Sencha Murakami Niigata

村上煎茶

Harvest
May 2023

Origin
Murakami, Niigata

Fujimien has been cultivating and crafting tea in the Niigata Prefecture of Japan since 1868. Presently, the sixth generation tea master, Tsuyoshi Iijima, is making Fujimien’s tea in the small village of Murakami, at the northernmost tip of this region; an area many would consider a very unlikely place for tea cultivation.

Although an unusual origin, tea from Murakami has been around since the early Edo period in 1600’s Japan. Murakami is a small castle town, known regionally as “snow country.” During the harsh winters here, snow covers most of the tea plants, making the tea fields appear completely white. The tea plants strive to grow in these harsh conditions, which concentrates their character. When Spring finally comes a surprisingly sweet and gentle tea, unique to this region, is made.

This traditional sencha is the most popular tea crafted by Fujimien. The leaves of this tea were harvested in the “first flush” picking season in early Spring. It is an intentionally blended sencha, with tea leaves grown in Murakami combined with leaves from other regions, to produce a perfectly balanced taste.

The dry tea leaves look substantial and oily, but the tea they brew is incredibly delicate and refreshing. Behind their robust appearance is a  floral, mineral rich, crisp and refreshing tea. It is very neat to try a tea from Nagata, that carries the clarity and delicateness of a snowy climate with it. It’s complexity and gentleness reminds us a bit of Chinese Laoshan green.

Net weight 90g

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Brewing guide