Shirakawa Gyokuro
The highest grade of gyokuro we sell from Japan's oldest continuously operating tea shop, Tsuen in Uji near Kyoto. Note that Uji Shirakawa Gyokuro is a very limited edition item, we are supplying it because the opportunity to offer it presented itself to us and we strive to supply the best of the best. We do not recommend that you purchase this rare item unless you have previously practiced brewing gyokuro. O-Cha.com is honored to offer this superb green tea supplied to us from the Tsuen family who have operated their teashop from same location on the banks of the Uji river since 1160.
Grown in nearby Shirakawa, this is an extremely high quality gyokuro. Gyokuro is shade grown before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste. Less that 0.5 % of all green tea harvested in Japan ends up as gyokuro, and among those, this gem is near the top. This green tea is hand-picked (rare - see video tab) and is pure "Gokou" cultivar. Another unique aspect is that unlike the majority of gyokuro grown today, the shading is not done with modern shade cloth but instead using traditional straw and reed screening. The combination of hand-picking and traditional shading methods make this a very "old school" gyokuro.
Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life! Since this is a connoisseur grade of gyokuro and is not considered a beginner's green tea, make sure to read our how to brew gyokuro page as it is brewed differently than sencha.
Because this is a rather rare and expensive, we are offering it at this time in 30 gram packaging
- Loose Leaf
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Ease of BrewingExperts Only!
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Net Weight30 g / 1.05 oz
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Growing Region100% Uji
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Year2022
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HarvestFirst and/or Shincha
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BreedGokou
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ShadingFull Shade (Gyokuro / Matcha)
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SteamingLight
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ColorGreen
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AromaStrong
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TasteSweet
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AstringencyMild
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ClarityClear
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First infusions per Pkg5
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OrganicNo
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Leaf (dry weight grams) to Water (1 fl oz / 30 ml) Ratio (recommended)2.1 g to 1 oz/30 ml
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Brew Temp (℃/℉ - recommended )50℃ (122℉)
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Brew Time (Seconds)150-180
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NotesProbably the best gyokuro you will ever try in your life, rare! Be sure to correctly pre-heat all vessels and brew at correct temperature.
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Dylan StevensonAug 28, 2017, 18:09Really great gyokuro. One of the best I've had.
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BDLMay 31, 2017, 01:05I've drank many teas in my life: white teas, sencha greens, a few gyokuro's, different quality matcha's, etc... So I thought I had a pretty solid idea of how teas tasted. And then I got this one...
This is a very special tea. I had no idea tea could even taste like this: big, buttery, solid and evolving. With a long aftertaste, where other teas have long lost theirs.
I brew it with a small shiboridashi teapot, 5 grams tea, 80 ml of bottled water around 50 degrees Celsius. Perfect that way for about 5 servings.
Highly recommended for that special tea moment. -
TECUNUMAN GARCIAMay 27, 2017, 00:36WOW, I am so Happy to have found O-Cha online, I use to live in Japan for five years back in the 90's, and how i missed that local green tea. Since then I have buying Gyokuro from Teavana, and let me tell you, once I got my Shirakawa Uji tea, talk about night and day difference. I am not sure where Teavana gets there green tea, but from now on I would rather and will get my tea straight from the source. The taste is just phenomenal. O-Cha has a customer for life. Oh and one thing, the shipping had me at a surprise, it super fast from Japan, very very Happy.
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Nancy HallFeb 11, 2017, 00:52One of my favorite green teas. No bitter taste. Simply delicious!
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Michael LowesMay 18, 2016, 14:09I am using a shiboridashi and a thermometer or the shibordashi and a yuzamashi to prepare gyokuro. Wonderful tea. Simple and easy to control process. Could not imagine this quality of tea from any other source since I live on the Oregon Coast.
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Hee@@@@Apr 21, 2016, 18:43Yum on this tea ... Highly recommend on this one ... I use 1 tsp leaves n 20 ml cold spring water ... Let it sit 7 min ... Wow sooo sweet ...I brew about 6 times in less water ...I love this tea so much ... Thank you O-cha for great Tea !!!
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Sean HardcastleJun 30, 2015, 06:42My second pack of Uji Shirakawa Gyokuro. I recommend this to all lovers of Gyokuro. It is an experience not to be missed.
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Jason PavelMay 26, 2015, 22:09Amazing! Remarkably sweet and rich, with aromas of corn and grilled vegetables, not even a hint of bitterness. This may be the smoothest gyokuro I've tasted - a personal favorite.
I recommend brewing it with a high leaf-to-water ratio, particularly for the first infusion. I just barely submerge the leaves with 140 degree (F) water for 2-3 minutes. You only get a few drops of tea, but they're exquisite.