TeaChat

NEW! Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide: O-Cha.com Consider this a perennial topic for Japanese teas from O-Cha.

http://www.o-cha.com/home.php
http://www.o-cha.com/

Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide. Let's see what happens with this wild and crazy idea. You can view the main Japanese TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11556 and the main TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=60

Ah yes, O-Cha. O-Cha was my first "real" Japanese tea vendor, and it has topped my list of fave Japanese tea vendors ever since, approaching 5 years now. Yutaka Midori has been my fave Japanese tea from my first taste. Back then, there was one and only one Yutaka Midori, it is the original and a credit to the excellent sourcing of Kevin and his Japanese wife, Kaoru. I simply call it (YM) Classic.

Other faves include Miyabi, Sae Midori, Chiran, Fukamushi Supreme, Kabusecha, and Kirameki Shincha. Kame Jiru-Shi is hands down my fave Gyokuro and I like the others as well.

I just today received my first 5 Organics from O-Cha, a new chapter in my enjoyment of O-Cha teas.

Over the years, I would like to think that my recommendations and samples sent of O-Cha teas have led many others to try not only O-Cha tea, but to try "real" Japanese teas for the first time. I make no apologies for my frequent recommendations/endorsements/enjoyment of O-Cha teas.

O-Cha is where I got my start with matcha. Ordering Uji Matcha Manten as my first, I was pretty spoiled and sure that the highest priced had to be the best. It is definitely excellent, creamy and rich and the most stunning color of any matcha I have tried to date. But after trying other vendors and then coming back to O-Cha and trying the Uji Matcha "Kiri no Mori", I settled in with that one. Not as rich as the Manten, but very sweet and mild, I find for the price I am just as happy.

Also with O-Cha, I found the only sencha (shincha) I have really loved; the Sae Midori. Very mild and non-veggie, I would recommend this to anyone as a first green tea starting place or to those who previously tried and didn't like green tea, you may be surprised by this one.

Although I have been an avid tea drinker for a long while now, I have been "putting off" the acquisition of matcha. I've never had it before! I just ordered the matcha starter set from o-cha. I'm getting a beautiful chawan, a functional bamboo chasen, a bamboo spoon (didn't know if this was really necessary, but got it anyway) and some Kiri no Mori matcha. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes when all of this stuff arrives.

O-Cha is one of the few tea vendors I've purchased from. I remember opening my first ever package of Yutaka Midori and immediately knowing I was in for a treat. That continues to this day, as I just opened a vaccum sealed package of Organic Warashina Supreme. It's my first organic sencha, but most certainly not the last.

Upon joining this forum with an interest in Japanese tea, I was directed towards O-Cha by Chip and many others. I still remember opening my first bag and thinking this is what green tea is all about!

Two years and many orders later I am still recommending them as the best starting point for high quality Japanese green tea.

The Warashina has been my favourite this year, and I'm currently enjoying a bag of the Sae Midori,

Long live O-Cha!

O-cha is a great site. I love they points system they have. They also have excellent customer service. I love their shincha and especially the tsuen offerings (the fact that a company has been in existence over 800 years boggles my American mind). O-cha was my first high quality green tea buy and I will stay a loyal customer. Especially because it basically caters to American green tea drinkers.

O-Cha, the second Japanese green tea vendor I have ordered from and the one I always come back to. They have great teas and a not less great customer service. I have never been disappointed by any of their tea.

Their Yutaka Midori has been my favorite but lately I discovered their Organic Sencha "Warashina Supreme". I am so much used to the taste of the YM fukamushi (and fukamushi tea from other vendors) that it took me some time to get used to the taste of an asamushi. I am near the end of my first 50g of "Warashina Supreme"; luckily I ordered two packs. This tea is now on my top list together with the YM and also the O-Cha "Kame-Jiru-Shi" Gyokuro.

Thank you O-Cha!

My first experience with O-Cha's newer organics was very positive. In fact, the Oku Yutaka which is also the breed's name is quite amazing with its complex aroma and rather non sencha flavor profile. It is devoid of astringency and bitterness.

The Fuushun is mildly sweet.

I think anyone who has an issue with the strong veggie or grassy or astringent/bitter character of most sencha, might find these quite agreeable. However, I really enjoyed the drastic change of pace that these offered as well. The attractive price point makes them a very good value as well.

Last year I began dabbling in the world of Japanese greens. When 2009 Shincha madness hit I just had to see what all the fuss was about. After much research I decided to order from O-Cha. Wow, what a great decision!!!

O-Cha has great customer service, everything is as advertised and the tea is top notch!!!

Here are pics of the nice wares I ordered from O-Cha with my shincha. The kyusu is well made and the tea canister holds 100g of you favorite sencha perfectly!

I recently had an opportunity to conduct some tastings with Warashina Supreme, an organic asamushi. I have to say, this is surely the best asamushi organic I have had to date. I found it to be a very easy brewer and while a bit lighter fare than conventionally grown asamushi. Mellow, very low bitterness and astringency creating a sweeter and smoother cup compared to most conventionally grown asamushi. It is vegetal in aroma and taste, but moderately so.

Anyone thinking about trying a premium organic asamushi should give this one a try. You can try a 50 gram bag which is a nice option for a "supreme" sencha.

O-cha was my second Japanese green experience and first taste of shincha! I bought their good ol YM last shincha season but was a bad boy and didn't even come close to fininshing my 100 grams. *doh* I tried brewing some recently and no doubt it was past it's prime

Anyway... so I decided to cold brew it. Ooooooooo gurl, it tastes soooo good. Dang sucka!

I've purchased green tea direct from Japan from 3 different vendors, and O-Cha is my favorite by far. I haven't had a single bad experience... teas are top quality, customer service is excellent, and each experience is predictable and consistent on both counts.

My favorites so far have been Yutaka Midori, Fukamushi Sencha Supreme, Sae Midori, and Kiri no Mori matcha. I have little other experience with matcha, and haven't ventured out much because I like this one very well, and the price is right.

Oh, and for traveling... their various green tea bags are very good and user-friendly. Not as good as a regular brew, but for tea bags, wow, yes you can get your green fix on the road.

Sarah

I'm looking forward to placing an adventurous order from O-Cha, now that I've exhausted Ippodo's matchas. Has anyone tried O-Cha's Uji Matcha Manten? Tonight was the first time I really sat down and examined O-Cha's site and when I went to the Tsuen Green Tea section, which was impressive to me. I was hit with a little nostalgia and a touch of self-pitty. I'd traveled that bridge between Nara and Kyoto in 2008. If only I'd known!

Rebecca

You know...I STILL haven't ordered anything from O-cha yet.. maybe this shincha season?