! And for cooking!” – by TeaBrat, 2012
“My first time making it went well I think. No lumps and nice an frothy. It is has a nice gassy taste to it, but a little bitterness as well. I have had other matcha that was a bit sweeter then this, but all in all not bad. Might make a latte with this.” – by BTVSGal, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of antique wood, barley malt, nuts and sweet oats.
The infusion is caramel in color with an aroma of maple, roasted vegetables, and nuts. The taste is smooth and sweet with light woody notes and a hint of maple and caramelized sugar”- Heather Porter, 2016
“The aroma is delightfully loamy and mildly roasted, it reminds me of the forest at the end of autumn. Brewing the tea makes the roasted aroma and loamy aroma more intense and it brings in notes of umami as well. The taste is earthy, loamy, and a hint of woody with very mild roasted flavor. I have to be careful to not chug this tea because it is delicious and soothing. The mouthfeel is buttery and smooth. As the tea cools it becomes sweeter and smoother.” – by Amanda, 2013
“Roasting the bancha leaves produces a tea that combines the best of hojicha and bancha together in one brew. The light grassy flavors are enhanced by the light smokiness, and the astringency is cut to a minimum. The sample I had of this was used up quickly as I tried brewing it both hot and cold the same day, and both were equally satisfying. I hope to order more of this soon, as I have found all of Obubu’s teas to be exceptionally delicious.” – by E.Alex Gerster, 2013
“I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time because it’s not easy to find this type of green tea outside of Japan. The taste is woodsy, with no noticeable astringency nor bitterness, it even has a slight sweetness!” – by My Japanese Green Tea, 2013
“This is my first known experience with a Kyobancha … it is sweet and toasty, reminding me a bit of a cross between a white tea and a Houjicha. It is roasty-toasty like a houjicha, and light and sweet like a white tea.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“It is more gentle that I thought it would be but I like this mellow flavor on the tongue. Springy! Gently Roasted! A near Steamed rice/veggie type flavor, even. With a sweeter finish! Lovely!” – by Tea Equals Bliss, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
” The dry leaves have an aroma of marine air, green grass, warm hay, and wood.
The infusion is light yellow-green with a sweet, vine green aroma and a taste that is green and woody with low astringency and a long green finish.
This sencha remained pleasantly mellow with a sweet aroma throughout three infusions. I even picked up a hint of maple in the second infusion” – Heather Porter, 2016
“This tea is taking me back to my childhood summertimes in an agricultural town, and it is such a winner from the sampler!
It is deeper than the Spring Sun, though maybe a little less complex. Dry leaf is gorgeous – a few shades of green varying in the leaf, and smelling like fresh cut grass (a big summer signifier for me). In the warmed kyusu, that became the scent of hay, then finally in the cup, a very vegetal taste – big leafy greens, like a rich salad in a cup” – pkmnnerdfighter, 2016
” I really enjoy this tea. It’s sweet and grassy but doesn’t have that slight astringency that other senchas have. It’s very smooth and bright” – CarthagoDelinda, 2016
” The first steep is sweet, it starts with a sweet grass taste that fades to fresh cherry. After this initial sweetness, the taste fades to a grassy bitterness and a touch of kale. The finish returns to a gentle sweetness that takes all the bitterness away, the hay sweetness lingers for quite a while” – Amanda Freeman, 2014
“I rarely drink greens, but in my limited experience I really liked this one. The smell of the dry leaves was sweet and a tad fruity, with a main sent somewhere between grass and pine needles. May not sound too pleasant in words, but its quite nice. The brew itself was sweet, with a bit of vibrancy and umami, and a nice dark taste going down the throat. The taste and aroma managed to linger quite some time after the final infusion, which I always find quite enjoyable. I also felt a light and pleasant energy from the tea.” – by PurplePotato, 2014
“This is very different from the senchas I’m used to. It is still buttery and spinachy, but there’s a haylike or grassy quality as well. Kind of like sencha with some white tea thrown in? I find it interesting that this is the summer harvest sencha, because the hay notes really make me think of summer time!” – by Stephanie, 2014
“Very nice, and quite different from other Japanese Senchas I’ve tried. This tea is very much like the description depicts: it starts off with a savory bitterness which wanes into a smooth sweetness toward the tail, and then there is an astringency that cleanses. I enjoy this for how different it is. It is probably not a Sencha I’d drink every day, but, it is one that I’d enjoy on occasion, and it would definitely make a pleasing palate cleanser after meals.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“A very nice sencha that brews up well in 4 infusions, keeping a bright green color and lightly savory flavor. Bright, lightly buttery, and yes a small amount of bitterness in the first brew. But a good kind of bitterness like fresh mustard greens or spinach. Shipped direct from Japan, this tea is actually quite reasonable, and much better than many of the more expensive senchas available in the USA.” – by E Alexander Gerster, 2011
“I drank this iced. I love love this tea. Tastes like buttery spinach. Used 1 tablespoon for 16 oz. This is my kind of sencha. No real astringency, slight sweetness.” – by Mel, 2011
“A lot more savoury and less bitter than I was expecting, especially as I brewed this tea with near-boiling water. I really like this tea – it has a surprisingly strong taste for a sencha, very vegetal and buttery as you might expect, but with more umami than I would have expected.”- by Sunlandictwins, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The orange-amber infusion has an aroma of caramelized vegetables and smoky roasted nuts with a hint of caramelized sugar. The taste is full-flavored, smoky and smooth, with notes of fresh roasted nuts and wood and a long finish.
