Hi,
I got into tea from traveling to Japan and drinking all that tea in the shops. I used to load up on tea on my trips, but now I'm in a different job so I don't go there anymore
Can you give some recommendations for online Japanese tea vendors? I'm looking for quality, price, and I like the tea that comes in those air purged packets. I used to buy good tea in Japan for approximately 10,000Y/$10 per 100 g, any good vendors for this kind of supply?
Mar 8th, '09, 19:54
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Mar 8th, '09, 20:02
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The falling dollar is not helping. It is hard, I would say impossible to find good QUALITY first flush for the price point you have in mind. Plus shipping, and each vendor is a little different in regards to how shipping is applied to your order.
There is a lot of discussion in numerous topics discussing the merits of numerous vendors.
There is a lot of discussion in numerous topics discussing the merits of numerous vendors.
I havn't tried them. But
is anyone familiar with Charaku? :http://www.tea-charaku.com/?lang_id=en& ... a_conv=USD
is anyone familiar with Charaku? :http://www.tea-charaku.com/?lang_id=en& ... a_conv=USD
I've had good shopping experiences with O-Cha and Maikotea. O-Cha has daily sencha priced at $10.95 plus shipping for a Shizuoka 2nd harvest, 100g. Maikotea has Kamo for $12 or Miyako for $7.50, both 100g plus shipping of course. I'm enjoying Maikotea's Kyo no Tsuyu at 3000 yen for 250g right now which I think is a great deal for sencha. EMS shipping is expensive but fast and tracked; I've had good luck with SAL too however.
Try http://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/horaido/greentea.htm , for me it is the best price vs quality on the online market, and http://www.marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp/english/ , award winning teas, and zencha.net , they carry yame tea and shizuoka tea, very good quality.
While all of the above vendors are very good vendors (with the possible exception of Charaku, Horiado, and Maiko, I have yet to try them out), they all have problems meeting your $10/100g range. Most of them since you're importing it from Japan in the case of O-cha, Maiko, Zencha, Koyamaen, Hibiki-an, and Horiado you're looking at some shipping costs which will siginificantly change your purchase price. Hbiki-an being the exception that offers free shipping. Zencha the price of shipping is factored into the order. Maiko does offer slow shipping for fairly cheap though.
If you're fairly set on your price range I would go with Lupicia. They have a handful of offerings in your price range and are quite good. They're shipping from the US so you don't have to pay EMS. Free shipping over 35.
I'd suggest the Sencha "Nara" (formerly known as Nara Tsukigase) It's $6 / 50g, and quite phenomenal.
If you're fairly set on your price range I would go with Lupicia. They have a handful of offerings in your price range and are quite good. They're shipping from the US so you don't have to pay EMS. Free shipping over 35.
I'd suggest the Sencha "Nara" (formerly known as Nara Tsukigase) It's $6 / 50g, and quite phenomenal.
I know all the vendors accept all kinds of shipment, with the exception of teaware, they like to send it insured, and I used the insurance once, when my teapot broke into several pieces during it`s jurney, so when you order teaware it is good to have it insured and sent by ems, but with tea you can ask all kinds of shipping method from sal to sea, and zencha said free shipping on all tea, and hibiki also calculates shipping in their price, I really liked sencha seiryu 15 $, and gyokuro fuuki 20$, from horaido, these are the very best teas price vs quality.
were do you live? in Seattle we have Uwajimaya, and you can get stuff off the shelf there that is in that price range and decent.
Online I use Den's, they are a US based outfit, but their tea is good.
Online I use Den's, they are a US based outfit, but their tea is good.
Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )
my faves are ippodo and Ito En. The former ships from NY, at least, so shipping prices and times are low and fast, respectively... o-cha gets an honorable mention and has some great stuff too, but not my particular favorite (eye of the beholder i suppose).
You always have the option of trying them all out, I suggest making small orders, one middle and one high grade tea, than jump to another vendor, in a few month you will have your favourites. I don`t trust Mellow Monk, I think they are not a match for the teashop mentioned in this post (stay away from teavana too, or learn it on your own expense).