Gyokuro Gancho

Gyokuro “Gancho” — Masahiro Yoshida • Yoshida Meichaen (Uji, Ogura)

Yoshida Meichaen is a teahouse in Uji that is over two hundred years old, with tiny (≈2 ha) plots in the Ogura district. Masahiro Yoshida's hand-picked Gyokuro "Gancho" batch is the pure face of the classic Uji school: dense, silky umami, a mineral-cool feel and a long sweet aftertaste.

Origin & style

• Terroir: Uji, Ogura (Kyoto Prefecture) – the historical cradle of Japanese shaded teas.
• Creator: Masahiro Yoshida / Yoshida Meichaen – a small family garden known for its handcrafted Uji gyokuros.
• Shading: traditional uji method (honzu-type covering: bamboo/mat covering + net), gradually strengthened before picking.
• Picking: selected, hand -picked , delicate asamushi steaming and needle-leaf shaping.

Flavor profile

• Aroma: nori and sea greens, white almonds, fresh spinach.
• Taste: silky, creamy umami; sweet-green, with slightly creamy-nutty tones, minimal bitterness.
• Finish: crystal clear, coolly mineral; long sweet aftertaste.

Preparation – recommended methods

Manufacturer's recommendation (classic "gyokuro shot"):

• 8 g tea • ~60 ml water • 50 °C • ~2.5 minutes (then the subsequent infusions are shortened)

Teavolution – lightened kyusu method (balanced umami):

• 5 g / 120 ml • 60–65 °C • 1st pour: 90 sec • 2nd: 20–30 sec • 3rd: 60 sec

Shiboridashi (intense, dense umami):

• 6–7 g / 60–80 ml • 45–55 °C • 1st: 90–120 sec • 2nd: immediately • 3rd: 20–30 sec

Mizudashi / ice drop:

• 8–10 g / 200 ml very soft water • chill for 1–2 hours (or slow thaw on clean ice)

Pairing & occasion

• White chocolate, fresh soft cheeses, salted edamame.
• Ritual, slow tea drinking – when you seek purity and silence in a cup.

Note: Gyokuro is sensitive to heat: start at a lower temperature and with soft water. “Gancho” is a hand-picked, “premium hand-picked gyokuro” batch; the manufacturer’s proportions are designed to bring out the intense umami.