This hojicha is smooth and palate friendly, producing at least three flavorful infusions. I made a separate pot later in the day, forgetting about it for over five minutes, and the resulting tea was still delicious with no bitterness” Heather Porter, 2016
“I was pleasantly surprised as to how flavorful and interesting this tea is. It has a very savory smell to it but when tasting it, the brew is actually calming and rather comforting. I think its great for anytime of day” – Alison, 2016
“This was the first Hojicha iv ever tasted and it was a great introduction-it really blew me away because I had never experienced such wonderful , exciting flavours before. It had a earthy , woody smell with a smooky , oaky robust flavour . It has a lovely seaweed aftertaste . I cant wait to try the dark roasted Hojicha!” – Bhamnini L, 2016
” The umami mixture of roasted kelp and campfire washes over your tongue, again it reminds me of a seaside bonfire. At the very finish transitioning into the aftertaste you get a touch of toasted marshmallow, this delicate sweetness with a bit of smoke lingers for quite a while. I can see this being the perfect end of summer beginning of autumn tea, it reminds me so much of that last visit to the ocean before summer is over, but you can start feeling the chill in the air at night”- Amanda Freeman, 2014
“Sweet and delicious, with a moderate amount of astringency … this is different from the usual Houjicha which I might describe as a mellow, easy-going kind of tea … this one has a certain lively vibe to it that makes it different but still quite delightful. If you like Houjicha … add this to your MUST try list!” – by Sorosi Tea Sisters, 2013
“This was a very interesting Houjicha … I could still taste the vegetative tones of the Sencha in this tea, as well as some of the floral tones of the Sencha … usually, it’s been my experience that with the roasting process, the houjicha becomes an entirely new flavor but here, I taste notes of the Sencha still … I like that though! The vegetative notes taste a bit like roasted vegetables … and I like this unique taste. There is a slight creamy tone to this cup too … it’s a little bit nutty, a little bit toasty and warm, a little bit vegetative and savory, and a little bit sweet and creamy! A really nice cuppa.” – by LiberTEAS, 2013
“Thumbing through the reviews, I was glad to see I wasn’t the only one getting the Sencha flavor still coming through in this cup. It’s definitely a unique experience, as I’m used to that flavor being blitzed away through the roasting” – by Moraiwe, 2013
“The steep color IS a beautiful amber color. I like it for the steep color alone! The flavor is roasty, toasty and surprisingly sweet (and I steeped it hot and for a while). Good stuff!” – by Tea Sipper, 2012
“This is a mighty fine Houjicha but it’s a tad different than your standard Houjicha…it just has that little extra something-something. Sure – it has that robust roasted flavor and notes of woodsy/nutty goodness but it has a sweet-mineral type flavor to it too! I like it!” – by Muppetlove, 2012
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“It was very simple, but perfect. I was a little surprised at how murky the water became when I was brewing this in my houhin. Besides that this reminds me a little of a Kabushincha and a little bit of Gyokuro, although it is missing the sweetness of a kabushincha and the depth of a gyokuro. Regardless it was quite interesting despite its simplicity”- Rah, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Very solid green tea. Fairly delicate taste and slight astringency make it very easy to drink and enjoy”- Piotr S, 2016
“The first steep is delightful moonlight pale gold, like a moon coming up over the horizon! The taste is really quite mild and subtle, it might be the most subtle first steep of a Sencha I have run into. The mouth feel is very smooth, it starts off with the green taste of grass and stems, this moves into the very distinct taste of bamboo leaves, and after that we have sweet hay and a finish of edamame that lingers. The first steep is relaxing, I could almost see myself sipping this before taking a nap” – Amanda Freeman, 2015
“The flavour is a bit grassy, but more sweet, dry hay than fresh cut green grass. There’s nutty notes, and maybe a hint of kale and honey.
I’m really enjoying this cup a lot. Easy to drink, complex but still delicious if you’re sipping absentmindedly”- Anlina, 2014
“This one’s off to a nice start, with the dry leaves in the warm kyusu having a scent of moss and crisp iceburg lettuce. The wet leaves smell like more moss and a sort of fruity smell that is like the inside of a melon or a pumpkin, also like the smell of fresh strawberries. I don’t mean the smell of cooked strawberries or strawberry ice cream or anything like that, but the smell of the berries fresh off the vine, tart and ripe”- Lion, 2014
“I think this is REALLY incredible! This has all of the ‘right amounts’ of all of the stereotypical green flavors in it without any one flavor dominating the others. It leaves a sweeter after taste that is really wonderful! If you were to put the song “I’m a little bit Country – I’m a little bit Rock N Roll” up against this tea…well. it would be the tea equivalent to that song! A little bit of EVERYTHING GOOD in a Green Tea! Totally YUM!” – by TeaEqualsBliss, 2011
“It is rich and vegetative with a nutty undertone. There is an intriguing bittersweet flavor to this cup. Not a bad “bitter” – but a savory one that perks the taste buds right up and calls upon them to take another sip to experience the taste yet again.” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“I really enjoyed this Sencha. Rather than the sweet, buttery notes that I sometimes get from a Sencha, I am getting an interesting bittersweet taste with a nutty undertone. The taste is fresh and exhilarating. Very nice!” – by LiberTEAS, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaves have an aroma of smoke, seared wood, and roasted nuts.
The dark amber infusion has an aroma of caramel and smoke and a taste that is smooth with notes of smoke, nuts, and caramelized sugar.
By the second and third infusions, the sweetness had faded and the liquor color darkened to copper while the taste remained smooth throughout” – Heather Porter, 2016
“The taste was woody and sweet with just a slight hint of smoke. At first I had a hard time putting my finger on exactly what I was tasting and then hit me. Maple syrup! Talk about autumn in a cup. I could imagine few teas more perfect for the time of year when there’s just a hint of chill in the air (even if the day I drank it was more like an unusually warm spring day). This is probably the most complex flavor profile that I’ve ever gotten from hojicha. Even though it wasn’t a heavily bodied tea I was still able to get three very tasty infusions out of one kyusu. There wasn’t any astringency to speak of, even when pushing the water temperature or steeping time. I picked up some really cool things on this order, like a smoked black tea, as well as restocked things like sakura blossoms” – Nicole Martin, 2016
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a dark roast houijcha before so I was looking forward to trying this. It’s pretty yummy! It definitely has a roasted flavor that is reminiscent of coffee, but there’s also a fruity, sort of cherry flavor about it and something creamy that would best be described as caramel. Normally houijcha is nothing for me to get super excited over, but this was a delicious sample. Glad I was able to try it” – Tea Brat, 2015
“Happy Summer. Though I made my first iced tea today, I have still been having it hot. This has a nutty/ roast scent, with some sweetness. The flavour is kinda caramel nut, with a rich roast almost coffee taste. There is a little grain/ toast as well” – Lariel of Lorien, 2015
“i cannot tell you how much i love this! the flavor is deep and chocolately and earthy and mushroomy and smoky and just incredibly rich and delicious! and that was just the first steeping! the second steep is not quite as pungently composty (in a good way), but seems to have evened out in tone and smoothness of mouthfeel”- Julie, 2014
“Brewing the leaves makes the aroma much richer with stronger notes of cedar and hints of earthiness. The tea leaves smell savory, like dried oak leaves and roasted wood. Again it is very evocative of autumn air. The liquid however is sweeter, like freshly mown hay and roasted nuts. There is still notes of cedar smoke but it is much fainter” – Amanda Freeman, 2014
“Houjicha (Dark Roast) of Obubu Tea is, as the name suggests, strong roasted. The fragrance is woody and slightly reminds me of tobacco, pipe tobacco. The tobacco scent was persisting in the liquor too. In addition taste of dark chocolate and coffee joined the tobacco taste. Again, I see parallels to certain Pu-erh teas. Toasty and smokey flavors are only subtle while earthy tones are predominant. The liquor is shimmering chestnut brown in the cup – an unusual color for a green tea.” – by Teamania, 2013
