This Okumidori cultivar kabusecha is part of Sueyoshi’s Furusato no Hana series (郷里の華) comes from the increasingly popular Okumidori cultivar. Literally, “hometown flower”, the name will conjure up feelings of nostalgia for the countryside, transporting you to the tea fields of the Soo region on the Southernmost main island of Japan, Kagoshima. 

The delicate dance of sweetness, bitterness and umami, results in a deeply refreshing tea experience. With the first sip, you sense the umami melting in your mouth. With the second sip, a perfect combination of sweetness and bitterness follows. This tea will leave a soft, gentle impression in your mouth.  

Mataki Tatefumi practices the Chagusaba agricultural method for growing tea leaves in which grass (primarily suzuki) grown around the fields are cut, dried, and laid between the tea hedges to prevent weed growth and to fertilize the soil.

Awards Won

• Great Taste Awards 2020 (1 star)
• Great Taste Awards 2021 (1 star)
• Teas of the World 2019 Gourmet Medal

Steeping Recommendation

Tea: 5 grams. Time: 60 seconds. Water: 80C/176F, 200 ml.

Flavor Profile

• Sweetness 4/5
• Astringency 1/5
• Bitterness 2/5
• Umami 5/5

Product Info

• Ingredients: Green tea
• Cultivar: Okumidori
• Harvest: Spring
• Region: Soo, Kagoshima
• Cultivation notes: Utilizes Chagusaba Agriculture, shaded for extra umami flavor
• Production notes: Regular steamed and very lightly green-roasted.

About the Farmer

Mataki Takefumi, 3rd generation tea farmer and CEO of Sueyoshi Tea Atelier, believes tea brings forth connections. With this philosophy in mind, they strive to deliver their delicately and finely grown teas to as many people as possible. They also aspire to promote a meaningful way of living that will extend beyond one’s cup of tea.

The Sueyoshi farm and factory is located in the Soo district (pronounced “Soh-oh”) in Kagoshima Prefecture. A stunning volcanic mountain range rich with biodiversity, the region is on the southern end of the beautiful Kirishima Mountain Range. Mataki-san takes pride in selecting the highest quality tea leaves (harvested once a year), leaves that have been grown with time and deep care.

He is also proactive in preserving the biodiveristy of the region through the practice of Chagusaba Agriculture from Shizuoka Prefecture, recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2013 by UNESCO.