Textbook mountain-grown sencha with flowery, citrusy notes. Grown organically in the misty foothills of the Ashitaka mountain range, southeast of Mt. Fuji, this tea is crafted by the farmer himself—a certified hand-rolling tea master. Tsuyu-hikari is a relatively new cultivar developed in Shizuoka. Among the several tea varieties grown on this farm, the producer notes that Tsuyu-hikari adapts particularly well to the terroir. For this batch, only the juiciest and most flavorful parts of the leaves were selectively harvested. The result is a tea that captures the essence of Shizuoka’s classic mountain-grown sencha: elegant umami, gentle minerality, and a glassy, vibrant sweetness that reflects the clarity of nature. It opens with top notes of floral, fruity, and citrusy aromas—distinctive characteristics of the Tsuyu-hikari cultivar—making this tea uniquely expressive. These layers are supported by a firm backbone of natural bitterness and astringency, lending structure and depth that speak to the tea’s high quality. Contrary to common assumptions about organic tea, the flavor here is anything but weak. It’s clean and solid—not too soft-edged or muddy, but genuinely clear and vivid, like a blue sky on a crisp day. If you’re looking to experience what truly good Japanese green tea tastes like, this is the one. Just remember to brew it at a lower temperature.
