Ochanomaruku's Asagiri Tea from Shizuoka

    I found this lovely addition to my Shizuoka green tea collection at a drug store near my home. At the cost of a little under 600 yen for 100 grams, it was a decent mid-range tea by price alone. While I am sure that I have tried tea from this brand before, I also have tried so much tea that I am not entirely sure whether that should raise or lower my expectations for this batch, so I did my best to keep my premature thoughts on the matter to a minimum. 

    The back of the bag boasts that the tea will show umami and sweetness with less astringency due to the use of leaves of the yabukita variety and a deep steaming method that avoids some of the burning process. The bag also explains that this product is made using the first tea leaves picked in May blended with the second leaves picked in June and claims that this will provide a light sweetness and refreshing aftertaste.

    Personally, I was surprised by the steeping time. The picture-filled instructions seems to indicate that the tea could be ready to consume less than a minute after adding hot water to leaves, which astounds me. I admit that I did not use a timer to ensure a forty second steep as indicated in those instructions but I did attempt to keep a semi-accurate count in my head and was still shocked that the water came out of the pot with a definite tea hue. I was sure it would be super clear, almost water, but with less than a minute to combine with the leaves, this water had managed to take on a decent amount of color and opacity.

    Of course, it was too hot to drink right out of the pot, but a few minutes later, I was able to give the product a try. It was delectable. The umami richness and flavor were more subtle and subdued but increased to a more discernible degree when I swirled the thick remnants at the bottom back into the drink. It was something like the faintly audible whispers of a lovely melody following a crescendo into a comfortable volume. The flavor was never overpowering but also never felt like tea flavored water, as so many other variations have, even some with much longer steeping times.

This post is supported by Shizuoka Green Tea Guide, one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.