Wazuka Gyokuro Green
50 grams/1.8 oz
Wazuka, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Among Japan’s most revered teas, Natural Gyokuro represents the pinnacle of shaded green tea craftsmanship. Carefully cultivated in the rolling tea fields of Wazuka, Kyoto, this exceptionally rare tea is produced using traditional gyokuro cultivation methods while embracing a natural, sustainable approach free from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. The result is a tea that beautifully expresses both the remarkable terroir of Kyoto and the pure character of the tea plant itself.
For more than three weeks before harvest, the tea bushes are sheltered beneath overhead shade structures, dramatically reducing sunlight and encouraging the leaves to concentrate chlorophyll and naturally occurring amino acids, particularly L-theanine. This careful cultivation develops Gyokuro’s signature sweetness, deep emerald color, and luxurious umami while softening astringency. Harvested in late spring and produced in limited quantities, Natural Gyokuro offers an authentic expression of one of Japan’s most prestigious tea traditions.
Its elegant, dark emerald needle-shaped leaves unfurl into a luminous jade-green infusion with an intoxicating aroma of sweet cream, steamed greens, fresh sea breeze, and spring vegetables. The first sip is extraordinarily rich and velvety, coating the palate with profound umami balanced by remarkable natural sweetness. Layers of buttered spinach, sweet peas, young asparagus, fresh nori, and subtle melon gradually emerge before finishing with an exceptionally long, silky sweetness that seems to linger endlessly. Despite its richness, the tea remains beautifully refined, elegant, and remarkably smooth.
Natural Gyokuro is a tea to be savored slowly and intentionally. Reserved for life’s quiet celebrations, meaningful tea ceremonies, or moments of deep reflection, it offers an unforgettable tasting experience that showcases the extraordinary heights Japanese green tea can achieve.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Sweet cream, steamed spinach, fresh sea breeze, spring vegetables, subtle melon
Flavor: Rich umami, buttery greens, sweet peas, asparagus, delicate marine notes, lingering natural sweetness
Body: Full and velvety
Finish: Exceptionally long, silky, sweet, smooth, and deeply satisfying
Brewing Guide (Western Style)
Tea: 2–3 grams (approximately 1 teaspoon) per 8 oz (240 ml) of water
Water Temperature: 140–150°F (60–65°C)
Steep Time: 2–3 minutes
Gyokuro should always be brewed with cooler water to fully express its luxurious sweetness and rich umami while avoiding bitterness. Patience is richly rewarded with one of the smoothest and most elegant cups in the world of tea.
Gongfu Cha Brewing
Natural Gyokuro is among the finest teas for multiple infusions, with each steep revealing new layers of sweetness, marine freshness, creamy umami, and remarkable complexity.
Tea: 5–6 grams
Vessel: 100–120 ml Hohin, Shiboridashi, Kyusu, or Small Gaiwan
Water Temperature: 140–150°F (60–65°C)
Recommended Infusions
Rinse: Not recommended
1st Infusion: 90 seconds
2nd Infusion: 20 seconds
3rd Infusion: 30 seconds
4th Infusion: 45 seconds
5th Infusion: 60 seconds
Additional Infusions: Increase steep time by 20–30 seconds as desired.
Expected Steeps: 5–7 luxurious infusions
Each infusion gradually unfolds new dimensions of the leaf—from deep, concentrated umami and creamy sweetness in the first cup to increasingly delicate notes of spring vegetables, fresh herbs, sweet melon, and gentle mineral elegance through the final steeps.
Tea Minister’s Serving Suggestion
Natural Gyokuro deserves your full attention. Serve it in small cups and sip slowly to appreciate its remarkable concentration of flavor. It pairs beautifully with premium sashimi, sushi, chilled tofu, steamed white fish, delicate shellfish, fresh edamame, lightly salted rice crackers, or traditional Japanese wagashi. Its luxurious character also makes it an extraordinary tea for meditation, tea ceremony, contemplative reading, or celebrating life’s meaningful milestones.
“Natural Gyokuro teaches us that true excellence is never rushed. Hidden beneath gentle shade, the leaf quietly develops extraordinary depth—reminding us that patience, care, and stillness often reveal life’s greatest treasures.”
