Gyokuro

🍃 Gyokuro green tea: the latest addition to Japan’s finest green teas

Gyokuro is a rare Japanese green tea, accounting for less than 1% of total production, with just over 580 tonnes in 2023. Production is concentrated in Mie and Kyoto. Fukuoka, despite being home to the renowned Yame region, accounts for less than 10% of gyokuro production.

To put it simply, gyokuro combines the production methods of sencha with the cultivation techniques used for matcha. Thus, in the fields, the tea plants are shaded for three weeks before harvest using the same methods as for tencha (matcha), whilst its production is almost identical to that of sencha. This combination results in a gyokuro tea that is very mellow and rich in umami, a flavour further enhanced by the low-temperature brewing method.

A brief historical overview

Gyokuro is considered the finest of Japanese teas, although it appeared relatively late in the history of tea in Japan. The exact origins of its creation remain unclear: some attribute it to the tea master Ogawa Kashin (1786–1855), who is said to have developed it in 1834, whilst others cite Yamamoto Kahei in 1835.
Traditionally, Gyokuro is one of the teas of choice in senchadô, a form of Japanese tea ceremony distinct from chanoyu. Although the first senchadô schools were established in the late 19th century, the practice dates back to the early 18th century. Depending on the school, either sencha or gyokuro is primarily used, each reflecting a different approach to the art of tea.

How to prepare gyokuro

As for preparation, gyokuro is traditionally brewed with water at 50°C. As with all Japanese green teas, the parameters may vary depending on the region, the cultivar and even your personal preference, and whilst the recommendations below are standard, they may not be the most suitable for your particular tea.

👉 For the best flavour, use 10 g of gyokuro with 60 ml of water at 50°C, wait two minutes and thirty seconds, then serve. You can use these settings for the next two infusions.

• 60 ml at 50°C for 2 minutes and 30 seconds

• 120 ml at 90°C for 30 seconds.

Chanoki

123 rue du château

75014 Paris