Japan Bancha – Organic Green Tea

Brew & Taste

Organic Bancha is a mild, natural, and slightly sweet tea. The infusion has a light, greenish-yellow color and the aroma is harmonious and pleasant. You can savor it no matter the time of day.

We recommend testing different types of preparation, or at least hot and iced. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the flavor nuances Bancha can achieve.

Origins

The typical bancha, as we usually get to know it, has large, firm leaves and tastes more or less astringent. This organic bancha is different. The workers have made it from leaves harvested before they have reached the typical characteristics of the usual bancha – they are smaller and more delicate. This makes the flavor of the resulting brew lighter and sweeter.

This is an unusual approach to traditional bancha in gardens in southern Japan, specifically in Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu. It's grown at an altitude of around 500m, surrounded by green hills and a subtropical climate. The days tend to be hot, the nights cool and the air pressure changes very quickly. These are all reasons why the local plantations are shrouded in fog for most of the year. They are welcomed by tea garden owners because they prevent the sun's rays from reaching the tea plants, slowing down the growth of their leaves. This allows the beneficial amino acids behind the sweet taste of tea to accumulate in the green matter for longer.

Bancha is harvested by hand, but also by machine. The plucked leaves must be left in the sun for several hours to wither. To stop the enzymes from oxidizing, Japan typically uses steaming – exposing the tea to hot air briefly and repeatedly. Finally, the tea must be dried, sorted and packaged.

The Kagoshima plantation produces teas under its own brand, Kagoshima Green Tea. Very often, these teas are grown under organic farming, i.e. without the use of industrially produced fertilizers and with respect for the environment.

If you want to enjoy Bancha organic green tea in all its glory, try both preparation methods – classic (5g of tea per 250ml of water at 90°C and steep for 60-90 seconds, or at 80°C and steep for 30-60 seconds). Or, add 10g of tea into 1l of cold water and let the drink cold brew for a few hours.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.