GIAHS-Approved Shizuoka Green Tea

It has been getting cooler lately and while I am switching out the clothes in my closet, I am also storing away my cold brew teas and coffees to prepare for some hot drinks to help me get through the months of indoor time to come. This also gave me the prefect reason to head out and pick up another new tea to refill my cabinet.

While looking for tea at the supermarket, my attention was caught by this fancy looking silver packaging. This Chagusaba Shizuoka Sen-cha from Shizuoka has great packaging but, more importantly, this specific bag of tea is produced by farming methods designated as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, or GIAHS.



The GIAHS system, set up by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, rates and approves agriculture that pays attention to how farming is set up to coexist with the local environment as well as utilize the benefits of the local bio-life while contributing to their existence, rather than disturbing them.

With that in mind, this tea is made from the farms' centralized in five designated towns within Shizuoka Prefecture that are using the said-approved traditional Shizuoka tea farming methods. Without much detail, the package did also inform me that the farming method somehow involves susuki (miscanthus) and sasa (bamboo grass). Thinking about those two grasses growing alongside the green tea really raised my expectations for the taste of this tea.

So, this essentially UN-approved tea sounds like it should be pricy, but I got this bag of 100 grams for just 600 yen. Not only is this an approved sustainable tea, it is also affordable!

How good is this unique yet affordable bag of Shizuoka green tea then?

If you are attuned to Shizuoka green tea, you would expect a deep and rich flavour from the tea. That is exactly what we have here -- a heartful and warming flavour that spread through my whole body. The profound flavour was there with every single sip of the hot beverage.

The aroma is a joy as well, as a quick swirl of the tea by turning the cup will fill your nose with a relaxing smell. I enjoyed the tea while imagining miscanthus and bamboo grass under a starry night sky, and it was a very good way to enjoy my evening after dinner.

This bag seems rare, as I have only seen it at only one supermarket so far that did not always have it. If you ever find this bag of GIAHS-approved Shizuoka green tea, please do not wait for it and give it a try!

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.