Jade Kukicha Green Tea

Kukicha literally means stem tea, which is very fitting since it is made from the stems of green tea leaves. This particular batch is whole stems from first flush leaves. It has a very rich, sweet, grass taste with a hint of citrus and seaweed. The brewed tea has a light green color and it has an aroma of wheat and seaweed. It is surprisingly refreshing and is very low in bitterness.

NaturaliTea is owned by the Kinezuka family in Shizuoka, Japan. Their tea is grown at an altitude of 1,150 feet (350 meters). The Kinezuka family has been practicing natural farming techniques since the 1970’s and their family is highly respected in Japan for this. Ayumi, the eldest daughter, is now running the farm. She graduated from an American University but returned to Japan to carry on the family business and to help keep tea farming alive in Japan.