1 19

Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase

Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase

$16.20
$49.00 $16.20
On sale Sold out

🚚 Free shipping above $49

🍃 Pesticide free

🇯🇵 Directly sourced from Japan

🔐 Secure payment

😍 Great customer service
View full details

Learn all the secrets of the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase

The Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase is a delicious tea that’s first to be harvested in the spring of each year on the beautiful island of Tanegashima

Taste

Discover the results of Nio Teas’ 4 step tea tasting method

To evaluate the flavor of the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase we look for a combination of the aroma and also how the tea interacts with the palate. Does it produce a dryness, acidity, minerality, sweetness or umami? We’ll also evaluate the texture of the tea, otherwise known as mouthfeel. Finally, for sencha tea, we’ll evaluate it based on how vegetal the taste profile is as this is a common characteristic throughout most sencha teas. 

Step 1 - Observing the Appearance

This Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase has leaves that are on the lighter side, as the tea is unshaded and they are rolled into tight needle shapes with some smaller leaf particles.

Step 2 - Assessing the Aroma

The aroma coming off the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase leaves is light and citrusy, with a tiny hint of these grassy notes.

Step 3 - Tasting the Tea

The tea begins with a delicate sweetness but soon transitions into a nice grassy note with a hint of hay. There are some pleasant floral notes that come through in the mid palate, and then the tea finishes with a light dryness.

Step 4 - Evaluating the sensation on the palate

The structure of this tea is simple, with a thin mouthfeel, tiny bit of sweetness, acidity and dryness. The flavor profiles work quite well together to create a nice balance in the taste.

100% Organically grown and Ethically Sourced

At Nio, we partner with tea farmers who prioritize sustainability by avoiding harmful pesticides and chemicals. We firmly believe that this natural approach to farming not only enhances the flavor of the tea but also promotes the long-term health and vitality of the tea fields.

Through our experience, we have observed that tea plantations that embrace organic farming techniques cultivate strong and healthy tea plants, while creating a diverse ecosystem that supports a wide range of plant and animal species.

Nio Teas Unique Organically grown sourcing process

  • We meticulously conduct taste tests to identify the perfect flavor profile for each tea, ensuring that only the finest teas make it to our collection.
  • We communicate with farmers to gain insights into their organic and chemical-free farming practices, building strong relationships based on mutual respect
  • We personally visit tea plantations to assess the quality of the plants and manufacturing facilities
  • We evaluate the surrounding ecosystem to ensure the preservation of the plant and wildlife species
JAS Japanese Agriculture Standards logo

JAS Certified

At Nio, we collaborate with tea farmers who adhere to pesticide and chemical-free farming practices. Some of our teas, like the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase, proudly display the JAS logo, which signifies compliance with the rigorous Japanese Agriculture Standards that prohibit the use of pesticides and chemicals in tea cultivation.

For our larger partner farms, we require them to obtain JAS certification through thorough soil sampling and analysis, ensuring that their teas meet the highest standards of quality and sustainability.

We also understand that smaller tea farmers may have limited resources for soil testing, and therefore, we accept their teas under the "pesticide-free" label. This allows them to showcase their teas while still upholding our commitment to sustainability and excellence.

How to prepare the tea

To prepare the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase, you can use a lower temperature water and a shorter brewing time. 1 minute should be perfect for extracting the full flavor from the tea leaves without extracting too much of the bitterness.

  • icon of a teapot with temperature brewing instruction in degree for 60 degree celsius and 140 degree fahrenheit

    Step 1

    First, heat the water to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This will be the perfect temperature for the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase

  • icon of 5 grams of tea leaves

    Step 2

    Add 5 grams of the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase to your kyusu teapot and then pour in 150ml of the water you heated previously.

  • icon of a teapot with time brewing instruction of 1 minute

    Step 3

    Allow the tea leaves to brew in the water undisturbed for 1 minute, which should be enough time for the tea leaves to open up and release their flavor into the water.

