Background

Houshun Sencha is an unshaded, low-oxidation green tea cultivated and produced by Uejima Sourokouen in Wazuka, Kyoto. Made from the Houshun cultivar and harvested in May 2024, the tea features medium-long needle-like leaves and offers a balanced yet soft taste, with a vibrant aroma.

“Japanese Pear, gentle sweetness that lingers in the back of the cheeks”

Personal Connection – George’s Notes

This tea is made by Uejima Noriyasu who is a tea farmer based in Wazuka, Kyoto. He produces many spectacular tea with Uejima-san being the farmer, producer and salesman of his tea. A very busy man indeed but somehow still finds time to sit down and enjoy tasting teas from other countries and getting new ideas for how he can continue to improve and innovate.

George used to live 5 minutes away from Uejima-san and would go for a cup of tea and talk all things tea a few times per year.

Brewing Recommendations

Use 5 grams of tea in a small teapot, such as a shiboridashi, and prepare a porcelain cup for serving. Use soft water with low mineral content (around 40ppm) and skip the rinse. Begin with a first infusion using 100ml of water at 75°C for 80 seconds. For the second infusion, raise the temperature to 80°C and steep for 25 seconds. Increase to 90°C for the third and fourth infusions, steeping for 15 and 30 seconds, respectively. For additional infusions, continue with 100ml of water, increasing the temperature by 5°C and the steep time by 10 seconds with each round until the flavor is exhausted.