Tokujoufukamushicha Green Tea from Shizuoka: A Soft Brew

    I found this one at a grocery store in Miyagi and was drawn to the label on the front boasting Shizuoka as the origin of these dried leaves. I had to ask my husband to read the kanji of the name label for me as I was unfamiliar with how these specific characters would sound when paired together.

    The back of the package details two ways to prepare this tea. First they give the hot instructions which any tea enthusiast should already be aware of. What is interesting is that it suggests only using 4 grams instead of 5g for a 200 mL cup. Since I don't actually have a tiny scale or measuring spoons this specific, I estimated 4-5 grams and prepared a hot cup of tea in my brand new year of the rat mug, given to me on January second as a sales day giveaway at Aeon.

    Separately, I prepared a suggested 6 grams, estimated again, in a glass of cold water -- the cold preparation requiring more time and half again as much of the tea leaves led me to assume that the flavors on the second cup might take more time to develop.

    After straining both, it was time to indulge.

    The warm drink had acquired a scent while it brewed. While it was not sweet enough to be considered herbal, the scent was also not bitter or tart enough to be grassy. It was somewhere in between, but not unpleasant.

    As I sipped the first cup of tea, I felt the warmth of the drink was soothing, while the actual flavor was very soft. Bitterness was nowhere to be found. If you know someone who loves drinking water but does not enjoy green tea, this might be the best way to get them into it. My one small cup was easy to finish but didn't bring about as much of the rich umami flavors I have become accustomed to enjoying in cups of green tea from Shizuoka. It was enjoyable but the flavor combination seemed to be missing something.

    The cold brew felt heavier than water but I had trouble distinguishing any flavor from the first few sips. Again, this is the tea to recommend for people who don't like the flavor of green tea but want an alternative to water. Letting the cold brew sit for a few minutes untouched brought out more of the flavors that should have been evident from the get go. Suddenly I could taste the relationship between this and the hot brew. They had the same flavor profile but the warmer one felt slightly richer.

    This isn't the first time I've tried a hot and cold taste test on a green tea from Shizuoka. Last time I even suggested that the cold brew was could be used as a less bland replacement for water. This time, I feel the cold brew has more value but still a very soft flavor overall.

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.