Shop our Japanese Oolong Teas

Explore a selection of the finest Japanese Oolong Teas. Oolong is a traditional semi-oxidized tea produced through a process including withering the plant under strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Our Japanese Oolong Teas are hard to find, but the search is worth it! There are still farmers in Japan that produce fantastic quality oolong the traditional way like our superstar, Miyazaki Akira.

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What is Japanese Oolong Tea?

Japanese oolong tea is rare in a country that almost exclusively produces green tea. This tea is partially oxidized, making it somewhere in between a green tea and a black tea. With these teas, you tend to get more of these perfume-like floral notes along with a light sweetness. 

japanese oolong tea

Our Japanese Oolong Tea is exclusively sourced from small farmers in Japan

After traveling around Japan for the past few years, we have gotten to meet dozens of farmers and sample hundreds of different teas. It was only later on in our journey that we discovered Japanese oolong tea. Once we found our first one, the quest was on to find the best japanese oolong tea. Eventually we got to taste an incredible oolong tea from Miyazaki Sabou in Miyazaki prefecture.

Our Japanese Oolong Tea is 100% organically grown and pesticide free

In  Japan, oolong tea is very rare, but in the prefecture of Miyazaki, there are actually a few farmers that have taken on the challenge. We always love to see farmers experimenting with new techniques, and we are so happy to be able to share this delicious japanese oolong tea with tea lovers all around the world. One of our main focus is to source oolong teas that are 100% pesticides free and grown ethically. If you would like to buy japanese oolong tea, you can try the Oolong from Miyazaki Sabou listed above. 

japanese oolong tea leafs

Japanese oolong tea flavor profile

The Japanese oolong tea taste is strong on these sweet floral notes like lilac and honeysuckle. Normally, this would accompany thinner teas, but here the mouthfeel is quite thick. You may even notice a subtle, baked cinnamon quality in this tea which lingers on the aftertaste.

History of japanese oolong tea

China brought Japan oolong tea only relatively recently, as production of this partially roasted was concentrated in mainland China until the 1700s. Compared to the darker Chinese oolongs, the japanese oolong tea taste leans more heavily on these light floral notes. 

How to brew Japanese oolong tea

When it comes to brewing Japanese oolong tea, you can go for a slightly higher temperature, but not too hot as there are still some catechins contained within the leaves. Let’s go through some quick steps you can follow to prepare the best japanese oolong tea

  • Step 1

    Put 5 grams of Japanese oolong tea into your kyusu teapot

  • Step 2

    Pour in 150ml of 170 degree fahrenheit water

  • Step 3

    Let the leaves sit undisturbed for 1 minute

  • Step 4

    Pour out the Japanese oolong tea and let the leaves be filtered out by the kyusu

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Japanese oolong tea production

In order to produce oolong Japanese tea, the farmer needs to first accelerate the oxidation process and then stop the oxidation process. To accelerate the oxidation process, the tea is “withered” meaning it is laid out on these large mats and allowed to be heated by the sun. 

The Japanese oolong tea leaves are then tossed so that air can circulate underneath it. Once the leaves have been oxidized, and some of the catechins have been converted into theaflavins, heat is applied to stop the oxidation and prevent it from turning into a black tea.

Frequently Asked questions

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Delivery

We currently offer free delivery options for everyone around the world. For certain orders, we also provide free express shipping, which usually arrives in just a couple of days. If your order is time sensitive, make sure you have one of the faster delivery options selected at checkout.

Teas and Teaware

Have questions about any of our products? You can either ask our customer service team, or refer to the hundreds of videos we have on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more information.

Order issues

While things usually are sent out quickly and efficiently from our E.U and U.S distribution centers, there are some delays due to customs, holiday traffic and weather. We can provide you with tracking information when you order so you’ll know where your tea is at all times!

Payments

We currently accept payment by major credit card, paypal, apple pay and bank transfer. If you have any questions about your preferred payment method, please be sure to reach out to us and we can figure something out to accommodate you!

Returns & Refunds

While returns are very rare at Nio, they occasionally do occur. We want everyone to be satisfied with the tea they get, so we would prefer to offer a replacement tea rather than leave someone with a tea they don’t like. Please be sure to reach out to us and we can solve whatever issues you might have with the tea you ordered.