Gyokuro Zen

Sakamoto “Zen” Gyokuro — handpicked, organic • Shibushi, Kagoshima

“Zen” Sakamoto-san’s iconic gyokuro: a hand-picked, organically grown spring batch that owes its silky body and deep umami to long, gradual shading. In the cup, it reveals a sweet algae-mineral line, a clean sweetness, and a long, cool finish.

Origin & cultivar

• Region: Shibushi, Kagoshima (southern tip of Kyūshū)
• Created by: Sakamoto Tea Garden — a pioneer in organic gyokuro, with decades of shading know-how
• Cultivar: Seimei or Kirari 31 is selected for the “Zen” item (sweet, umami profile or fresh, balanced aroma)
• Shading: more than 20 days, with staggered shading, for soft sweetness and high amino acid content

Flavor profile

• Scent: nori and sea breeze, white almonds, fresh spinach
• Taste: dense, silky umami; sweet-green with faint nutty tones, minimal bitterness
• Finish: long, clean, cool, sweet echo

Recommended preparation

Gyokuro (classic, low temperature)

• 5 g tea / 60–80 ml water
• 50–60°C
• 1st pour: 2 minutes • 2nd: 30 seconds • 3rd: 60–90 seconds

Kyusu, “softened” method (with a little more water)

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

Mizudashi / shinobi-cha (with ice or cold water)

• 8–10 g / 200 ml very soft water
• Refrigerate for 1–2 hours (or slowly thaw on clean ice)
• Result: a dense, sweetly umami cup with zero bitterness

Pairing & occasion

• Japanese sweet/savory snacks, soft fresh cheeses, white chocolate
• For ritual, slow tea drinking — when you seek silence in your cup

Note: The cultivar of 'Zen' may vary from year to year (Seimei or Kirari 31). The water should be soft and cool; too much heat will lose its silkiness.