JGAP certified tea from Shizuoka

So far, my experience with Japanese tea in general has been very limited. I have been drinking lots of different teas from all around the world for years, but this is my first time trying green tea from Shizuoka Prefecture. When I went to my local grocery store to get some, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of affordable teas from that area. This limited edition green tea from Shimada City in Shizuoka finally stood out to me due to it’s JGAP certification (at that point I had no idea what that meant though…). It was also only ¥678 for a large 300g bag, which I think is a very reasonable price.

Back at home, I first researched what that JGAP thing was all about. JGAP stands for ‘Japan Good Agricultural Practices’ and is a set of certification standards by the Japan GAP foundation to ensure the quality, safety and sustainability of agricultural products. The control criteria comprise factors like soil, water, fertilizer, pesticides, sanitation and radioactive substances. In addition to monitoring food safety, JGAP also considers occupational safety with strict regards to human rights.
So far so good, but what does this apparently quite ethically and sustainably produced tea taste like?

From my first brew I got some nice notes of freshly cut grass and quite a bit of bitterness. That is most likely owed to the fact that I didn’t use a timer to time the recommended 30 seconds of infusion time. I also noticed the rather pale green colour of the brew and the dark sediment of tea debris at the bottom of my tea pot.

After finishing the first round and giving my pot a quick rinse, I had now learned from my mistakes and payed more attention to the preparation of the second batch. The result was well worth it! That time I got a very different beverage, with light and refreshing flavors, perfect for spring and summer. It reminded me of the scent of a rainy summer day after a period of drought. It’s incredible how the flavor can change with multiple infusions and a few seconds difference in infusion time.

I sure hope this limited edition green tea from the Harada tea plantation is not too limited so I can get more when I run out. But I am also looking forward to trying more different teas from Shizuoka and expanding my tea horizon.

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.