Hirotaka Umehara: Kiln Change Striated Chakkiri Kyūsu

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  US$16.8

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  FIR Houjicha, far-infrared roasted green tea petioles, 40 g

  Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Neutral Energy, Tea

  遠赤外線 深煎りほうじ茶

  An old style petiole tea much elevated using modern technology

  Much like roasting green coffee beans to brown colour for making a dark colour drink, a houjicha is a green tea that is deeply roasted. Unlike in China or Taiwan, where a large variety of oolongs and black teas are there readily to choose from for deep baking or roasting, producers in Japan mostly have only green tea to work with. While it sounds straight forward, to find one which taste is respectable is not easy. The very brittle nature of Japanese green tea leaves does not yield much taste when deep roasted. Roasted bancha — i.e. houjicha of lower grade leaves — which is often served in any neighbourhood eateries, is an example. Since larger, older and under-processed leaves are used and the final quality reflects that. There is one kind of houjicha, however, that caught our attention: that from one of our Uji producers who has mastered the process of roasting using a far-infrared system. Much like in our Karigane where the relative higher cellulose and carbohydrate contents in the petioles gives a sweeter and a relatively more complex dimension, this far infrared deep roasted version of purely small leaf stalks does have a pleasantly warm and tidily intact taste profile. My first encounter with something similar was a small cup served after a luxurious crab kaiseki meal in a pristinely beautiful traditional formal style restaurant. It was quite an impressive surprise. To me, this easy going tea doesn’t have to be enjoyed only after an expensive meal. It can be easily infused using a hot or cold infusion method and it is quite forgiving of irregularities. It suits a lot of occasions where tea is a complement. And it is a nice one. Net weight: 40g (1.4oz) in Kraft-alu pack

  US$16.8

  Rated 5.00 out of 5

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  US$91.0

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  Hirotaka Umehara: Columnar Tobikanna Kyūsu

  Japanese chachū (kyūsu), Teaware

  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.

  US$91.0

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  US$80.0

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  Hirotaka Umehara: a classic utilitarian kyūsu

  Japanese chachū (kyūsu), Teaware

  梅原 廣隆 玉光急須

  Artist: Hirotaka Umehara Pot capacity: 585 ml Pot diameter: 11.5 cm Pot opening diameter: 9.5 cm Pot height, including the lid button: 10.5 cm Material: high temperature fired red clay Net weight: 324 g Origin: Tokoname, Aichi, Japan Packing: Cushioned carton box

  US$80.0

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  US$23.8

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  Karigane Gyokuro, a very special kukicha, 120 g

  Cold Energy, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Tea

  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

  US$23.8

  Rated 5.00 out of 5

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  US$66.0

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  Hirotaka Umehara: Kiln Change Mini Oblong Kyūsu

  Japanese chachū (kyūsu), Teaware

  梅原 廣隆 玉光火窯変ミニ長丸無地急須

  Artist: Hirotaka Umehara Pot capacity: 150 ml Pot diameter: 7 cm Pot opening diameter: 5 cm Pot height, including the lid button: 7.5 cm Material: high temperature fired red clay Net weight: 127 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.

  US$66.0