“WHOA, very rich! Houijcha Dark Roast has a very robust, rich, earthy roasted flavor that reminds me of coffee. I guess we need a smokey meter – 5/10 on the Smokey-o-meter. It’s not like campfire smokey or raw pu’er smokey, it’s roasty smokey, like the smell of roasting chestnuts. No bitterness or dryness.” – by Oolong Owl, 2013
“This is deliciously roasty. I love the buttery-caramel taste to it. Silky yet rustic. One of the best Houjicha teas I’ve come across yet.” – by LiberTEAS, 2010
“I was not expecting to like it. I read in the reviews the word “smoky” and mentally wrote this tea off. Wow, this tea makes me rethink houjichas! Deep, robust, very chocolately.” – by Mel, 2010
“Whereas the loose leaf is DARK the infused tea is not. It sort of smells like roasted nuts with a musky smell of mushrooms hiding underneath. The taste is quite good tho! Probably one of my favorite Houjicha’s to date!”- byTeaEqualsBliss, 2010
“I have always been fond of Houjicha (or Hojicha) green tea because I really enjoy its deep roasted flavor. This is one of the best Houjicha teas that I’ve encountered. Even though the tea has a roasted and somewhat rustic taste, the tea still maintains an unbelievably smooth flavor and consistency. It has a slightly earthy/woodsy, smoky note that unites almost seamlessly with the roasted flavor. It has a silky mouthfeel that is almost a contradiction to the roasted earthiness of this tea. A delightfully delicious contradiction. What I like best about Houjicha tea is the sweet, caramel taste that the roasting process imparts upon the leaves. It seems to remove much of the vegetative notes of a typical green tea, and the buttery notes seem to turn to a rich, buttery caramel taste. So YUMMY!” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2010
“I noticed, that when getting ready to taste the tea, you are hit with a smoky/woodsy aroma, which is one of the tea’s strengths. The liquor is a dark orange, almost a deep amber. The tea has a robust, roasted flavor with notes of nutty, sweetness and a hint of chocolate.” – by Tyros of Tea, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I love this genmaicha! It tastes like a fresh wheat field, very unique and something everyone should try” – Lattisha, 2016
“The dry leaves have a green aroma with notes of rice, popcorn, nuts, and nori.
The infusion is light green with a aroma that is faintly green and heavily popcorn and a taste that is faintly green with bold notes of popcorn and roasted peanuts and a long nutty finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“As soon as you get the hold of tea leaves you can easily understand the freshness of it. Both bancha tea leaves and brown rice have very vibrant colors .It’s full of roasted brown rice which surface up as soon as you pour water into teapot. Bancha tea leaves that are used in this tea are quite fresh as well. The sweetness of this tea comes from roasted brown rice which is combined with somewhat astringency of bancha tea leaves. As a result they made a very special tea to drink even for those who’re not into Genmaicha tea” – Mehmet Emin Akyuz, 2015
“I’ve always enjoyed genmaicha. It’s my go to comfort tea on a cold day. This particular rendition is probably the best one that I’ve ever had. The taste was nutty and sweet with a buttery mouth-feel. No wonder genmaicha is called popcorn tea! I couldn’t resist snacking on a few pieces of popped genmai before steeping and they were delicious. I found this tea to be quite a bit sweeter than other genmaicha that I have tried. There was a light, refreshing astringency but there was no bitterness whatsoever.” – by Tea For Me Please, 2013
“It’s smooth with sweet,nutty, green, and slightly roasted rice and green veggies, as well as that popped rice/corn flavor you would expect but it’s not as harsh or involved as some tend to be. I like that – with this specific offering, that is. It’s refreshing, in a way! It makes me crave more. This is really brilliantly fantastic! The more I sip the more I crave!” – by Tea Equals Bliss, 2013
“Excellent tea by Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms. I highly recommend it!” – by Caj Room, 2013 (Translated form Czech)
“This is an excellent flavor-packed tea with a medium body and smooth taste. There is a slightly sweet, peppery aftertaste that adds layers of depth and complexity to the tea.” – by Leaf Joy, 2011
“Very nice. I think this is only the 3rd genmaicha i’ve had, but this is easily the best. The toasted rice isn’t too overbearing, like has been the case in the previous genmaichas. Very drinkable.” – by Mark Torromeo, 2011
“This was a tasty little genmaicha. Satisfyingly roasty, but nice and sweet. It tasted lighter and brighter than others I’ve had.” – by Jessie, 2011
“I love how with a tea like this one you can have pot after pot and they are all wonderful, the taste mellows and changes with each one, and the popcorn scent changes. This is one tea I will absolutely buy again, it’s amazing.” – by Deb Huff, 2010
“This is a slightly different tasting Genmaicha than some others that I’ve tried. The tea tastes different – but not in a bad way, in a very, very good way! I can definitely tell that I’m tasting a sencha rather than a bancha – I can taste the fresh, bittersweet flavor of the sencha.” – by LiberTEAS, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Really strong, earth flavour. Only had the sample size of this one but really enjoyed it” – Jeremy, 2016
“The dry leaf aroma is smoky and peppery with notes of wood and salt.
The orange amber infusion has a rich and smoky aroma with notes of roasted nuts and wood and a hint of fruit. The taste is smooth and light, nutty and woody, savory and almost sweet with a long nutty finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“Opening the bag of this tea I loved how rich and earthy it smelled. I couldn’t believe how dark the leaves were-everything about this tea seemed to say that this was a black tea.-even when brewed up. But alas, I looked it up on the website and it is indeed a green tea. Apparently it is virtually caffeine free due to the roasting process, so I saved this tea until after work around supper time. I’ve been trying to work 6 days/week in order to pay off my credit card and save money and although I do not work a physically demanding job, I do need a pick me up after work. This is nice because it’s “real” tea (i.e not a tisane) but without caffeine. I love the depth of flavour and the smokiness” – Kristal, 2014
“This tea is roasty and comforting. It isn’t as sweet as some houjicha I’ve had but it is really mellow. There’s a bit of sweetness in the aftertaste. The aroma gives hints of burnt cedar… and as usual with me and heavily roasted teas there is a note of dill. The flavor is of toast, a little bit nutty, mild and very relaxing. The wet leaves in the teapot smell like cigar tobacco. Now that I’ve noticed that and the tea has cooled some, I can definitely taste cigar smoke in the taste” – Lion, 2014
“I’m rapidly falling in love with Japanese green teas and hojicha in particular. This hojicha had a lighter color than the others that I’ve tried. It also had a slightly less roasty taste and was closer to other Japanese greens in my opinion.” – by Jennkay, 2013
“This isn’t as roasty or toasty as some Houjicha’s I have had but I’m ok with that! There is always a place and a time for a more gentle Houjicha. This is that time. Equal parts woodsy and nutty – this is satisfying and soothing. A delight!” – by TeaEqualsBliss, 2012
“I love a good Houjicha and this one is definitely good. Sweet and toasty and soothing too. The toasty notes give this a very autumnal feel. Nutty, sweet and delicious. There is very little astringency to this. I don’t really notice much of a smoky note, but more of a roasty-toasty kind of taste to it. The smokiness seems to arrive toward the end of the sip, and linger into the aftertaste.” – by LiberTEAS, 2012
“I prefer the darker roasts, but this is wonderful iced. Very tasty, toasty and refreshing.” – by Mel, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The brewed leaves smelled like nice steamed vegetables, maybe asparagus as another reviewer noted. The first steep was a bit bitter with nutty and piney notes and a sweet grassy honey finish. Reaaaally good. This one was pretty powerful as well. I’m sure it wasn’t just this tea, as I had been drinking quite a bit before this one as well, but I noticed myself just trance out listening to whatever house-type beats my brother happened to be playing for a couple minutes at a time. Good times. Next steep was less bitter, but also not quite as sweet on the finish if that makes any sense” – Matu, 2016
” The aroma of the soggy leaves is so green! It smells like crisp bamboo leaves, clover leaves and flowers, edamame, and sea air, it smells to me like summer. The liquid is light and sweet, like clovers and honey with distant cut grass and broken vegetation, it smells refreshing” – Amanda Freeman, 2016
” The golden infusion has a buttery, peppery, nutty aroma with notes of cooked edamame. The taste is moderately astringent, green, savory, and nutty.
