Productivity of Traditional vs. Modern Methods of processing- Around June 7: (Efforts to Keep Tea Leaves in Good Condition)
- Status of Shincha Teas: Now Available
Around June 7: (Efforts to Keep Tea Leaves in Good Condition)
 Packaging in 20kg vacuum sealed bags |
 Cold storage chamber |
 Kept at about 0.5C (32.9F) |
 Inside of the cold storage chamber |
 Vacuumed package stored in the cold storage chamber |
 |
 Certification of Multiresidue GC Analysis. This analytical method covers 230 analytes. No analytes are detected. |
 Report of heavy metal analysis |
 Certification of non-radiation |
Efforts to Keep Tea Leaves in Good Condition:
We make continuous efforts at every single step from harvest of tea leaves to delivery to our customers. This encompasses the harvest, finishing process, storage at the factory, delivery, and ends with our customers all over the world being able to enjoy a farm-fresh cup of Japanese green tea.
"Aracha" tea leaves, just after harvest and processing by farmers, are brought to the factory. "Aracha" tea leaves are finished: sorted, dried, blended, and on so on. Then they are vacuum packed in 20kg (44.1lb) bags, and stored in a special cold storage chamber. Temperature in the cold storage chamber is kept at about 0C (32F) to 5C (41F) throughout the year.
The finished tea leaves are repackaged into smaller size bags just before shipment to our customers around the world. The remaining tea leaves are vacuum packed and stored in the cold storage chamber again. The smaller size bags are packaged with nitrogen in order to keep the tea in good condition even during international delivery.
The harvest season is the busiest time of year not only for farmers but also for the factory. All "Aracha" tea leaves can't be finished at one time. In fact, more than half of the unfinished "Aracha" tea leaves are vacuum packed and stored in the cold storage chamber until after the busy harvest season is over. The average tea factory handles ten to several hundred tons (1000 kilo grams) of tea leaves per year.
In the case of Matcha, tea leaves are stored in a cold storage chamber as "Tencha" tea leaves before being ground into the fine powder known as Matcha. Tencha is ground into Matcha just before shipment to the customer. If the finely powdered Matcha was stored for a longer time, it would more easily deteriorate.
As above, it is most important to vacuum pack or nitrogen pack the tea leaves at every single step just after "Aracha" tea leaves are brought into the factory, in order to keep the tea in ideal condition throughout the year. These processes protect the tea leaves from oxygen, heat, moisture, and light, and require a surprising amount of time and effort.
Analysis of Tea Leaves:
We periodically ask a third party laboratory to analyze our teas for residual pesticides, heavy metals, radiation, and so on, to ensure safety. Attached are images of the analysis report on this year's crops. No suspicious analytes were detected.
As above, our teas are continuously and strictly inspected. We strongly believe that ensuring the absolute safety of our products is most important. It is our sincere wish that our customers enjoy our teas at ease, with the knowledge that they can depend on us to provide them with a safe and wholesome product.
We make continuous efforts at every single step from harvest of tea leaves to delivery to our customers. This encompasses the harvest, finishing process, storage at the factory, delivery, and ends with our customers all over the world being able to enjoy a farm-fresh cup of Japanese green tea.
"Aracha" tea leaves, just after harvest and processing by farmers, are brought to the factory. "Aracha" tea leaves are finished: sorted, dried, blended, and on so on. Then they are vacuum packed in 20kg (44.1lb) bags, and stored in a special cold storage chamber. Temperature in the cold storage chamber is kept at about 0C (32F) to 5C (41F) throughout the year.
The finished tea leaves are repackaged into smaller size bags just before shipment to our customers around the world. The remaining tea leaves are vacuum packed and stored in the cold storage chamber again. The smaller size bags are packaged with nitrogen in order to keep the tea in good condition even during international delivery.
The harvest season is the busiest time of year not only for farmers but also for the factory. All "Aracha" tea leaves can't be finished at one time. In fact, more than half of the unfinished "Aracha" tea leaves are vacuum packed and stored in the cold storage chamber until after the busy harvest season is over. The average tea factory handles ten to several hundred tons (1000 kilo grams) of tea leaves per year.
In the case of Matcha, tea leaves are stored in a cold storage chamber as "Tencha" tea leaves before being ground into the fine powder known as Matcha. Tencha is ground into Matcha just before shipment to the customer. If the finely powdered Matcha was stored for a longer time, it would more easily deteriorate.
