Which Japanese green tea is this?

[bob]

I was browsing for teaware and I came upon an amazingly looking Japanese green tea. Does anybody perhaps know which tea this is?

Here are a few screenshots, maybe somebody can translate the label:

Jinshu_tea_1.jpg (54.25 KiB) Viewed 1352 times

Jinshu_tea_2.jpg (35.84 KiB) Viewed 1352 times

The wet leaves look absolutely amazing:

Jinshu_tea_3.jpg (76.99 KiB) Viewed 1352 times

Since the leaves are so intact, maybe it is hand-made? I would love to try some of that! And the teapot is also very nice... Here's the full link: http://www.tokoname.or.jp/teapot/maker_ ... hu0050.htm

[Pig Hog]

Well the label says 手もみ茶 or temomicha, which literally means hand-rolled tea. I can't quite make out the smaller print but there's not much more to it.

I do agree though, the open leaves look amazing!

[Peacock]

A very light-steamed sencha that's minimally processed by hand or perhaps gyokuro? Does it have a lot of unami?

[Chip]

That looks like the perfect kyusu to brew the temomicha! Try brewing with the lid off so you can view the progress of the unfurling leaves.

[MEversbergII]

That is out and out gorgeous tea. I must certainly find myself some. The kyusu isn't bad either!

M.

[Chip]

Ah, OK ... I was lost there. I saw tokoname.or.jp and had never seen an "action shot" of their kyusu on their site before. But I see it is way down on that page. However some of the Kyusu pictured are different than the one for which the page was dedicated.

Anyway, for temomicha, as I said above, perfect kyusu for this type of artisan sencha.

Sadly, our forum specialist on temomi passed away suddenly a few years back. If you check out his posts, he discussed temomi pretty much. His user name is iannon.

[Chip]

Here are two searches of iannon's post which may be helpful.

http://www.teachat.com/search.php?keywo ... mit=Search

http://www.teachat.com/search.php?keywo ... mit=Search

... and for temomi and temomicha ...

http://www.teachat.com/search.php?keywo ... mit=Search

http://www.teachat.com/search.php?keywo ... mit=Search

[Poseidon]

Wow those leaves look amazing! I would like to find some of that as well!

[shinobicha]

Actually.... you can buy some right here in the U.S... though there isn't much left! 10g - $17 (not incl shipping)
http://www.sugimotousa.com/mm5/merchant ... y_Code=SHI
Each year, Sugimoto USA carries a limited amount of temomicha (usually for pre-order, though they have a bit extra). I have tried it once, and it is very good.

However, if you want to buy this, and they are already out, feel free to ask me where else you can buy it. There is a vendor in Japan, Hiruma-en / Gokuchanin, who always sells it. It is sold in 3g packets, and the price is between $6, $9, $11, or $54, depending on whether you want "normal" temomicha or the most expensive tea in Japan. (At least, according to him!) Others here at teachat have ordered from Hiruma before (including myself for the first time this year), so someone can point you in the right way...

[shinobicha]

Sadly, our forum specialist on temomi passed away suddenly a few years back. If you check out his posts, he discussed temomi pretty much. His user name is iannon.

I didn't know iannon...but I always appreciated his comments. I had forgotten about this... I think I felt someone's comments were missing and now I see whose. So sad.

[Poseidon]

Actually.... you can buy some right here in the U.S... though there isn't much left! 10g - $17 (not incl shipping)
http://www.sugimotousa.com/mm5/merchant ... y_Code=SHI
Each year, Sugimoto USA carries a limited amount of temomicha (usually for pre-order, though they have a bit extra). I have tried it once, and it is very good.

However, if you want to buy this, and they are already out, feel free to ask me where else you can buy it. There is a vendor in Japan, Hiruma-en / Gokuchanin, who always sells it. It is sold in 3g packets, and the price is between $6, $9, $11, or $54, depending on whether you want "normal" temomicha or the most expensive tea in Japan. (At least, according to him!) Others here at teachat have ordered from Hiruma before (including myself for the first time this year), so someone can point you in the right way...

Thank You! I hope this is still around until payday... tea fund is BLOWN this week.

[bob]

Thank you very much for your answers! Now I see what this tea is about... I tried some hand-rolled sencha before (from Obubu farm, via yunomi.us) and it was very nice, but I didn't pay that much attention to the leaf quality (and I brewed it like ordinary sencha).

It's sad to hear about iannon, I remember him from past years. I have to check his posts when I get more time...

Shinobicha, thank you for the vendor info. It's nice to see that I can actually afford a small sample of such tea, but it will have to wait for a few months... I'm currently in the process of learning/testing about gyokuro and I feel I should finish that first, before going for even more exclusive teas!

[Poseidon]

Shinobicha, thank you for the vendor info. It's nice to see that I can actually afford a small sample of such tea, but it will have to wait for a few months... I'm currently in the process of learning/testing about gyokuro and I feel I should finish that first, before going for even more exclusive teas!

Just so you know, this tea will likely be gone in a few months. I would just add it on your mental list for next year.

[chrl42]

Isn't it quality Sencha (seemingly hand-made). Looks like I've had those years ago.