Hoshinoen Gyokuro Tea Seiun

Nestled in the misty mountains of Yame, Fukuoka, Hoshinoen (星野園) is a renowned Japanese tea producer celebrated for its award-winning gyokuro and matcha. Founded in 1983, this family-run tea farm blends tradition with innovation, cultivating tea in one of Japan’s most prized terroirs—where cool climate, mountain fog, and mineral-rich soil converge to create tea with exceptional umami, sweetness, and aroma.

Gyokuro: The Art of Shaded Cultivation

Grown under shade, gyokuro develops a distinctive aroma prized by tea connoisseurs — often called its "shaded fragrance." This careful cultivation process also deepens the tea's umami, resulting in a rich, authentic flavor unlike any other green tea.

This is standard Hon Gyokuro made using the traditional Hon Gyokuro production method - using natural woven rice straw mats (komo) instead of synthetic black fabrics to cover to reduces direct sunlight and photosynthesis, boosting amino acids like theanine.

Aroma: seaweed, a fresh fragrance
Taste: rich umami

Hot Brew

1st infusion 1 tbsp (~6 g) - 30 ml (1 oz) at 40°C for 150 sec

2nd infusion 30 ml (1 oz) at 40°C fpr 90 sec

3rd infusion 90 ml (3 oz) at 90°C for 30 sec

Cold Brew

2 tbsp (~12 g) leaves  - 200 ml cold water · for 1 hour, refrigerated. Stir gently, then strain

Ice Brew (Kōridashi)

1 tbsp (~6 g) leaves  with 5 cubes clear ice (~100 g) and 30 ml (1 oz) hot water

Steep 5 minutes, shaking the pot gently as the ice melts

📦 Origin: Yame, Japan