Ise Gyokuro Chikusen, 60 g
US$37.3
excluding tax and tariff
伊勢 逸品玉露 竹仙
Compared to Uji or even Kyushu, the region of Mie is much less talked about as one of the first major tea production areas in Japan. Yet it is still as important a source for high end classical Japanese green tea. Many big brands come here to OEM their products, some even claiming them as from some other more popularly known origins*. That is why we buy directly from the producers here. It is quality that matters to us after all.
We have screened the best tasting teas for our offers and Tsutsumi sensei’s teas most often come up on top. I guess he was not buffing when he said, “the demand is getting crazy…”
Tea Hong’s Ise Gyokuro Chikusen is Tsutsumi sensei’s top quality green tea from this most sought after production farm in Mie. In Japan, teas from Mie and neighbouring areas are generally referred to as Ise teas. We follow that local practice.
The soft, supple, umami and slightly floral characteristics of a good value gyokuro like this is an optimum choice for receiving guests of all levels of tea appreciation skills, or for that special tranquil moment that you can retreat your overloaded mind to.
Net weight: 60g (2.1oz) in Kraft-alu pillow
In stock
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Takasuke Toen: Smoked White Clay
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Tokuta Fujita: Mogake Glitters
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Karigane Gyokuro, a very special kukicha, 120 g
Cold Energy, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, TeaUS$23.8
Karigane Gyokuro, a very special kukicha, 120 g
Cold Energy, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, TeaUS$23.8雁が音 - 白折玉露
When the umami, round and refreshing taste of a good Japanese green tea is desired for a party, or for a casual whole day drink, a good quality kukicha is a popular alternative. Like all other kukicha, or shiraore (another popular name of this tea variety), or karigane, Tea Hong’s Karigane Gyokuro is also produced from leaf stems. There is, however, a significant difference. It is produced as a by product of top quality gyokuro, making it sweeter, softer, a lot more savoury, and as refreshing. Like almost all petiole teas, it is more tolerant of infusion discrepancies, making it a great choice for both green tea beginners and as a daily or party drink. It is a great value alternative to gyokuro. Since a large portion of the leaves are replaced with the leaf petioles, this tea is relatively lower in caffeine too.* Net weight: 120g (4.2oz) in Kraft-alu pack
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Sold out
Uji Gyokuro Yayoinoin, national competition production, 25 g / 60 g
Cold Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, TeaPrice range: US$33.2 through US$57.9
Uji Gyokuro Yayoinoin, national competition production, 25 g / 60 g
Cold Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, TeaPrice range: US$33.2 through US$57.9品評会出品 宇治玉露 弥生の韻
In their small but well organised production workshop in Uji, Master Yoshida and his team carefully sample taste each batch of tea throughout its production process. It is his own reputation that is at stake. As a multiple award winning 16th generation gyokuro master, pursuit for quality is the only way to maintain this honour, and that of his family name. Only the best first flush leaves are selected for processing in this highly specialised workshop. Each step of the processing is monitored and adjusted on the spot for maximising the taste quality. Differences in the weather throughout the growth of the harvest and even the picking time and conditions affect the biochemistry of the leaves. For a green tea, this directly affects the final taste. Adding one degree in heating or a few minutes of baking to optimise the potential of each batch of leaves can therefore mean whether the tea will be good or distinctively superb. Tea Hong’s Uji Gyokuro Yayoinoin is one of these ultimate quality, limited quantity batches hand-rolled by the Master himself, and that we have secured before the annual tea competition. (We wouldn’t be able to offer it if we buy it afterward when it wins. Domestic demand for an award tea is huge even when the price skyrockets upon winner declaration.)
Available in 25g (0.88oz) in a double lidded tin, or in 60g (2.1oz) in a kraft-alu pillow pack. Please click below to choose. -
Hirotaka Umehara: Columnar Tobikanna Kyūsu
Japanese chachū (kyūsu), TeawareUS$91.0梅原 廣隆 玉光焼〆切立飛びカンナ急須
Artist: Hirotaka Umehara Pot capacity: 160 ml Pot diameter: 9.5 cm Pot opening diameter: 7.5 cm Pot height, including the lid button: 6.5 cm Material: high temperature fired beige clay Net weight: 236 g Origin: Tokoname, Aichi, Japan Packing: Cushioned carton box*note: the photo with a hand holding the teapot is intended for the viewer to relate to the size of the piece. It is not meant as a reference for any proper handling style.
Taste profile
Nose: Savoury with notes of roasted nori and dried shiitake on a floral undertone. Palate: Velvety, substantial mouthfeel. Umami with bouquet tones and touches of egg and cream, accented with a very slight touch of bitterness. Finish: Long, flavourful and quenching aftertaste, which can be exemplified with a sip of clean water.
Infusion suggestion:
To best enjoy this tea for warm serving, keep the portion small and use a infusion vessel with good heat retention character, such as a clay or porcelain teapot. An unglazed kyūsu or better yet a genuine Yixing teapot yields the best results.