  • black icon of a cup of tea

    Step 4

    After the brewing time is up, you can pour out your Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase and the teapot will automatically filter out the leaves so they don’t end up in your cup. Enjoy your tea!

  • icon of a teapot with time brewing instruction of 20 seconds

    2nd brew

    There is still plenty of flavor left in the tea leaves! The Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase can be brewed 2-3 more times. If you want to brew your tea a second, third or even fourth time, you can pour additional hot water into the teapot and allow the leaves to brew for 20 seconds.

  • icon of glace of matcha latte with ice cubes

    Cold brew

    We do not recommend cold brewing the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase

1 6
Learn more

Necessary teaware

To brew up a delicious cup of this Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase, we recommend you invest in a good kyusu teapot. The ideal teapot for this is the Fukamushi teapot, which has a circular mesh filter that makes it easier to avoid clogging as you pour.

Alternative without teaware 

If you’re not able to find a teapot, the next best thing to prepare Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase is a tea strainer. This will not only separate the tea leaves, but it will also stop the infusion so the tea doesn’t overbrew. 

1 8
Fujisako farm in japan

Location of production and farmer

Information about the farm

Mr. Eiichi Matsushita 松下栄市 is a passionate tea farmer in the 4th generation of the family. During the steaming and processing of the tea, he stands at the steaming machine himself - like most tea masters. In 1909, Shizuoka's family settled in Tanegashima, Banyamine, bringing the tea-growing know-how to this pristine natural island. Mr. Matsushita has served as President of the Tanegashima Arasha Factory Association for 12 years. Its tea fields are located in the best green tea terroir of Tanegashima.

map with the location of shizuoka tea fields in Japan

Sourced in Tanegashima

Japan

The tea farm of Mr. Eiichi Matsushita is located in the northern part of the picturesque island of Tanegashima, about 115km south of Kagoshima City. The warm subtropical climate and the fresh sea breeze, which provides mineral richness and morning mists, provide an optimal climate for growing the early Shincha cultivars. At 223m, the tea field is at the highest elevation in Banyamine and is considered Tanegashima's top terroir.

Cultivar and tea plant variety

As the name would suggest, the Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase is made from the Kuritawase cultivar, a rare cultivar that makes up only a small fraction of the tea produced in Japan.

  • Kuritawase

    The kuritawase cultivar is a rare gem in Japan, and it’s really only found on the islands of Tanegashima and Yakushima. It buds earlier than the common yabukita cultivar, which makes it ideal for producing shincha tea. When processed into sencha or a shincha, the kuritawase leaves produce a distinctive yellow liquor, a delightful milky aroma, and a smooth flavor with reduced astringency.

Need help? We've Got You Covered...

Free Worldwide Shipping & Delivery

We are pleased to offer free shipping on all orders, and we make it a priority to use the most cost-effective shipping carrier available for your country. For customers in the U.S and E.U, you can expect your order to arrive within 5-7 days, while customers outside these regions may experience an estimated shipping time of approximately 10 days. We also provide faster shipping options for an additional fee, depending on your location.

Order issues

If you encounter any issues with your order, please don't hesitate to contact us immediately via email at info@nioteas.com, as this is our preferred platform for customer service inquiries. For quick questions, you can also reach out to us via direct message on Instagram at @nio_japanese_green_tea.

Payments

We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, and Apple Pay for payment convenience. If you prefer to pay by bank transfer, simply select the option during checkout, and we will provide you with further details. Your order will be shipped once the payment has been successfully processed.

Returns & Refunds

We are committed to ensuring that every customer has a positive tea experience with Nio. If you are unsatisfied with the tea you receive, please let us know, and we would be happy to send you a replacement. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we strive to make every effort to address any issues and provide you with excellent customer service.

Shincha Tanegashima Kuritawase learning plateform

View all
1 4
View all