Kakegawa Fukamushicha, Healthful and Aromatic

I don’t have to go far to find Shizuoka grown tea in my suburban part of Chiba Prefecture. The local shops and supermarkets carry green tea from Shizuoka’s many tea farms, presented in a variety of forms.

Kakegawa green tea

This variety, Kakegawa green tea, is from Kakegawa City, southwest of the Izu Peninsula. The climate there is noted for its hot and humid summers and mild winters which nurture a variety of crops including fruit, roses and high quality tea. Kakegawa has been producing tea since the Meiji Period, and is known for “fukamushicha”, deep steamed tea. The fukamushicha has won dozens of national awards.

This particular packet from Kunitaro tea company boasts 95.4 mg of catechin per cup. Green tea such as this has high catechin content. More specifically, the variety of catechin in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Research suggests that EGCG wards off heart disease and diabetes, and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Kakegawa City, which has the lowest cancer mortality rate in Japan, attributes the health of the local people to the catechins in their tea.

A simple unglazed tea pot 

The package design with its muted greens and matte finish reminded me of a treasure in my stash – a sampler of kimono fabric specifically for tea ceremony. It’s recommended that for beginning tea ceremony, kimono ought to be subtle. In harmony with the meditative and egalitarian spirit of the tea ceremony, demure kimono demonstrate refinement and austere elegance. This particular bolt of fabric has very small monochromatic patterns, a perfect backdrop for this tea.

Even before I poured the hot water , the fragrance of the fukumushicha filled the room with grassy and sharp, almost spicy notes. The richly flavored brewed tea is a great accompaniment to Japanese wagashi sweets and to help digestion after a meal. I enjoyed it on its own. 

A soothing and flavorful cup of tea

I love the tranquility of tea aroma wreathing my space, so I adopted a tea seller technique - roasting dry tea leaves to release the scent which lures shoppers to the tea counter. It's easy to do at home. I put a tablespoon of tea in a sauce pan over a low flame and keep my eye on it. When it just begins to steam, I turn the heat off, and swing the pan around the house like a censer. It’s yet another way to savor the fragrance of the quality green tea of Shizuoka.

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.