The Deepest Steamed Japanese Green Tea
Tokumushi is a unique and richly flavorful Japanese green tea, known for its extended steaming process that brings out an intense umami and smooth finish. Tea leaves are steamed immediately after picking to stop fermentation. Normally, steaming time is 30 to 40 seconds, but Fukamushi tea steams for 60 to 80 seconds, twice as long. Tokumushi, however, is steamed for even longer: around 180 seconds.
This prolonged steaming transforms the leaves into a finer, darker green texture and produces a tea with a deep aroma, mellow taste, and reduced bitterness. Because this method puts extra stress on the leaves, only thick, high-quality leaves are used to ensure they can withstand the process while delivering an exceptionally smooth and vibrant brew.
If you’re a tea lover looking for a bold, authentic Japanese tea experience, Tokumushi offers a rare and rewarding journey into the art of extra deep-steamed green tea.
About Nakayama Tea Cooperative
Nakayama Tea Cooperative's tea garden is located on Nakayama Pass in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Located between Kanaya (Shimada City) and Hisaka (Kakegawa City) on the 53 Stages of the Tokaido Highway (Tokyo Nihonbashi to Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi), which was built in the Edo Period, the Nakayama Pass is said to be one of the three most difficult sections of the Tokaido Highway.
The tea plantation is at a high altitude, with a temperature difference between day and night, and slightly cooler than the plains due to the mist from the Mount Awagadake, making it the best growing environment for tea.
The tea plantation is one of the top producers of “deep steamed sencha,” and has been awarded the Emperor's Cup, the highest prize at the 48th Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Festival, for its high quality and high added value.
