Fukamushicha, Tea for the Senses

A veteran wine specialist once advised me, when I asked him about where to start with wine appreciation, to focus on one type of grape. His rationale was that, if you sample various vintages in a narrow category, you come to know what they have in common, and what appeals to your palate. To my mind, good tea can be approached in the same way. So most recently, I’ve been enjoying Shizuoka tea, and specifically fukamushicha, deep steamed tea, from Kakegawa City.

One place I find a wide selection of tea is Waku Waku Hiroba, a specialty grocery chain that features both products from local farms and from various regions of Japan. The products are labeled to indicate the locations they come from. On a recent shopping trip, I perused the tea selection, and among the many choices, I decided on a 100 gram packet of award-winning fukamushicha. This particular variety is prepared by Maruhori Tea Manufacturing located in Kakegawa City.

My tea of choice this time is tsuyayaka midori, a blend of two varieties of leaves, yabukita and asatsuyu, grown in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The midori in the name, meaning green, describes the color.

Appreciating tea is a sensory experience that of course starts with flavor and fragrance. Green tea flavors range on a spectrum from grass to citrus to leafy greens. The aroma can bring to mind herbs and freshly cut grass, and sharp notes of nearly a spicy quality.

Tea has not only flavor and scent, but also perceptible texture that creates a range of sensations in your mouth much like wine. When you sip tea you will likely notice the astringency or drying quality of tea on your tongue. Black teas tend to be the most astringent, while green teas are celebrated for their low astringency. A feeling often associated with green tea is creaminess. The same way that cream or milk lingers in your mouth, green tea remains on your tongue.

The tsyuyaka midori certainly has the qualities indicated on the package. It’s got a mellow and slightly sweet taste, stays with you after you take a sip, and is low in astringency. To savor the tea, I brewed it the classic way I described in a previous post, and poured it into vintage tea cups. The tea cups with decorated lids are not precious, purchased at a second hand shop, and fit perfectly in the hand. I brewed from the same leaves a few times, with the flavor becoming more mellow and complex with each cup I poured. Enjoying the flavor, aroma, and texture of this tea in a lovely cup is a cozy way to take a break from the world.

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.