While it was enjoyable after being steeped for 2 minutes, a shorter steeping time did bring out more savory qualities” – Heather Porter, 2016
“This one tastes and smells strongly of honey. In addition to the honey, this also has some strong umami and grass notes, with a noticeable but pleasant bit of bitterness” _ Anlina, 2014
“Flavour is sweet and grassy with light floral tones. Subtle strength overall with a minimal dry after taste. Slightly bitter and crisp” – Kayleigh, 2014
It was a fresh vegetal tone with a spice and mineral undertone. It gave me a powerful tingling mouthfeel with soft and warm umami. This reminds me of the smooth tones of the earth. It tastes of early buds, first leaves, young roots, small pebbles, and light ocean waves with a little sunshine. The next brew the flavors aged and became more prominent. The liquor also turned into a serpentine jade” –haveteawilltravel, 2014
“Very different from any other sencha I have tried. Complex, rich, and interesting. I would especially recommend this for people who don’t like the fresh grassy and seaweedy tones of sencha, because it had the least of these characteristics of among any sencha I’ve tried. It was ever-so-slightly more oolong-like.”- by Alex Zorach, 2013
“This is a fantastic Sencha. Each time I try a tea from Obubu I am impressed by the flavor. No exception with this tea. There is an earthiness to this Sencha that I don’t think I’ve experienced in another Sencha. It also has a charming spice note to it that is quite good. Certainly one of the most interesting and unusual Sencha teas I’ve tasted recently, and I am really liking it.” – by LiberTEAS, 2011
“This tea is appropriately named, because there is also an earthy quality to the flavor of this tea that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before with another Sencha tea. With this earthy note and grassy tones, this tea truly is a Sencha of the Earth!” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“I was pleasantly surprised with the earthy taste that this tea has, it really is worth trying.” – by 365 Days of Tea, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“I feel like I love this tea more and more each time I brew it. This sencha has some body, and a brothyness, that makes me really want to make chazuke from it some time. The spent leaves already make a good salad” – pkmnnnerdfighter, 2016
The dry leaf aroma is sharp, fresh-cut green, lightly marine with woody notes and a floral hint.
“The pale green infusion has a light fresh green and nutty aroma with a taste that is sweetly green with notes of macadamia nut and oats, a hint of umami, and a clean green finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“On the palate this is predominantly honey with some nutty notes. There’s the characteristic vegetal notes of sencha but they are not as pronounced as they usually are – they mostly pop up in the finish, as a bit of a green tang. This is very sweet and really delicious. If I take a big gulp, there’s a brothy quality at the back of my throat and peas on the finish, but small sips don’t carry those notes” – Anlina,2015
“The steeped leaves deepened to a robust spinach scent. The liquor was a pale iridescent jade. The initial sip was fantastic. This is truly a spring fiery brew. The flavor is light and floral with just the right amount of vegetal and umami. This brew carries a sweet honey undertone and is deeply refreshing. The brew became deeper and more full of darker tones as the steeps increased” – Haveteawilltravel, 2015
“A warm juniper and fresh cut grass scent shines through. Flavour is mild, sweet and very fresh with grass and floral tones with some lightly toasted hay towards the after taste. Particularly sweetpea and mild but fresh seaweed” – Kayleigh, 2014
“I will say, this absolutely makes me think of Spring, so the name is perfect! It has a nice sweetness as well as a touch of astringency that makes me want to drink more. There’s a strong and surprising hay-like flavor that reminds me of white tea a bit, along with a little bit of bitterness that balances the sweetness nicely. I can taste light vegetal and grass notes, but they’re much more subtle than most sencha. There’s a subtle fruity note here, something mild and sweet like apple. Overall, quite tasty! – ” Cameron, 2014
“It has a beautifully balanced taste and is simply very good!” – by Caj Room, 2013 (translated from Czech)
“Obubu claims a zen-like mistiness for this tea, and however normally I am against such descriptions, I cannot but agree. The tea is not for a regular daily drinking, but for a quiet enjoyment and relaxation. The taste is neither too strong nor too weak, with enough bitterness and sweetness to satisfy sencha lovers” – by Cajnekronike, 2013 (translated from Croatian)
“As to Obubu i can say one thing; Sencha of the spring was incredible, it was the first Sample of the 17 i ordered and i have never drunk a Sencha like this before. You can totally taste the spring, it is light, tender and really fresh, especially when you drink it cold it gives you a fresh citrus taste. The leaves are even edibl . Even if you let the tea steep longer this Sencha doesnt really get bitter.” by VanFersen, 2013 (translated from German)
“When I think of a sencha, this is what I want. It’s medium-strong flavor, great balance of savory, sweet, and astringency. Perfect iced and hot.” – by Mel, 2011
“It smells really well. A really sweet cup, nice and light.” – by Healthy Professionals Food Blog , 2011 (video review)
“One of the best green teas I’ve ever tasted. I highly recommend this tea for it’s sweet, subtle flavor.”- by The Tea Show, 2011
“I love this tea. I make it the way they recommend, with lots of leaf and boiling water for multiple VERY short steeps. This brings out the bitterness that I love in a Japanese tea in the first infusion; subsequent cups are sweet and creamy, a little floral. It cold-brews beautifully too.” – by Joie De Tea, 2011
“Delicious! This tea has a grassy, earthen smell in the bag, and a grassy, floral sent once brewed. The color is a nice bright green and the flavor is a near perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness (the good kind). Obubu doesn’t disappoint!” – by Ken Durocher, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The aroma of the toasted rice is really delightful. It smells a little bit like freshly roasted nuts, but with a grainy sort of fragrance to it too. It smells delicious. And the flavor is remarkable! If you drink a Genmaicha because you love that roasty-toasty flavor … you really should try the Genmai on it’s own! Sweet, deliciously roasty and toasty with a lovely rice note” – Sororiteasisters,2013
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The dry leaf aroma is green like sun-warmed grass with just a hint of salty marine air and dry seasoned wood.
