Kabusecha Shade-Grown Green Tea from Yame, Japan (100g bag)

Description

Kabusecha sits in a unique position in the Japanese green tea family — shaded like gyokuro but not for as long, processed like sencha but with more depth. The result is a tea that carries the sweetness and umami of shade-growing without the intensity that can overwhelm newcomers to Japanese green tea. This particular kabusecha is from Yame, one of the most respected tea regions in Japan.

Product Details

• Origin: Yame, Northern Kyushu, Japan — birthplace of high-grade Japanese green tea
• Size: 100g bag
• Processing: Deep-steamed (fukamushi) kabusecha
• Cultivars: Blend of rare Japanese cultivars including the mellow Okumidori and a Yame-specific local cultivar
• Caffeine: Moderate (between sencha and gyokuro)

What Makes Kabusecha Different

“Kabuse” means “covered” — the tea bushes are shaded under fabric canopies for about one to two weeks before harvest, shorter than gyokuro's three to four weeks but enough to significantly change the leaf chemistry. Shading reduces catechins (which cause bitterness) and increases amino acids (which produce sweetness and umami). The deep-steaming (fukamushi) process further softens the flavor, producing a rich, full-bodied cup with a vibrant emerald color.

About Yame

The Yame region in northern Kyushu is known for its inland climate — warm days, cool nights, and frequent morning mists that naturally shade the tea plants even before the canopies go up. The fertile soil and clear water contribute to teas with exceptional depth and complexity. Yame consistently produces some of the highest-scoring green teas in Japan's national tea competitions.

Brewing Instructions

Use about 4-5g of leaves per cup. Steep at 70-80°C (160-175°F) for 60-90 seconds for the first infusion. The leaves handle 2-3 infusions well, with each steeping revealing different layers of the tea's character. Avoid boiling water — high temperatures extract bitterness and mask the delicate sweetness.

Perfect For

Tea drinkers who want more depth than sencha but find gyokuro too intense, anyone curious about shade-grown Japanese teas, people who appreciate regional terroir in their tea, and fans of deep-steamed (fukamushi) green teas.