Cultivar and technical information
Sôfû was registered in 2005 and comes from the "inzatsu" (Indian hydrid) family of cultivars. It is the product of a cross between Yabukita and Shizu-inzatsu 131. And Shizu-inzatsu 131 is itself the result crossing a tea tree introduced from Assam, Manipuli 15, and a local Japanese variety. Cultivars from the “inzatsu" family are renown for their very distinct aromas, thanks to a strong concentration of methyl anthranilate not found in other cultivars.
Tamakawa is found in the middle of the mountainous tea production region, called Hon.yama, located north of the city of Shizuoka City, between the Abe and Warashina rivers. This Sôfû sencha comes from the famous Tsukiji area.

The nose
The first infusion produces rich, sweet, floral fragrances with nuances of jasmine and other small white flowers. We also find notes of cinnamon produced thanks to a relatively strong roasting. Subsequent infusions further emphasize the cultivar’s classic grape aromas.

The mouth
In the mouth, this is a very round, intense Sôfû. It has very present umami and a pleasant umami that is particularly light for this type of cultivar. The aromas are also sweet, evoke grapes, and have vanilla nuances.
Subsequent infusions deliver a tea that is always sweet, has little astringency, and is very aromatic.

Summary
As much in this mouth as the nose, this is a first-rate, rich, intense sencha where the characteristics of Sôfû are clearly present. It is also round, velvety, and sure to please a wide audience despite the strong character of the cultivar. It is also excellent when cold infused.

Technical description
Type of tea : Futsumushi (normal-steamed) sencha
Origin : Terao, Tamakawa Area, Aoi Borough, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Cultivar : Sôfû
Harvest : April 22th & 26th, 2026, hand harvest