As above, it is most important to vacuum pack or nitrogen pack the tea leaves at every single step just after "Aracha" tea leaves are brought into the factory, in order to keep the tea in ideal condition throughout the year. These processes protect the tea leaves from oxygen, heat, moisture, and light, and require a surprising amount of time and effort.
Analysis of Tea Leaves:
We periodically ask a third party laboratory to analyze our teas for residual pesticides, heavy metals, radiation, and so on, to ensure safety. Attached are images of the analysis report on this year's crops. No suspicious analytes were detected.
As above, our teas are continuously and strictly inspected. We strongly believe that ensuring the absolute safety of our products is most important. It is our sincere wish that our customers enjoy our teas at ease, with the knowledge that they can depend on us to provide them with a safe and wholesome product.
Status of Shincha Teas: Now Available
Shincha is Now Available
At last, the Shincha Harvest started here in the Uji region! Some of our Shincha items are now available.
We have arranged to add four limited edition Shincha items only available this Shincha harvest season, featuring some regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor. And other Sencha regular items are planned to be replaced later by Shincha step by step.
Celebrate our first tea harvest of the year with Hibiki-an's Shincha and enjoy the remarkable fresh flavor which can only be experienced once every year!
We have arranged to add four limited edition Shincha items only available this Shincha harvest season, featuring some regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor. And other Sencha regular items are planned to be replaced later by Shincha step by step.
Celebrate our first tea harvest of the year with Hibiki-an's Shincha and enjoy the remarkable fresh flavor which can only be experienced once every year!
Limited edition Shincha items
All items below are limited edition of 1,200 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this spring harvest season. We have arranged various types of Shincha, which will be specially finished to enjoy Shincha's refreshing aroma and flavor. For more information regarding each item, please click on the links below. We hope you will enjoy the refreshing aroma and smooth flavor of each Shincha item!
[Limited] Shincha Traditional (80g/2.82oz): US$25.00 (Now Available)
These tea leaves are finished in the traditional Uji/Kyoto style. Therefore the astringent refreshing aroma and mellow flavor are prominent, and the harmony is excellent... |
[Limited] Shincha AOTE (80g/2.82oz): US$23.00 (Now Available)
With Shincha AOTE, the astringent refreshing aroma and bitter taste is moderated, the tea color is greener, and the taste is mellower... |
[Limited] Shincha Fukamushi (80g/2.82oz): US$21.00 (Now Available)
Saemidori breed brings us pleasure in the springtime, to consider the unique flavor and early-ripening. Enjoy the sweet and smooth taste unique to this tea, as well as the fresh aroma... |
[Limited] Farmers' Shincha (160g/5.64oz): US$25.00 (Now Available)
Enjoy the natural taste and refreshing aroma of this "Aracha" Shincha at an affordable price. "Aracha" is unprocessed tea that Japanese farmers have been enjoying for centuries... |
[Limited] Shincha Gyokuro (80g/2.82oz): US$23.00 (Now Available)
With our Shincha Gyokuro you can enjoy both the refreshing aroma of Shincha and the mellow smooth taste of Gyokuro in one cup of tea. In the tea industry, it is called "Kabuse Cha"... |
Regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor
We recommed three regular items especially recommended to enjoy Shincha's remarkable refreshing aroma and fresh and smooth flavor!...
[Shincha!] Sencha Pinnacle (40g/1.41oz): US$28.00 (Now Available)
Sencha Pinnacle, which is the highest quality Sencha produced in Japan, is the same type of tea which has been presented to the Japanese emperor for many years. This tea is grown at the same tea farm with tea that had been presented to the Japanese Emperor, and harvested in the same way, picked by skilled hands... |
[Shincha!] Sencha Super Premium (40g/1.41oz): US$21.00 (Now Available)
This tea is grown at the same tea farm with tea that had been presented to the Japanese Emperor for many hundreds of years, and harvested in the same way, picked by skilled hands. With this special tea, you can enjoy the same Shincha flavor enjoyed by Japanese Emperors... |
[Shincha!] Organic Sencha Premium (100g/3.53oz): US$25.00 (Now Available)
Organic Sencha's harvest generally starts 7 to 10 days later than conventional grown Sencha. The feature of the flavor is very simple and traditional. We imagine that the Shincha flavor enjoyed hundreds of years ago in historical Japan was just like this. Would you enjoy the simple Shincha flavor that was enjoyed long, long ago?... |
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