The infusion is golden green with an aroma of freshly cut green grass as well as savory and buttery macadamia nuts. The taste is savory with umami, nutty, and grassy green with a long green finish” – Heather Porter, 2016
“The flavor has a mellow nutty start that changes to a slightly green and vegetal one with afternotes of cooling mint sensation. I can easily see why this Sencha of Brightness was named from the idea of sparkling light reflecting on cooling waters. The tea is very mellow with almost no astringency, only a slight bit in the finish” – Lion, 2014
The flavor is very mild and sweet. It has some light grassy notes but also a bit of sweet vegetables like corn. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Japanese tea that’s this mild before, no astringency whatsover. It’s very tasty and soothing, like floating away on a green tea cloud” – TeaBrat, 2013
“It tastes amazingly good, refreshing and ‘sparkling’ — but definitely not too sweet. It is beautifully clear, and an appealing gold-green.” – by E Alexander Gerster, 2011
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“he flavor of this tea was very sweet and grassy. The tea had a thickness to it, but it didn’t feel heavy if that makes any sense. The leaves also just kept on giving. I got five steeps and feel like I could’ve gotten at least one more decent one if I wanted to. At the third steep, the grassiness died off a bit, replaced by a sweet green floral flavor. This is what kept it going for me, that flavor was awesome and didn’t feel like it was about to give out at any point”, – Matu, 2016
“Multiple infusions provided a milder yet pleasantly refreshing flavor and aroma. Extending the steeping time slightly brought out more character without a noticeable increase in astringency. The finish after each infusion was refreshing and clean”- Heather Porter, 2016
“The leaf are long thin delicate emerald shards. They carry a sweet and inviting scent of warm grass, seaweed, and a creamy undertone, I dusted off my kyusu and prepared for brewing. I made mine thick, so I can pull more sweetness out. The brew was slightly clouded, but I bright pale jade. The taste is sweet with a lemon finish. The aftertaste presents thick umami which wipes away the citrus tone. I can catch some bitterness and harsh veggies within the body”- Haveteawilltravel, 2016
“I love this sencha, the leaves are big and not much broken, of an intense green, the smell is grassy and fresh. I start with a 50-60 degrees infusion (1 min, 1 heaped teaspoon, 100 ml)to fully enjoy the sweetness and freshness and then increase time and warmth going on, holds a 4th infusion at 80 degrees where you can enjoy the complex umami. should be steeped with purpose until someone finds what works best for them, it’s a really great sencha, but still easy to drink” – Claudia, 2016
“The tea liquor is light and definitely on the sweeter side, with notes of spinach and peas. There is only a very slight palate cleansing finish in the astringency. There’s something about the flavor in this that’s really nice and delicate, but not too light on impact” – TeaBrat, 2014
“The taste had notes of sweet hay, fresh cut grass, and a moderate astringency. The aftertaste was sweet hay, with a lingering flowery essence left on the breath.” – by Tea Journey Man, 2013
“THIS is what I picture when I think of green tea. It was perfect. It was all there, the grassy flavor, the faint fruit aroma, tinge of bitterness, followed by a hint of sweetness. Sencha of the Wind was unlike a lot of green teas that I have had, with full body but still clean and refreshing.” – by Elonwy, 2013
“Another fantastic Sencha from Obubu. So smooth, sweet and with a lovely fruit note that hits the palate toward the end of the sip. Beautiful.”- by LiberTEAS, 2012
“This is one of the softest Sencha teas I think I’ve ever encountered. It is like a bit of fresh air – which seems right considering the name of the tea. The flavor of this tea is very delicate yet refreshing. There is so very little vegetal/grassy taste to this Sencha. It has no bitterness to speak of. It is sweet and possesses a very interesting fruit-like note that hits the palate towards the end of the sip. It tastes smooth and clean, with a pleasant crispness to it. It tastes like the early days of spring to me.” – by Sorori Tea Sisters, 2011
“Sencha of the Wind had a gyokuro-like softness. I can recommend it to anyone who is looking for quality.”- by Teateka, 2011 (translated from Hungarian)
“I don’t know how the name of the tea initially came from but all in all the drinking experience was exactly like breeze of the wind in the spring, sweet, gentle, smooth and pleasant.”- by Tea Emperor, 2010
“The tea brews to a pale yellow color and is remarkably sweet and smooth. I detected no bitterness and not much of an overly spinachy flavor. The tea has a savory/broth-like quality to it, but avoids being aggressively vegetal. This is a calmer, milder Sencha than I am used to, and one that I really appreciated. On several occasions as I was drinking this tea, I caught myself saying “yum” alound.”- by Vanessa, 2009
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The scent and taste are surprisingly more like cherries than I’d imagine. I thought it’d be a bit more floral. I think some of this is actually plum flavor coming from the plum vinegar. There’s a hint of saltiness to this tea that is subtle, but if you save the initial brine from the flower that was soaked in hot water, you can scoop back in a little of this salty and flavorful brine a bit at a time if you want your drink to be a little more salty and flavorful” – Lion, 2014
“The aroma of these beautiful flowers is very mild, sweet and tangy like pickled peaches with a hint of flower and salt. The flavor is incredible, I can see some people not liking it, but for me it is perfection. The taste is smooth and creamy mixing with floral notes and nuttiness. It mixes really well with other teas and makes an incredible latte.” – by Amanda, 2013
“Once soaked, flower looks wonderful. Tea is a sufficient one. The smell is still reminiscent of plum … and taste … the taste is special … slightly salty, slightly floral. a little Japanese …” – by Cajnekronike, 2013 (Translated form Kroatian)
“This is a truly beautiful tea. In the back the tiny flowers have a smell of light umeboshi, salt, plum/cherry, and floral hints. It is simply amazing to watch them steep. I wish I had a decent camera because you can see the veins in the translucent skins of the flower petals. As much as I enjoy watching blooming teas, this feels much more organic. ” – by Tamm, 2013
“Quite a light tea – I get a cute kiss of a sweet cherry taste that is floral. The sakura tea’s flavor flutters softly towards a more savory flavor that’s a little salty. The more I sip away, the more stronger and floral this tea gets. I gotta say, I quite like the floral here. I’m so used to jasmine and rose florals – sakura floral is on another planet. A cute planet, with fairies, white chocolate, tiny tea cups, big pink dresses and cuddly white owls. The floral is sweet and fluffy.” – by Oolong Owl, 2013
“This was something I have never tasted before. The first taste was bright and sweet, and then followed with a savory aftertaste. The savory taste was very soft, but still held the floral notes of the cherry blossom.” – by Nicole, 2011
