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Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime

Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime

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Learn all the secrets of the Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime

The Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime is a long shaded tea that produces a sweet and savory flavor, made in Kagoshima using a blend of different tea cultivars.

Taste

Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime flavor chart

Discover the results of Nio Teas’ 4 step tea tasting method

When assessing the flavor of gyokuro kagoshima, we take into account both its aroma and its taste profile, paying close attention to how the tea engages with the palate. We consider factors such as dryness, acidity, minerality, sweetness, and umami. Additionally, we assess the texture of the tea, or its mouthfeel.

For gyokuro tea, we also focus on the vegetal taste profile, which is a defining characteristic of a lot of gyokuro. By evaluating the flavor in these ways, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the tea's quality and overall sensory experience.

Step 1 - Observing the Appearance

The leaves of the gyokuro kagoshima are a dark green color and rolled into large, thin needle shapes.

Step 2 - Assessing the Aroma

The aroma coming off of the wet tea leaves drifts strongly into this marine or seaweedy aroma, with a hint of spring grass

Step 3 - Tasting the Tea

The gyokuro kagoshima takes a second to get going but then launches into a complex assortment of flavor profiles. There is a sweet corn note that quenches the sides of the tongue, followed by a strong, vegetal umami. The tea then takes on a slight, mouthwatering acidity and finishes with a pleasant sweetness.

Step 4 - Evaluating the sensation on the palate

The gyokuro kagoshima has a broad assortment of different taste profiles, with the sweet and savory tastes dominating the structure. There is some acidity at play and a tiny hint of minerality but no dryness.

100% Organically grown and Ethically Sourced

Our policy is to exclusively collaborate with farmers who cultivate tea plants without using pesticides or chemicals. This approach yields remarkable results not only in terms of tea flavor but also in the vitality of the tea fields.

We have observed that farms that follow this practice not only foster the growth of tea plants but also encourage the flourishing of wildlife in the surrounding areas.

Nio Teas Unique Organically grown sourcing process

  • Rigorous and individual taste testing of each tea we offer
  • Communication with the farmers about the production methods and how they make sure they ensure no pesticides are being used on the fields
  • Visiting the tea fields in person to assess the quality of the tea field and the production facility
  • Making sure that the biodiversity and wildlife around the tea fields and vibrant by walking around and inspecting the health of the soil
JAS Japanese Agriculture Standards logo

JAS Certified

The JAS acronym stands for Japanese Agriculture Standards, which certify products as having been grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals, as determined by the Japanese government.

To ensure that our tea comes from fields free of pesticides or chemicals, we require verification from the larger tea farmers we partner with in the form of the JAS label, which they are able to obtain through soil samples and testing.

However, we recognize that smaller tea farmers may not have the resources to obtain JAS certification. To support these farmers and their excellent tea, we accept their products under the "pesticide free" label, without requiring JAS certification. Our screening process is designed to be fair and accommodating, providing opportunities for small farmers while ensuring the safety and quality of our tea.

How to prepare the tea

To prepare the gyokuro kagoshima, you can use a lower temperature water and a longer brewing time. The reason for the lower temperature is that the gyokuro kagoshima is meant to be a celebration of these sweet and savory flavors and these are best extracted at a lower temperature. 

The reason for the longer brewing time is that the leaves of the gyokuro kagoshima are tightly rolled into these thin needle shapes. These leaves take more time to expand and fully release their flavor into the water.

  • icon of a teapot with temperature brewing instruction in degree for 60 degree celsius and 140 degree fahrenheit

    Step 1

    First, you can heat up the water to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This will be the perfect temperature for the gyokuro kagoshima.

  • icon of 5 grams of tea leaves

    Step 2

    Add 5 grams of the gyokuro kagoshima to your kyusu teapot.

  • icon of a teapot with time brewing instruction of 2 minutes

    Step 3

    Allow the tea leaves to sit and brew in the water undisturbed for 2 minutes.

  • black icon of a cup of tea

    Step 4

    After the tea leaves are done brewing, you can pour out your gyokuro kagoshima and the teapot will automatically filter out the leaves so they don’t end up in your cup. Enjoy your gyokuro tea!

  • icon of a teapot with time brewing instruction of 20 seconds

    2nd brew

    Just add more hot water to the teapot and let the leaves brew for 20 seconds each time you reinfuse. Because the leaves are already opened up you only need 20 seconds to brew and each brewing will be slightly different!

  • icon of glace of matcha latte with ice cubes

    Cold brew

    In addition to being a great warm cup of tea, the gyokuro kagoshima also makes for a sweet and refreshing cold brew! If you want to learn how to cold brew this tea, you can read our article all about cold brewing gyokuro.

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Learn more

Necessary teaware

The best tool to prepare gyokuro tea is either the kyusu teapot or the shiboridashi. If you prefer producing very concentrated small cups of gyokuro tea that are packed with flavor we recommend the shiboridashi but for daily brewing, the kyusu works best. 

Alternative without teaware

If you don’t have a teapot at home, you can brew the gyokuro kagoshima with a tea strainer. This won’t produce quite as rich of a flavor as the teapot, but it will give

you a way to filter out the tea leaves and keep them out of your cup.

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mr sakamoto farm in japan

Location of production and farmer

Information about the farm

The gyokuro kagoshima was produced by Mr. Sakamoto, the legendary Organic green tea farmer in Southern Japan. Mr. Sakamoto has been working in the tea industry for decades, and during that time he has developed ways to make super flavorful gyokuro tea without the use of pesticides or chemicals.

After meeting with Mr. Sakamoto many times, we are still so impressed by his dedication to his tea field. Instead of taking the easy way out, he took the time to develop his own organic fertilizer. He uses a combination of naturally ingredients, including organic compost and mulched sedimentary rock.

This special fertilizer provides nutrients to the soil of the tea plants, allowing them to produce strong and healthy tea leaves. While most organic gyokuro teas lack flavor, the ones from sakamoto have a rich, sweet and savory flavor.

map with the location of kagoshima tea fields in Japan

Sourced in Kagoshima

Japan

The gyokuro kagoshima is of course grown in Kagoshima Japan, in the far south of the island of Kyushu. More specifically, the tea is grown in the town of Shibushi, an area that benefits from warm, subtropical climates, seasonal rainfall and rich, volcanic soils.

Cultivar and tea plant variety

The gyokuro kagoshima is a blended gyokuro, made by combining the cultivars Yabukita, Okumidori and Saemidori. Mr. Sakamoto is able to perfectly capture the best elements of each.

  • Yabukita

    Yabukita is the most popular tea cultivar in Japanese green tea. It is known for having a strong, vegetal flavor with a rich umami.

  • Okumidori

    Okumidori is known for producing smooth and full bodied teas, so it works perfectly  in Gyokuro. In the case of the Gyokuro Kagoshima, the okumidori balances out the flavor of the tea, and adds a hint of fruitiness that comes out in the cold brew.

  • Saemidori

    Saemidori is another rare tea plant variety that has become well sought after for its light and sweet flavor. By adding this cultivar to the Gyokuro kagoshima, Mr. Sakamoto is able to dial up the sweetness, which really enhances the taste.

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If you have any issues with your order, please don't hesitate to contact us. The best way to reach us is through email at info@nioteas.com. However, if you have a quick question, feel free to send us a direct message on Instagram at @nio_japanese_green_tea.

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Gyokuro Kagoshima Sasa Hime learning plateform

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