NEW
Spicy, citrus
Umami★★☆☆ / Astringency★☆☆☆
Body★★★☆ / Firing★☆☆☆

Murakami is a small coastal town on the shore of the Sea of Japan, located in Niigata prefecture. It is one of the northernmost commercial tea-production regions in Japan. The cultivation of tea goes back to the 1620s, when a public servant from Murakami Province, Tokumitsu Yakakuzaemon, brought back seeds from his pilgrimage to Ise. Tea cultivation would then quickly develop thanks to the backing of the local government.
The method from Uji was only developed in 1859, which is the basis of modern sencha. The Meiji era was the most prosperous period for Murakami tea. With 600 ha of tea farms, Japanese tea became a major export. Since the Second World War, Murakami tea has declined. There are now only 25 ha of tea farms. Nonetheless, thanks to a handful of passionate producers, the cultivation of this tea has begun to recover.
Despite being located in the north, the average annual temperature recorded in Murakami is sufficient to grow tea. During winter, snowfall covers the tea trees, protecting them majority of the cold. This snowfall also means that Murakami tea trees must be pruned very short so that the branches will not break under the weight of the snow.
Between Spring and Autumn, the sunlight is relatively dim, there are frequent mists and high-humidity, which are ideal conditions to grow a high-quality, sweet, slightly astringent tea.

What could be more natural in this northern region than finding cultivar from Sayama, a region that produces many cold hardy tea varieties.
The fragrance of this Fukumidori is spicy, has clove notes and is lightly lemony. The first infusion is delicate, is light, and has very little astringency. Fukumidori only ever develops very little umami. And in the case of this sencha from Murakami, the infusion is slightly thick. On the palate, the spicy, lightly lemony sensations reappear.
The second infusion is also delicate, sweeter, and citrus fruit nuances join the spicy aromas.
The very hot third infusion produces milky, citrus aromas. Its astringency is naturally more present.
This Fukumirdori from Murakami is a rich tea with a beautiful length in the mouth. Its aromatic characteristics are very present, but not excessive, making it a still relatively classic sencha. The Murakami region undoubtedly produces sencha with a great sensation of fullness.

Type of tea : Futsumushi (normal-steamed) sencha
Origin : Hagegafuchi, Murakami city, Niigata prefecture
Cultivar : Fukumidori
Harvest : May 24th, 2025