” tea is a fragrant, but not too flowery, lightly salty tisane. This may sound very bizarre to many Western tea drinkers, but the salt turns what might be an extremely floral tea into a more subtle, mature drink. If you have trouble stomaching the idea of a salty tea, think of it as a broth or soup–suddenly, it’ll be delicious! A benefit of removing the salt in a separate cup in Step 2 is that you can then season your main drinking cup to taste. And consider pairing this tea with something sweet–the contrast might delight you. Beneath the saltiness, you’ll find the unique taste of sakura blossoms–a sort of light, airy, but fragrant sweetness.” – by Caclob, 2011
“This tea was sweet and slightly floral. It was almost as though the blossom just very lightly scented the water. A lot of teas use artificial cherry flavoring and this tea tastes nothing like those. I was expecting it to be extremely salty tasting but it was actually rather subtle. I would definitely recommend this tea.” – by Tea For Me Please, 2011
“It’s made from salt-pickled cherry blossoms, which you soak to remove the salt before you brew, and oh my god is it delicious. The tea has a very delicate cherry scent, with a salty undertone, and tastes similar. The taste is much stronger than I expected from a single blossom: uniquely floral and refreshing, mildly sweet, with a hint of salt. If you have glass teaware, I recommend using it with this tea so that you can watch the blossom unfurl itself when you pour on the water.” – by Sunlandictwins, 2011
“Flavor: Sweet and lightly floral as you would imagine a cherry blossom to smell. Tiny bit salty but most of the flavor was removed during the 5mins I let the flower soak in warm water, as directed. I then put in a spoonful of water, one at a time using the water the flower was soaking which adds a bit of a salty flavor. I noticed after the second spoonful that the sweetness vanished and the flavor became completely different. I wish I could describe it but let’s just say it was very unique and no it doesn’t taste like water with salt. I am glad I tried it and recommend you give it a try knowing it is a big risk. I imagine this to be a love it or hate it experience for most.” – by Rachel, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Because you only need a few blossoms to make a cup of this tea, it’s not overly flavorful, but very contemplative. I found it rather soothing. A beautiful, subtle tea that welcomes spring”- Sakura Sushi, 2016
“The taste is the same as before but without any traces of saltiness. The flowers open up beautifully and the infusion is just a very pale pink/yellow tint. The aroma is more floral while the flavor is a bit more sweet and fruity” – Lion, 2014
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“There is no vegetal aspect to the smell, but one does get the feeling that it is fresh.
After preparing it, it frothed into a beautiful cup of matcha. I did notice the creaminess, it is rich and savory. The umami taste is evident as well” – Ricardo Caicedo, 2015
“Obubu’s Gokou Matcha has changed everything for the better. I ordered it from Yunomi.us during the Matcha Day sale. It’s slightly sweet and creamy— without having to add cream or sugar” – candyforbreakfast, 2013
“Fresh from the minute I opened the pouch to the instant I whisked and drank it. It’s got the trademark bitter leaf taste that is, well, matcha, but it’s not so bitter or flat that it makes you want to set your cup or bowl down. Sweetest variety of matcha I’ve yet tried that wasn’t labeled as ceremonial grade. Nice emerald color, not as chalky as restaurant grades. Love it.” – by Latte Tea Dah, 2011
“It’s powerful stuff. Quite bitter and very, very ‘green’ to my taste buds; some sweetness in the aftertaste. It does not taste anything like a sencha; there is no brothiness, no ‘seaweedy’ taste. I feel like saying ‘grassy’ but that’s not quite the right word either. I’m not sure how to describe it. ‘Green’ is the best I can do – and not even a specific kind of ‘green’ either. Just quintessential greenness!” – by Joiedetea, 2010
“This is exactly as described. It is milky and creamy. I would suggest this matcha for a newbie who is not used to how bold a matcha can be. It is very subtle. I think next time I may make this as a latte.” – by Rachel, 2010
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“Very vegetable and pure. The liquid comes out darker as you rebrew it, which is rare for me to do with sencha. I brewed this three times and was quite happy every single time, it was close to a gyokuro without the buttery texture. The smoothness and size of the leaf of this tea when combined to its color-” Liquid Proust, 2015
“The aroma of these leaves is pure vegetal. This tea evokes growth! I prepare my kyusu for a pleasant brew. The first steeping was a translucent nectar. The syrup was softly sweet with notes of light grass. This brew carried a bright spring scent of a vegetable garden in full swing. The next subsequent brews gained more and more depth. This drink became grassy and full of umami. I was able to get four steepings from these leaves (which is a lot for japanese sencha). I love this tea and I cant wait for this years harvest!”- Haveteawilltravel, 2014
“This is an earthy sencha – in that it gives me no marine/seaweed characteristics whatsoever. It is grassy, and again, that sweet, buttery spinach is what I taste. It doesn’t have what I necessarily consider to be umami, but it does have just a touch of astringence when it cools”- JoonSusanna, 2014
“Its sweetness and vegetal tones are hard to match. The first cup is tasty and sweet, even creamy.” – by Tebebi, 2014 (Translate from Spanish)
“It had quite a bitter taste, but that didn’t stop me from drinking the whole pot over the course of an afternoon! It tasted so much fresher than the usual green tea teabags I drink, and felt healthy too” – Allison Muskett, 2014
“This Kabuse Sencha from Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms was the perfect tea to study tonight. It provided me with all of the benefits that I was looking for in a tea. It was refreshing, hydrating, and uplifting. ” – by Tea Journey Man, 2014
“One of the best Kabuse Sencha, that I have had” – by Caj Room, 2013 (translated from Czech)
“This high-grown partially-shaded tea tastes almost like a light, grassy, springlike sencha blended with a rich gyokuro. But this is not a blend — it’s the inherent quality of the tea itself.” – by Tea Guide, 2011
“I couldn’t figure out why I liked it, but it didn’t have the typical gyokuro flavors (nor the typical sencha ones)… it wasn’t strongly marine flavored or vegetal, or super sweet or bitter, or fruity, and yet somehow it was full of flavor and gave 5 good infusions.” – by Shinobi_cha, 2011
“So far so good. Nice and sweet, but with a backbone of complexity and depth. Looking forward to figuring this tea out and really getting it to sing.” – by Mark Torromeo, 2011
“The flavor did not have any bitterness or astringency at all, though it was not directly sweet either, but rather had green asparagus undertones” – by Blekte, 2011 (Translated from Swedish)
Hi.
