Recommended source for Japanese teas?

[davidglass]

Hi Chip,
Thanks for your reply.
In your opinion, what is the best gyokuro on the market these days? (I like the gyokuro superior from hibiki-an for an everyday tea, but I am searching for that ultimate taste experience.)

[edkrueger]

Tenka-ichi from Ippodo is the best I've had. I suspect some of the more expensive Yamashita Gyokuro from Maiko are similar in quality, but I've only had the Jirushi personally. Jirushi is about comparable to Ippodo's Rimpo IMO.

[Chip]

Hi Chip,
Thanks for your reply.
In your opinion, what is the best gyokuro on the market these days? (I like the gyokuro superior from hibiki-an for an everyday tea, but I am searching for that ultimate taste experience.)

The thing with Gyokuro, you typically get what you pay for when dealing with top vendors of Japanese green teas. I would not even mess with vendors who do not specialize in Japanese greens when it comes to Gyokuro ... you may not even be getting authentic Gyokuro!!!

You cannot go wrong with Maiko's Yamashita line. The highest priced ones are worth the price, but any are pretty good.

O-Cha may have the best and most diverse Gyokuro line-up readily available to Westerners.

Others ... Zencha's Yame. I expect to see some very good offerings from Hakoniwado soon.

I hear good things about Ippodo's Gyokuro, but I lack experience with theirs.

[davidglass]

Hi Chip,
Thanks again. I will try one of your suggested vendors. Maybe I can get hibiki-an to send you samples, especially their gyokuro superior which seems to be a fabulous deal if you are drinking gyokuro every day.
Do you like Bordeaux red wines too?
David

[JRS22]

Hibiki-an has slipped in "popularity polls" on TeaChat. Why is that? This is not a simple question to answer. Years ago, they were very pop here and mentioned pretty often.

I think part is because Hibiki-an was a gateway supplier for many of us for Japanese greens direct from Japan. However, I may suggest that there may be better suppliers who may also provide better overall value. I used to buy for them quite a bit early on, but I rarely do anymore, partly because I feel I have paid too much for what I received.

Maybe part of this is also because they choose not to participate in our tastings. Tastings provide fodder for discussion on vendors and they clearly increase discussion of participating vendors.

My one experience with Hibiki-An was with the karigane tasting set. All three teas were good, but no better than the karigane I've purchased from non-specialists like Upton and Adagio. By comparison O-Cha's kariganes are distinctly different from one another and from ordinary karigane.

[Teacup1980]

How about Sugimoto? I really like them
They seem like specializing Fukamushi style green teas.

www.sugimotousa.com

[jbu2]

had not so grate experience with Ippodo low end Gyokuro (lower then Rimpo) but i found there Rimpo isn't better the Hibiki-an in the same price but but from my small experience i think Ippodo have a better sincha.

here is a new site, this one sell from a victim of the earthquake and tsunami: http://shoptohoku.com/shop/shelf/tea-products/
didn't try them , i ordered a lot of tea for my birthday , from two Japanese site among other, if you remind my in a mount or so i would tell you what i think .