It is common knowledge that fresh green tea is the best, but in fact, aged autumn green tea has a deeper flavor than fresh tea, which was loved by the famous Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Therefore, we would like to convey (deliver) the deliciousness of this "aged tea" to as many people as possible, and we are working hard every day to popularize it.
Honyama tea production area, the birthplace of Shizuoka tea, is located in the mountains of the Abe River basin, a clear stream that runs through the center of Shizuoka City.
With the desire to recreate the taste loved by Prince Ieyasu in modern times and have it enjoyed by as many people as possible, producers in the Honyama tea production area have conducted research and developed methods such as ice-temperature freezing* and low-temperature refrigeration. A number of stored aged teas. [Kanehachi] is working hard to spread the word that we want everyone to enjoy the exquisite flavor, which has a smooth edge and a mellow sweetness that stands out, which is completely different from the fresh taste of new tea.
*This is a unique storage method that preserves the freshness and original flavor of fresh leaves by ripening them even more deliciously in the minus temperature range (freezing temperature) suitable for tea leaves.
Honyama tea has a lingering aroma unique to tea produced in mountainous regions and a particularly rich taste, and has been enjoyed by many people as a high-quality tea since ancient times. Among them, Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu loved this Honzan tea so much that in order to enjoy it even more deliciously, he built a teapot mansion on the Igawa Dainichi Pass at an altitude of 1,167 meters and stored (aged) the tea there.
Tea picked in the spring is protected from the heat in the cool environment of the high mountains, and becomes even more delicious in the fall. It is said that in late autumn, the tea was transported to Sunpu Castle, where people enjoyed the aged tea with its rich flavor. The ceremony to open the stored tea pot is called ``Kuchigiri no Gi.''
Fresh new shoots grown in mountainous tea gardens where there is a large difference in temperature between day and night are harvested during the first picking season in early May, and after rough tea processing, the tea leaves retain their freshness at around -25 degrees Celsius. Aging in the freezing temperature range = frozen storage.
The tea plantations of Honyama Tea Production Area, the birthplace of Shizuoka tea, are spread out on the slopes of a scenic mountain area (upstream of the Abe River system) where there is a large temperature difference between day and night.
In early May, the tender new shoots are carefully picked.
After picking, raw tea is produced immediately without losing its fresh flavor (primary processing)
-It is slowly aged in the freezing temperature range of -25 degrees until early autumn.
The finest flavor with a mellow sweetness that stands out.
Kanehachichaen’s tea can also be purchased at the following online shops.
We have a variety of standard products and seasonal recommended teas, so please take advantage of them.