Always preheat your infusion vessel and use a water that is approx pH7 with TDS 100ppm or less.
5g of leaves to 110ml water. 60°C (140°F) water for 2 min in the first round. 65°C (149°F) for 1.5 min in the second round. 70°C (158°F) for 2 min in the third. Use longer duration rather than raising temperature in subsequent rounds.
*note: However, having their teas OEM in other regions in Japan for these brands is relatively a lot more honest than some others having their teas produced in China but claiming a Japanese origin. It is estimated that a substantial percentage (80%+) of “Japanese” tea available in the global market is actually China produced.
Additional information
| Shipping Weight | 90 g |
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1 review for Ise Gyokuro Chikusen, 60 g
Ise Gyokuro Chikusen, 60 g
Huangshan Maofeng Supreme, traditional green tea, 40 g / 70 g
Cool Energy, Green teas, Huangshan & Anhui, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Tea黃山毛峰 明前嫰芽
Pre-Qingming Maofeng:
Huangshan (translate: Yellow Mountain) is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and a China national conservation. Besides beautiful sceneries, it is also the origin for many a fine teas, such as Huangshan Maofeng. The tender young leaf shoot to make Tea Hong's Huangshan Maofeng Supreme is always plucked with one or two tiny immediate leaves before Spring Equinoix, and always before Qing Ming. Always from the few small family tea farms in the high mountains that we buy from. It is a rare quality even in the market in Huangshan, and if you ever found it, would be at a much higher price. Working directly with producers is a principal at Tea Hong. While offering quality at a reasonable price is one immediate benefit that you as a consumer can enjoy, there are more important reasons and not so immediate results that we aim at. Your patronage means great support for our cause.
Two pack options available, 40g or 70g net weight, please choose at below: 
Tieguanyin Floral, bouquet oolong, 80 g
Cold Energy, Floral Aromas, Milder Tastes, Minnan/ Mindong, Fujian, Oolongs, Tea花香滿樓 頭春金觀音
A very fragrant Jin Guanyin
While some people like their Tieguanyin subtle and long like it used to be traditionally, some others want it to be more floral. So we give you Tieguanyin Floral, a very bouquet version of this popular oolong. The cultivar is Jin Guanyin ( aka Golden Tieguanyin ), a child between the traditional Tieguanyin plant and a relatively newer bleed, Huangjin Gui *. While the latter is widely used as a substitute for the genuine Tieguanyin for its pleasing nose, it lacks the body and length of the real thing. The resultant hybrid, however, has the best of both parents. The terroir is in Xianghua, a mountainous area in the Anxi county in the subtropical southern part of Fujian, where the best Tieguanyin is produced. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster’s Box: Nine Oolong Samplers.
Net weight: 80 g (2.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack 
Snow Orchid, bouquet Phoenix dancong oolong, 40 g
Cold Energy, Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea鳳凰冬茶、雪片鴨屎香
Xuepian Ya-shi Xiang:
Finer winter Phoenix oolongs have always been sought after for their unforgettable natural bouquet fragrances. To us, an aroma of a premium tea has to be complete with a winning taste profile. It has taken us over a decade to fine tune the mastery of the processing of the choicest harvest to attain a result we can be proud of. Presenting Tea Hong’s very own Snow Orchid, the roundest, smoothest, and by far the most seductively fragrant oolong ever known. It is our luscious indulgence secretly from Nature.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack 
Honey Orchid Supreme, classic Phoenix dancong oolong, 40 g
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea鳳凰極品 老樅蜜蘭香
Old Bush Milan Xiang:
For real aficionados who would not be satisfied until they have discovered a deeper depth, a rounder fullness and a more lingering sweetness, we’d go overboard to offer the extreme. Rarest small batches of leaves from special bushes individually processed only by top masters. Such as this supreme quality Milan Xiang Dancong. For those who demand more potential from the leaves for fulfilling their infusion skills. For thirsty souls seeking a moment of tranquility in the depth of the tinkling after-sweetness of Honey Orchid Supreme.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
This is my first gyokuro and I’m newer to high end teas so I will try not to speak out of my a(xx) TOO much, but this is a lovely tea.
The liquor is a vibrant green and the nose brings me to a hot humid day at the ocean, full of sea spray and seaweed. I get the roasted nori a little bit, but it still has a rather fresh smell overall to me.
The flavor is deep and it’s thick across the tongue. It’s savory and comforting and a bit creamy, and the floral notes are very subtle. There is a slight bitterness at the back of the tongue, but a sip of cool water brightens things up, amping up the both the bitterness a bit and freshness a lot.
If you like greens but always wanted a little more from them, without adding too much bitterness or that spinach like flavor from higher temps or longer brew times I think this will be a good choice for you.
Price point aside (as this does get a little pricey per session) I think this tea may be a little too robust as an everyday drinker for me sipping away while working my desk job. However, this is exactly what I want to drink on a slow chilly morning, or after dinner to share with my guests. Thank you for the tea!