Mr Kajihra is originally well-known as a tea master of Kamairicha (pan-fired tea) in Kumamoto. Nowadays, his black tea attracts so many tea lovers. He grows various kinds of cultivars for green and black, and this is one of them, Yabukita.
Actually, since Yabukita is the most popular cultivar in Japan, most of green tea have been made from this cultivar nationwide. In addition to green, many tea growers also produce black tea from the same cultivar.
But I have to admit I usually don't like Yabukita black tea. It is great for green tea, but it often ends up producing over-greenish black tea. Good news is Japanese black is getting more refined year by year. Even some yabukita black are getting better, and create a unique taste. This is one of them.
Unlike Indian or Ceylon teas, this delicate tea has a round texture, almost no bitterness, and you will feel Umami to it. Longer it steeps, more savory note and natural sweetness brings out.
This year, he's installed new tea production machines in his factory, and ready to produce 2020 tea. He is planing to produce more than 10 different kinds of tea including kamairi, black tea, maybe....oolong from various cultivars.
