Gyokuro Kyoto green tea

Gyokuro Kyoto represents one of Japan’s most distinctive styles of green tea. The tea comes from the historic Uji tea-growing region of Kyoto Prefecture. Its defining characteristic is that the tea plants are shaded before harvest, allowing the leaves to continue developing under reduced sunlight.

Shading significantly influences the composition of the leaves and the character of the finished tea. As a result, the leaves retain higher levels of amino acids associated with umami, including theanine, while the astringency characteristic of green tea becomes more subdued. After harvesting, the fresh leaves are steamed in the traditional Japanese manner, then rolled and dried.

The dry tea consists of narrow, relatively small and partly broken leaves in vivid and deep shades of green. Once infused, it produces a clear, intense yellow-green liquor. During infusion, the leaves unfold into vivid green leaf pieces of varying sizes.

Gyokuro is characterised by its rich umami, delicate sweetness and restrained astringency. Prepared at a lower water temperature, its full and concentrated character becomes particularly expressive.

Kyoto Prefecture, and particularly the Uji region, has been one of the most important centres of Japanese tea culture for centuries. The practice of shading tea plants developed in the region as early as the 16th century and later played an important role in the development of Japanese shaded teas.

In 1738, Nagatani Sōen, a tea producer from the Uji region, developed the Uji method of steaming and rolling tea leaves. This had a significant influence on the subsequent development of Japanese green tea production.

During the first half of the 19th century, gyokuro developed from the combination of shaded cultivation and Uji-style processing. With its rich umami and refined character, gyokuro became one of the most highly regarded styles of Japanese green tea.

Use 5–6 g of tea per 50–60 ml of water, preferably in a Japanese kyusu or shiboridashi teapot. Allow the water to cool to 50–60 °C, then steep the first infusion for approximately 2 minutes.

For subsequent infusions, a shorter steeping time is sufficient. Gyokuro reveals its characteristic sweetness and umami-rich character particularly well when prepared at a lower water temperature and with a higher tea-to-water ratio. If you prefer a lighter infusion, simply use a little more water.