The Kyoto tea authority announced “hoga sengen”
(budding announcement) on April 7th 2017.
It’s 2 days later than usual because the
average temperature in March was a bit low. The announcement is annually issued
when about 70% of new buds of “Yabukita” cultivar (the most common cultivar to
produce green tea) cultivated at a research institute are grown about twice as
big as the size of leaves which are wrapped the buds. Usually, about one month
after hoga sengen, tea is ready to be plucked.
Sakura flowers are at their best now here. When
finished, it is “tea” turn!
