Okabe in Shizuoka Prefecture is considered one of Japan’s three most important gyokuro producing regions. Karigane gyokuro is made using only gyokuro produced in Okabe. This tea is a world apart from standard kukicha and is prized by green tea enthusiasts. With gyokuro’s signature fresh sweetness, this green tea is mostly devoid of bitterness and astringency, offering a gentle taste that nevertheless retains a subtle depth.

Karigane is another name for kukicha or bocha. Although karigane is an “everyday” tea in the bancha category, made from sencha or other stems, producing it with strictly high-quality gyokuro stems yields a tea that is suitable even for special occasions. A precious green tea made possible only with fine gyokuro native to Okabe.

Okabe is near the middle of the Asahina River, which bisects the town north to south with its clear waters. Rich with gentle, sloping land and surrounded by mountains, Okabe is mostly insulated from the effects of cold weather, making it the ideal climate for growing gyokuro. Gyokuro and matcha production is said to be best near river areas with good drainage, and these conditions describe Okabe exactly. Hon-gyokuro production in Okabe dates back to the Meiji period, and today the region is still home to traditional gyokuro production that is first-in-class.

Yabukita:
Yabukita is a cultivar bred from carefully selected native Japanese green tea strains. This superb varietal accounts for close to 75% of Japanese green tea production. Noted for its rich, deep umami, modest balance of bitterness and astringency, and elegant aroma.

Okumidori:（Yabukita＋ Shizuoka native strain no. 16）
This excellent varietal is obtained by crossing the yabukita varietal with Shizuoka native strain no. 16, a variety of green tea plant carefully designated from within Shizuoka’s range of native tea varieties. It offers a bold, bright color and mildly sweet flavor, with little bitterness and astringency and no strong aftertaste. These features make it a high-grade sencha tea, but it is also used widely for matcha, gyokuro, and other preparations.

During the processing of high-quality gyokuro, the stems are separated and then scrupulously refined by removing any impurities.