Description ORIGIN & HARVEST TIME Shizuoka, Kawane, Japan 2025 CHARACTER A strongly oxidized and middle roasted black tea made from Koshun cultivar. The dry leaves are rusty-dark and release an intensely spicy aroma with notes of dried fruit, tomato and thyme. The infusion is intensely spicy (cinnamon, coriander), fruity (lychee, Japanese plum, orange), and citrusy in aroma. Alongside its freshness, however, gently bitter and dry tones are also present. It is a very intriguing, tightly structured tea in which the mild bitterness is not unpleasant; rather, it awakens the palate and highlights the sweet, fruity, and floral notes. The drier tones do not dominate but instead cleanse and balance the flavor, enhancing the tea’s uplifting character. ☼ Kawane is, alongside Honyama and Tenryu, one of the finest tea regions of Shizuoka. Tea gardens stretch along the winding banks of the Ōi River, where mountains rise quickly to elevations of 500–600 meters. The combination of river mist, clean mountain air, and significant day-night temperature differences creates ideal conditions for slow growing and concentrated aroma. Teas from Kawane are known for their clarity, elegance, and vibrant fragrance, often lighter in body, yet remarkably expressive. ☼ Masui Etsuro has been practicing organic tea cultivation since 1984 in Shizuoka, in the mountains of Kawane along the banks of the Ōi River. Through decades of steady and dedicated work, he has become one of the pioneers of Japanese black tea production and organic tea farming in Japan. After spending several years abroad, in the United States and Senegal, he returned to his homeland in 1984 and began his life’s work. On the coldest, shortest day of the year, he planted his first tea bushes. From the very beginning, he committed himself entirely to organic methods, at a time when this approach was far from common in Japan, or anywhere else in the world. For years, he was considered something of an eccentric because of his experiments with black tea. Fortunately, a small but loyal group of customers soon formed, helping him through the difficult early period. He experimented with Indian, Taiwanese, and of course Chinese processing techniques. After more than a decade of work, in 1996 he named his own tea cultivar after his daughter: Mirai, meaning Future. To this day, he works alone on his farm alongside Mirai, he primarily cultivates classic Japanese varieties of Camellia sinensis, including Tsuyuhikari, Koshun, Yabukita, and others. Certifications JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) The official certification system required in Japan for the production, distribution, and export of organic products. GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems) An international recognition system that protects and acknowledges agricultural heritage landscapes of global significance. Chagusaba – 茶草場 In Shizuoka Prefecture, the traditional “tea grass” integrated farming system has been practiced for generations as a way to preserve biodiversity. This system is internationally recognized, and in 2013 the Chagusaba landscapes were designated as a GIAHS site. In the mountainous tea-growing areas of Shizuoka, tea gardens are often surrounded by grass-covered slopes. These semi-natural grasslands are called chagusaba (meaning “tea grass fields”), where grasses are cultivated and later used as mulch in tea production. This practice enhances soil quality and supports a rich and diverse ecosystem. BENEFITS Sweet, Refreshing, Complex, Fruity, Delicate, Aromatic, Spicy, Bitter, Full-bodied, Intense STRENGTH-CAFF: 7/10 DOSAGE & BREWING GUIDELINE Brewing: 3 grams 300-500 ml water. Infuse with 85 C° water 2-3 times, for 1-2 minutes. / 3 inf.
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