Takahashi’s Oolong “Koju”

高橋の烏龍 香寿

Harvest
May 2025

Origin
Shizuoka, Japan

This Koju Oolong is made in Shizuoka by the Takahashi’s, a father and son duo whose family has been tea farmers for 3 generations. They started by making sencha, as most tea farmers in Shizuoka do, but about 20 years ago the eldest began enthusiastically studying oxidized teas like oolongs. He patiently experimented with processes for crafting oxidized tea and today produces some of the rarest oolongs in Japan. 
 
Koju is the name of a varietal that was discovered by Mr. Takahashi. It is a hybrid cultivar of Inzatsu 131 (an exotic varietal brought to Japan from Manipur, India a century ago) and the Japanese varietal, Yabukita. Mr. Takahashi is currently the only person cultivating Koju in Japan, as he believes it to be particularly well suited for crafting into oolong. 

This Koju is completely hand picked. After being harvested the leaves are withered in the sun for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, they are further withered for about 10 hours using a yōseiki (a withering and shaking machine). During this stage the tea leaves give off a wonderfully fragrant aroma. Next, the leaves are pan-fired for about 10 minutes — just long enough for them to become slightly crisp. After that, they are wrapped in cloth and gently steamed, softening them again.

This tea is very significant to us as it is the only whole leaf, hand picked, and oxidized tea that we have tried from Japan. It is beautiful to taste this rare varietal crafted with the techniques that Mr. Takahashi has perfected over the past two decades. It tastes strikingly floral, reminiscent of Taiwanese Oolongs, and its gentle saline notes are interlaced with pungent white flowers. This florality, paired with its hydrating and soft mouthfeel, make it feel like a bruised gyokuro. In the gaiwan you will see the reanimated Koju leaves; their robust veins, hand-cut shape and lightly oxidized surface are a beautiful sight to pause on. 

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Brewing guide