HYOGO TANBA SASAYAMA KANCHA
Category: Green Tea
Origin: JAPAN, Hyogo Prefecture, Tanba Sasayama Village
Cultivar: Yabukita
Quantity: 40g per pack
Harvest: Winter (January)
Other: -
Location:
It is said that tea in Japan began in 815 when Emperor Saga ordered tea to be planted in Tamba (Tanba), Omi and Harima. The first tea tree allegedly planted in Tamba was on the stone wall of the main hall of Bunpo-ji Temple. Japanese texts also mention that Tamba tea has been cultivated since the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and was mostly used for gifts and as medical herbs.
Tamba Sasayama itself has a distinct climate with significant temperature variations between day and night. Combined with rich soil and fog, it suits the cultivation of tea.
The place is also famous for the Daikokuji Temple in Ajima which was built during the end of the Kamakura period through the beginning of the Muromachi period. The building was made using a rare architectural style that utilizes a blend of Zen Buddhism style (Chinese design) and a Japanese architectural style. Each year, the Tamba tea festival is performed with the highlight being the "Tamba Teapot Procession" where tea leaves are carried to Daikokuji Temple by a komuso priest playing the bamboo flute Shakuhachi.
Komuso meaning “monk of emptiness” or “priest of nothingness” were wandering non-monastic lay Buddhists from the warrior-class (samurai and rōnin) who were noted for wearing straw basket hats and playing the shakuhachi).
During the Edo period, it was said that half of the tea distributed in Osaka (Kamigata) was Tamba tea, and it accounted for a large part of the income of the Sasayama domain.
In addition to the normal harvesting periods, some tea places also produce winter tea during the Great Cold. Nowadays, the Tamba-Sasayama tea output is quite small, the main products being Sencha and Aki Bancha. This region is now specialized in the production of sweet black beans and wonderful chestnuts.
Description:
"Kancha" is a unique tea as it is harvested in winter when the water content is the trees is low, with a very small output. The tea leaves steamed and dried with a simple process that retains the aroma. It has a strong sweetness and very specific fresh fragrance reminding cucumber or water melon. As the lower big leaves are being used, it would fall into the Bancha category and are typically poor in caffeine compared with classic green teas harvested in spring.
Preparation:
5g (0.14oz) of leaves per serving
120ml of water at 95-100°C (203-212°F)
First brew: 60 seconds
Subsequent brews: 60-80 seconds
Cold brew: 10g of leaves for 1L of cold water. Brew for 12-15 hours in the fridge at 5°C. Filter the infusion in another bottle and keep it in the fridge. You may re-brew the spent leaves a second time as you like.