Young tea farmer Yuki Kayashita learned kancha making from tea farmers in the mountains of Asuke Village, Aichi Prefecture. It is an earthy and mellow tea that can be enjoyed by all; from children to the elderly. Today, it is an extremely rare tea that few producers adopt, originally made in regions such as Asuke village, Aichi Prefecture and Shishikui village, Tokushima Prefecture. You can also simply enjoy the appearance of the leaves themselves. This tea lends itself to long term aging, changing little over time. Kancha Processing Kancha is made from large mature tea leaves harvested during daikan（大寒）, the coldest time of the year. At Tea Farm Mitocha, the harvest occurs from December to February. Both the tea leaves and stems are harvested. The leaves and stems are boiled in a large wooden barrel and steamed for about an hour. After steaming, the leaves are easily separated and removed from their branches. The leaves are then sun-dried (i.e., laid out to be dried in the cold, dry winter air and sun). To learn more about tea farmer Yuki Kayashita, please refer to Yunomi's interview with him. Please also check out the article: Kancha, a Rare Japanese Tea harvested in the Winter Time. Steeping Notes Tea: 3g. Time: 5 min. Water: 95C/204F, 200 ml Flavor notes from these parameters: smooth, feathery, buttery, sweet, earthy Product Info Ingredients: Green tea Cultivar: Yabukita Harvest: Winter (Dec - Feb) Cultivated without use of pesticides / synthetic fertilizers Region: Yamazoe Village, Nara Prefecture