About this tea

The Okawa region of Shizuoka lies in the upper stream of the Warashina River. The Zen monk Shoichi Kokushi was born here and introduced tea seeds to the Okawa region in 1244. Okawa is one of the most revered and oldest Hon Yama tea producing villages. It is also one of the highest elevation tea farming areas in Japan and is famous for its elegant, deep tasting and aromatic sencha. The high mountain region of Okawa is surrounded by dense forests, clear air and pure river streams. The tea gardens are fed by sweeping clouds and mists from the Japanese Alps. Our friend and supplier of Hon Yama sencha in Okawa is Rikio-San and his tea gardens can be found deep within the forests and clouds. Rikio-San’s home and tea gardens are in a remote area above where most of the tea gardens in Okawa are located, making it the perfect place for organic tea with natural forest and mountainous buffer zones shrouding the area from industrial pollution or other crops. Rikio-San is focused on sencha and high mountain gyokuro, which is absolutely a rare treat for gyokuro lovers.