My name is Bruno, I lived in Madrid and I just found out that they did a tour in Madrid, I lost it.
I am a matcha lover, I would like to know if I can get your matcha in Madrid.
Thank you very much.
A greeting.
Hello Bruno,
Thanks for asking! We have a few retailers in Spain, but none in Madrid, so I think your best option will be our online store. Here is a link to our matcha options: https://obubutea.com/product-category/matcha/
Please don’t hesitate to ask any other questions!
Thanks for sharing such a knowledgeable information.
Very few people know this much about black tea…Thanks for sharing this usefull information with us
Lovely blog! I love how in Japan, the type of tea ware chosen is part of the whole experience – almost as important as the tea itself :) I used to take tea ceremony lessons (sadou) and the teacher always chose chawan with a design to match the season. I love to use kyusu with the side handle when I brew tea for myself.
Cool post, do you mind if I link to it from my
new blog/tea shop? Its called Lovely Tea Teas?
Thanks in advance – Oliver aka Mr Tea
Rubbed tea. Oh I thought it was called Matcha because it was made differently. Nice knowing. Great article.
This is a pleasant tea with grassy and light umami flavors and a nice lingering finish. Light to medium body. No bitterness, astringency, or off flavors.
I’m looking for a place to actually get kombucha while I’m in Fukuoka… I’ll be here for another 18 months… been here for 6 now and I miss drinking it regularly. I’m originally from Denver, Colorado… where they have a good amount of brewers.. like High Country… anyway, I’m not sure where exactly they would sell such a drink here and my stomach could certainly use it after having beat it up over the last 6 months eating all this delicious Japanese food.
We visited a workshop in Japan- imazi g!
Great idea to bring it to London!
I would like to book 3 places.
I love this simple receipt! May I translate and re-post it on my blog? :)
Dear Valentina, we are happy to hear that. You are welcome to translate and re-post it, just please credit Obubu as the source of the original.
This tea is one of the best I’ve ever tried; smooth with a surprising sweetness.
A rich and earthy sencha, with a little sweetness as well; a great choice if you are looking to try something new!
It was really great to meet you in Paris ! #teafriends ?
This is definitely a must-have book for the majority of tea lovers!!! Well done!
I think this book will be a great addition to my tea books collection!
This was my first experience with genmaicha and I love it! The tea was absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something different to try
Those long neck bottles with red silicone lids- is that your scoby hotel?
Ashleigh, something like that:]
I would like to join the tea picking tour in July with my friend, how can I sign up ?
Dear Budoor, we are glad to hear that you are interested in the Tea Picking and Rolling Event. To join it you can sign up here.
I have a friend who loves kombucha who recently moved from the United States to Nagoya.
I am trying to find a place in Japan to purchase kombucha to send to her. Can you help?
Hi Jamie glad you are interested in Kombucha. We recommend contacting Kobo Tea who is a konbucha maker in Wazuka town, Kyoto.
What are the suggesting brewing instructions?
Thank you for the question. For Japanese Black Tea we recommend the following: 200 cc of water at 85C over 5g of tea leaves to steep for 30s. We hope that will help.
very superb
It was a great event, had fun!
Ottimo bancha , per ogni momento della giornata!! Si sente il fresco sapore di erbe primaverili !!!!
hi,
i bought my daughter some wakoucha for christmas. after some experimentation with steeping times we managed to work out what seems to be a good timing that works for us. tonight we made up 3 pots between us at around 7pm. it’s now 3am in the morning and neither of us can sleep because we are buzzing from the effects. it’s like having overdosed on energy drinks without the palpitations.
my body seems to have passed way more fluid than i have been drinking.’i’m a bit irritated because i want to sleep but i feel so energised and raring to go that i can’t see myself getting any sleep before daybreak.
the thing is, the taste is so very sublime, i could have had way more simply because it was so enjoyable to drink.
it’s not bitter in any way, it has a gentle almost delicate flavour profile that i have never experienced before. even with multiple steepings it just keeps delivering a wonderful feeling of contentment; almost like an internal hug.
so my lesson from this? never drink wakoucha in the evening if you value your sanity.
morning to mid-day should be fine for this divine tea secret, but never ever again a few hours before bedtime.
the annoying thing is that i could go for another pot of it right now…
This is the black tea to end all black teas in my opinion. I became intrigued after finding Obubu and learning more about Japanese tea. I had always been a fan of black teas and my interest was piqued when I saw that they actually had a Japanese black tea. I had to try it. I loved that the leaves were rolled, which look beautiful before and after steeping. The smell of the dried tea was amazing and once it’s brewed, it’s a sight to behold. The color of the liquor is amazing. Rich amber. I was in love. The smell was intoxicating, exactly what you’d want from a high quality black tea. The taste is beautiful. I recently ran out and had bought the Pine Needle Wakoucha to try, but I have to tell you. I’m missing this one!
I waited on bated breath after finally realizing how much I loved Genmaicha! I had tried it at a friends place so I was very excited to try Obubu’s Genmaicha. Roasty, toasty, yet smooth and satisfying. After placing my order I was so excited that I had gotten another brand to tide me over, but Obubu blows them out of the water. I noticed with other Genmaicha that I can’t drink as much of it, it tends to get bitter, but not Obubu! I highly recommend this tea, especially if you tend to prefer coffee, or would just like a savory cup of tea.
So when I first tried this tea I wasn’t as impressed as the first “fern shoot” wakoucha. However! This tea should only be used in a kyusu or houhin teapot that allows the leaves to expand fully! The leaves in this are quite large and anything that may constrain them will not allow you to experience the fullness of this tea. I use a kyusu teapot for this tea, one that has a mesh towards the pour spout, NOT a basket. After this switch, this tea impressed me just as much as the fern shoot wakoucha. Japanese black tea has just the right amount of astringency that I enjoy in my tea without turning bitter. If you have not tried a wakoucha, I highly reccomend it!
I live in Honolulu Hawaii.I’ve been brewing K/Tea for 28 years.Maybe we can do business together…just a thought. Aloha!
Dear Goerge, thank you for the comment. We are glad to hear you are interested in working together. More information about our wholesale program is here. We need to mention, though, that Obubu is a Japanese tea producer and we do not make Kombucha. For Kombucha specifically you should contact Kobo Tea directly.
Will you hold another Seminar and class this year in The Hague?
