Single Cultivar Sencha Zairai LIMITED QUANTITY 1.0 LB

“Zairai” refers to tea plants grown from seed rather than cuttings, resulting in a diverse genetic makeup and thus unpredictable flavor profiles. Such tea plants grown from seed, though previously the only way tea was cultivated, are exceedingly rare in modern Japan. Our Zairai comes from a 35-year-old tea field in Chiran, Kagoshima, an area famed for producing Chiran tea. The region’s mild year-round climate, abundant sunshine in winter, and warm, humid summers provide ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality sencha. With an average annual temperature around 60°F (16°C) and generous rainfall, the tea plants thrive in a lush, fertile environment that encourages deep-rooted growth and complex flavor development.

Our Zairai fukamushi sencha is shaded for several days before harvest, producing fine leaves in a deep, lustrous green. The infusion reveals a clear spring-green liquor with visible sediment, a hallmark of its deep steaming. The aroma combines fresh green apple, prairie flowers, and a hint of dried bonito. On the palate, notes of buttered corn, chrysanthemum, and fresh edamame unfold over a medium body, finishing with a gentle sweetness and mild astringency. Rare and increasingly scarce, Zairai offers not only a captivating taste, but a living connection to the tea fields of old Japan, a heritage worth preserving for future generations.

HOT BREW PREPARATION

2 tsp (5g)	6 oz water (180 ml)	175°F	30-60 sec