Co-op Brand Shizuoka Houji-cha

Thanks to this Shizuoka tea project, I have gained a lot of insights into the flavour and uniqueness of the green tea of the Shizuoka Prefecture. However, my focus has been mostly on green tea, so I was glad to see that Co-op was carrying an in-house brand of Shizuoka houji-cha, and it encouraged me to pick it up to try something different from the same region that I am now quite familiar with.

For those who do not know, Co-op is a nation-wide supermarket that carries a lot of high quality and locally grown products. They are usually more expensive than average, and many richer households enjoy their products because quality is often ensured. Knowing that gave me confidence upon choosing the tea, which was very reasonably priced at 205 yen including tax.

As described on the package, this delicious tea is Shizuoka-grown “bancha” that was dried and roasted. Houji-cha is different from normal green tea with its roasted flavour, which is great for winter. In fact, the package has instructions for hot tea but nothing for cold brews. Unlike other green tea I have been drinking, this package suggests brewing the tea with 100 degrees water instead of the 70-80 degrees. After you wait 30 seconds, it is great to be enjoyed. Okay, I got it. This is a tea served hot, and the temperature is still cold enough for me to enjoy this.

I opened the package, and the aroma of the houji-cha was very compelling. It was refreshing in that it smells very different from the usual tea I drink. It reminds me of the nice smell I pick up walking pass tea shops in Japan that roast their tea outside, but this tea smells more calm and sweet. The novelty made me really looked forward to the tea being ready.

The first sip of the tea was really hot because I did not blow on it. However, once it dropped to a drinkable temperature, I got to enjoy this houji-cha slowly. The tea is profound without overpowering. The aroma maintains even when I was half way done with it, which made the drink double enjoyable.

Actually, since I usually find Shizuoka green tea to be more on the bitter side, I was caught off guard by how easy to drink and sweet this tea is. It made it very easy for me to finish the whole pot in an hour, and the hot tea also got me heated up and I felt warm the whole night.

Considering the price, this Shizuoka houji-cha is an excellent deal. Moreover, having a different type of tea to enjoy at home is great, and I think I will be coming back to this occasionally.

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.