Gyokuro Iki

Gyokuro Iki – Uji shade-grown green tea, a high umami experience

Gyokuro leaves are shaded for a minimum of 20 days to reduce the amount of sunlight, increasing chlorophyll and L-theanine production, while reducing tannins (bitter tannins). This is how the experience known as “jeweled déwpó” (gyokuro - 玉露) is created in practice — a deep flavor, soft sweetness, and delicate aroma.

At the Iki production site (Yoshida Meichaen), the buds and youngest leaves are carefully selected. The color and complexity of the pure, soft green tea are rooted in the raw material and shading technique.
50 gram package, in an aroma-sealing bag, stored in the refrigerator, packaged in Japan.

Flavor profile

• Aroma: fresh sea vegetables, sweet softness, slight pot-sweet notes

• Taste: full umami, sea saltiness, sweet-salty balance, soy aftertaste

• Body: creamy, oily and dense

• Finish: softly fresh, slightly sweet, rich in umami

Preparation suggestions – with ideal gyokuro technique

These parameters were compiled based on the recommendations of experts Tezumi and Hibiki-An to highlight the fullness and richness of umami of Gyokuro Iki.

🔹 Offering with traditional tools (Kyusu Houhin or Shiboridashi recommended)

Cooling process: First, pour hot water into glasses (yuzamashi or yunomi), then pour it back into the teapot, which already contains the tea.

Why is it worth making gyokuro this way?

• Long, low-temperature steeping helps bring out the tea's umami richness and sweetness while avoiding the development of bitterness.

• The higher tea-to-water ratio (6g/50ml) helps create a concentrated, vibrant flavour — an important part of the Japanese collecting tradition.

• Gradually increasing the temperature during the second and third infusions helps the flavors to gradually release and develop.