{"product_id":"g48","title":"Tsuge Zairai Sencha","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: .9em; margin-bottom: 30px; padding: 30px 10px 12.5px 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\n        Umami ≠ Delicious\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n        The current trend in Japanese tea is to have a high umami content. The main component of umami is an amino acid called theanine, but umami does not necessarily mean delicious. Umami refers to flavors like monosodium glutamate, a key taste component.\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n        To increase the amino acid content in tea leaves, nitrogen fertilizer must be applied. In tea gardens where nitrogen fertilizer is used, tea plants grow vigorously, but the amount of catechins and other polyphenols and minerals decreases.\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n        Additionally, teas high in theanine have a lighter taste with less depth (body and aftertaste), making them taste more plain.\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\n        Rich-Aftertaste Tea is the Hallmark of HOJO's Japanese Tea\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n        At HOJO, we prioritize rich-Aftertaste tea, selecting teas that are high in catechins and minerals rather than theanine.\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n        Teas rich in minerals are produced through natural cultivation without fertilizers or with limited use of fertilizers. Enjoy the sweet aftertaste that lingers in your throat when you drink our tea.\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"A green tea field on a slope beside a forest of cedar trees\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-9228\" height=\"420\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_9561.jpg?v=1737905451\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"Tea garden on a hillside with a cedar forest behind\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1325\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_9593.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nTsuge Zairai Sencha is made from \"zairai\" tea plucked in spring, from the naturally farmed tea garden located in Tsuge, Nara City, Nara Prefecture.\nThe tea garden of Tsuge Zairai Sencha is maintained in sustainable manner applying neither pesticide nor fertilizer.\nTsuge Zairai Sencha has a subtle and refreshing floral scent with a hint of sweet nutty note and smooth taste. It has a very long-lasting finishing that lingers down the throat.\nIn terms of the strength and depth of the finishing\/aftertaste, it is the longest among HOJO's Japanese teas.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Pile of dry green tea leaves on a white background\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1323\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_0023.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nThe tea leaves are slightly rough cut like aracha (crude tea), not those slim-needle-shape. But you may be surprised how delicate and soft the taste of tea is.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Brewed green tea leaves in a white dish\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1322\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_0033.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"Yellow-green tea liquor in a white cup\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1321\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_0040.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\n \n\u003ch2\u003e\n    Tsuge, which is said to be the center of ancient Japan\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\nTsuge is located in the Yamato highland in the northeastern part of Nara Prefecture.\n Tsuge used to be Tsuge Village, but was merged with Nara City in 2005. Even now, the name Tsuge remains as a place name.\nMany myths that seem to be related to the land around Tsugi are described in the Kojiki(The oldest document of  in Japan) . There are a number of heritages in Tsuge.\nIf you have the greatest interest in the ancient history of Japan, Tsuge is an interesting place to visit.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Map of the Kinki region marking the location of Tsuge\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1327\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/nara_map.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n    The soil is rich in minerals\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\nTsuge Zairai Sencha tea gardens located on the slope of a mountain within walking distance from Kunitsu Shrine and Ogami Shrine. Tsuge, where many ancient historical sites remain, is a land that is not easily eroded by rivers.  The area around the tea garden is covered with beige-yellowish clay that has the similar property as Zhuni and is very rich in iron. It is one of the reasons why Tsuge Zairai Sencha has such a long finishing.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Bare soil with fallen leaves on a slope\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1330\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/312319354_663334285304415_6787079740662994095_n.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e \u003cimg alt=\"A hand holding small crumbs of reddish-brown soil\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1331\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/312318237_532396828777532_8579815991812196207_n.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nFor decades, the tea garden was managed with natural farming method. It's pesticide-free and fertilizer-free tea garden.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Tea grower standing in a green tea field\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1326\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_9580.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nTsuge Zairai Sencha Tea Garden and the tea maker\n \nUnlike modern Japanese tea garden with mass production scale, this Tsuge Zairai Sencha tea gardens are in very small scale.\nWe evaluate the quality of tea from each section of the tea garden owned by the producer, and selected a single tea garden for our lineup.