Green tea is made all over Japan. Shizuoka is famous for its tea, so is Kagoshima. After all, Shizuoka makes the most green tea in Japan, and is well known for its Sencha, it should be famous. Yame (Fukuoka) is also famous for its Gyokuro, and they managed to produce the best tasting tea in Japan in the year 2008. So, what about Uji? Why should people be interested in Uji tea?
Tea is like wine. California may make some wonderful wine, but one has got to admit, pride aside, California is no Bordeaux. And what Bordeaux is to wine, is what Uji is to green tea. The taste of Green tea differs from field to field, mountain to mountain, climate to climate, and type of tea tree to tea tree. How the farmer treats his tea trees, and when he does what makes a difference in the tea too. Uji has the rolling hills, the foggy mist, the cool and damp weather, yet the hot and humid summer, the absolute ideal kind of weather and environment that tea was made for. This is even before we start talking the about the blend.
And then comes the history factor. The history of Uji, is the history of Japanese tea. The first teas to be grown in Japan over 800 years ago were grown in Uji. Sencha was born in Uji, so was Gyokuro, and so was Matcha. For the people of Uji, tea is their pride, their livelihood, their love, and it is their life. Which is why it is almost impossible to find a tea farm that produces sub-par tea in Uji. It would simply not be permitted. I know it sounds cheesy, but it is fact.
Even in Japan, if you want to give somebody a gift of good tea, the only tea that is really socially acceptable as a high-class tea, is Uji tea. Why? That is because Uji tea is what people think of, when asked what tea they see as the highest grade Japanese tea. This is not necessarily because it is the most expensive. It is because of the “uji” brand, its historical reputation, and the fact that it is the hardest to obtain outside of the Kansai region unless you go to high-class specialty tea stores.
What does it all boil down to? It boils down to the fact that Uji makes some outstanding tea, which we believe is the best in Japan. All hype aside, it is hard to go wrong with Uji tea. This is not to discount any other quality tea from other regions, and there is some really good tea out there. But if you think you know Japanese tea, try what we have to offer. Be the judge and taste the difference.