Thanks a lot in advance
Kind Regards
Beatriz
Dear Beatriz, thank you for the question. This year we are planning to go to The Hague between 23rd-24th October and more information will be announced soon.
Will you have any tea picking events in October?
Thank you for your message. We hold the tea picking events 3times per year which are in April, July, and September.
Please visit the link below for more detailed information about the tea picking event in 2020 and 2021!
https://obubutea.com/tea-picking-rolling-event/
Hi Kai,
This is really great. Keep posting and keep sending recipes doable here in North America. You’ve got readers.
Can’t wait to see and hear more about your foodabulous tea inspired creations!!!
This is my absolute favorite green tea! I buy from Obubu because the tea is so fresh – more fresh than the Genmaicha I’ve bought from other farms in Kyoto. Thanks!
Thank you, sir, for sharing a piece of valuable knowledge about Black Tea. I follow you for a long time. You have written very well about Black Tea.
The Hojicha Latte look wonderful! Can you post the recipe?
Thank You!
Hello!
Do I need to reserve space for this?!
Looks super fun!!
Thanks,
Jesse
Very interesting read! Thanks for sharing, Giedre. Excited to read the next one!
Thank you!
I love using “used” tea leaves for cold brew! Today I wanted some cold tea fast (it’s hot here in Texas!) so I made iced tea by steeping some sencha (Autumn Moon) at double strength and then pouring it over ice. Now the same leaves are cold brewing in the fridge, so I can have tasty and refreshing cold sencha waiting for me tomorrow, too!
I’ll have to try it with gyokuro next time!
great idea.
I love mint in every food or beverages and the experimental recipe you have provided is excellent and for me it is time worthy to read your article.
Thanks a lot for the informative post.
Let’s hope for the best.
Now that’s super interesting, thanks !
Thanks for this post! I adore Aracha, and drink it every morning.
Are there coupons available
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your interest in our Japanese Oolong Needles. Currently there are not any coupons available for Japanese Oolong Needles, however, we make coupons and announce them every Friday on our instagram live stream which we also post on our instagram account. Keep an eye out for the latest coupons!
Enjoy some delicious tea!
– The Obubu Team
Hi Skye!
Thank you very much for your question and for choosing Obubu! We harvest Sencha of the Autumn Moon a little early I the Autumn while the leaves are still small. So as the leaf is younger and has also been ageing in since it’s production it has developed this sweetness?
Something we also find is that the water used has a large effect on the flavour that you will be able to find in each tea. To pinpoint this flavour down in the bigger picture of Obubu’s flavours I would recommend two things, firstly trying to use some other water to brew the tea with and see how that transforms the flavours. Secondly try other teas from Obubu to see how the flavour profiles of our Tea Gardens show themselves for different times of year and quality of tea.
https://obubutea.com/shop/sampler-set/obubu-sampler-set/
I have also put a video from a couple of years ago which features Akky brewing Sencha of the Autumn Moon!
https://youtu.be/LvmMv-fico8
I hope that has been able to give some guidance and some ideas to try out!
I hope you have a great day!
Kind Regards,
The Obubu Team
This was a very yummy black tea.
This was an awesome post! I really enjoyed reading about the competitions and how you tended for the new tea garden!
Very good sencha. When I brew this tea with 140 F water, it taste slightly sweet like honeydew and after that I re-brew this tea with 160 F water it taste fresh grassy, slightly marine taste and sweet buttery aftertaste
Very good, this tea is rich and balance the sweetness, grassy and umami
Hi Andrew,
Thank you very much for the question! We are currently unable to ship via Japan Post Airmail Services as Japan Post has closed the shipping route to the UK. Unfortunately we are only able to offer shipping via DHL at this time (pricing is the pricing we receive from DHL) and we are looking forward to being able to offer Japan Post shipping again as soon as possible!
Thank you again for the question and I hope you have a great day!
– The Obubu Team
Strong vegetal taste, less complex than the spring one, but not bitter nor too astringent
Still good sencha although not as rich as Yabukita sencha (kabuse / spring sun)
Refreshing light body, vegetal and slightly grassy
Refreshing light body, smoky and nutty aftertaste
Nice everyday teapot, pours well and cleans easily. It was a bit larger than I expected from the photos but I don’t mind; it brews smaller quantities for single sessions well and it’s nice to have the option to brew more for larger groups. Overall I’m very satisfied with my purchase.
Hey Tea Potatoe ;)
my personal guess – without any further research on calcium – is, that the calcium must either enhance the extraction of polyphenols or maybe somehow change their structure. I recently researched that the polyphenols (catechins and so on) are yellow-ish and turn even browner when oxidized. So that’s why the tea gets darker and even more astringent with calcium, because it try to sticks to calcium and either extract more or boost it somehow. Very wild guess by me haha.
Q1+Q3: I’d say Hojicha has less catechins or maybe almost any of them anymore. So maybe the calcium looks for different compounds to react with so the color doesn’t change that strongly?.
Would be interesting to find out what compound defines the “roast” aroma. Are they still some kind of polyphenols or something completely different ones? Maybe the calcium sticks to whatever that is so you have less aroma.
Q2: Green color is for sure chlorophyll. I just give a guess to the yellow/brown polyphenols again which are mixed in more into the green of the chlorophyll so it just turn darker and let’s say muddier in appearance I would guess. I learned the chlorophyl color is dominant. Autumn leaves color change apparently are the left over polyphenols after no more chlorophyll is produced.
Ps. Love that post and experiment :) Just saw that one and have to check out the first experiment as well :)
Loved reading this, with teary eyes! <3
Well done on the Houjicha House, must have been so much work! Looking forward to seeing it some day.
xxx
Intern #50
My absolute favorite green tea! It has been my daily for many years now. Thank you Obubu Team!
Interesting!
A delicious rich yet mellow sencha – somewhere in between a classic sencha and a gyokuro. Intense but smooth vegetal flavor with notes of spinach and fresh green grass, with a lovely umami undertone that reminds me of kabocha, and also a delicate sweetness. Supremely smooth and wonderfully restorative with a luxuriously silky texture.
Thank you for writing about the samue! Interesting article.
On my first trip to Japan I discovered a second-hand kimono shop, and have been in love with Kimono since. There is so much to learn about kitsuke (the way you wear kimono) that I’m still learning something new after 7 years.
I hope you keep up the interest too.
What a fantastic and delightful day it has been!
I had the pleasure of visiting Obubu Tea Farm (an experience I highly recommend) and sampled Genmaicha. I instantly fell in love with its rich, toasted flavor. It is smooth and yet almost hearty in its complexity. I am home now in Canada and enjoying the Genmaicha I brought back. It has become a very favorite tea of mine.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
It is as if I am there. Your explicit account of events and experiences renewed my time there, on a visit, 8 years ago.
Thank you