\n\u003ch2\u003e\n    Quality Tea comes from Healthy Tea\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\nWe think that a good example of a healthy plant is a natural plant in the forest or mountain. Plants in nature depend only on the ecosystem for nitrogen intake. As a result, natural plants grow slower and their cells are more compact and dense.\nWhen we search for quality tea, we search for the garden that is maintained in a state similar to the natural plant.\n On the contrary, when fertilizers (nitrogen fertilizers, regardless of organic or chemical) are applied, the nitrogen is over saturated in \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-0\"\u003ethe tea garden\u003c\/span\u003e. As a result, the tea tree \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-1\"\u003eabsorbs\u003c\/span\u003e a lot of nitrogen and it grows fast and vigorously. To support faster growth, tea leaves synthesize a large amount of chlorophyll and actively performs photosynthesis. The cells of the rapidly growing tea leaves are enlarged, leading to low cell density.As a result, although the yield increases, the aftertaste\/finishing becomes light and flat.\nThere are some producers who advertise not using chemical fertilizers, but we believe that both chemical fertilizers and organic fertilizers have the same effect on tea growth as long as they are rich in nitrogen.\nBased on our experience, applying the grass and forest's fallen leaves as the fertilizer are not a problem because it is the part of the ecosystem that keeps tea and vegetables in their natural state.\n\u003ch2\u003e\n    Fertilizer-free cultivation eliminates the need for pesticides\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\nAs you can see by observing the plants in nature, they are perfectly sustainable. They have been alive and well for many years even though they have not been given any fertilizer as well as pesticides.\nIn fact, pests are always looking for the nitrogen through the consumption of leaves. \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-0\"\u003eTherefore, tea\u003c\/span\u003e leaves that contains \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-1\"\u003ea higher concentration\u003c\/span\u003e of nitrogen will eventually attract insects, which is why pesticides are needed.\n \nFor example, even if the plants are natural, if they are fertilized, the leaves and their cells will grow larger, the color changes to dark green, and at the same time they will attract insects.\nNon-fertilized tea contains a lot of polyphenols and terpenes and low in nitrogen concentration. These physiologically active substances contribute greatly to the taste and flavor of tea; it gives a rich and complex taste, with fruity and floral flavor. Note that the flavor comes not from the polyphenols themselves but from terpenes. Slowly grown tea contains more terpene glycosides, the precursors of these terpenes, which is why its flavor is rich.\nLike natural plants, these tea plants do not require pesticide because insects are not interested in the plant that contains low nitrogen. The producers of Tsuge Zairai Sencha also emphasized the fact that it is almost free of pests.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Fine dry green tea leaves in a metal bowl\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1324\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_0018.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nFertilizer-free tea grows slowly and does not require vigorous photosynthesis. For this reason, it has less number chlorophyll and generally it is characterized by its yellow-green color.\n\u003ch2\u003e\n    Seedling tea\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\nTsuge Zairai Sencha is grown from seedlings.\nSeedlings means tea plants are grown from seeds, and are called zairai in Japan.\nOriginally, \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-0\"\u003eZaire\u003c\/span\u003e means the name used for the endemic \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-1\"\u003especies\u003c\/span\u003e of Japanese animals and plants such as Japanese \u003cspan class=\"correction alternate\" id=\"GingerWidget-correction-2\"\u003eserow\u003c\/span\u003e, or Yamato Iwana. Since tea were originally brought from China, the term \"Zairai\" is not really appropriate. However, in the Japanese tea industry, Zairai is commonly used for the tea planted by seeding, so HOJO uses the term 'zairai' to make it easier to understand.\nThe teas of cultivars, such as Yabukita, Okumidori and Benifuki, are planted with cuttings.\nWhen seeds are sown, crossbreeding produces hybrids, so cuttings or grafting are essential to preserve a particular cultivar or variety.\nCompared to cuttings, seedling tea has a different root structure.\nThe photo below shows a clear picture of the different between cuttings and seedling tea.\n\u003cimg alt=\"Two tea plants laid on a rock, the left with shallow spreading roots and the right with one long deep root\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1328\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_6121.jpg\" width=\"630\"\/\u003e\nCuttings (Cultivated Tea) on the left, seedlings (Grown from Seed) on the right\nThe tea tree sown from the seed has a long root like a burdock, it's called a taproot. For this reason, it is easy to absorb the minerals in the ground, and the tea has a thicker aftertaste.\n","brand":"HOJO Tea","offers":[{"title":"50g (small bag)","offer_id":44932432199856,"sku":"g48ja","price":1400.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g (in can)","offer_id":44932432232624,"sku":"g48jc","price":2600.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false},{"title":"200g (large bag\/100g x 2 bags)","offer_id":44932432265392,"sku":"g48jb","price":5000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false},{"title":"600g value pack (large bag [100g x 2 bags] x 3 bags)","offer_id":44932432298160,"sku":"g48jv","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/0774\/6224\/files\/IMG_0023.jpg?v=1737905451","url":"https:\/\/hojotea.com\/en\/products\/g48","provider":"お茶の専門店HOJO \/ HOJO CO., LTD.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}