#0584.K4 Kunitomo: Riguricha Kai - Handpicked Kamairicha

Mount Kurara, towering to the west of Yanagi-no-Sato, has a mysterious aura. The sun rises early here, but because the mountains rise to the west, the sun also sets early, making it one of the coldest places in the region.

The mountain is far from human settlement and hosts many rare plants, but we cultivated mountain tea in a field that had turned to grassland and still retained traces of the lives of those who lived on its mountainside. 

In the valley at the foot of the mountain lies a small, hidden village called Kenjo. We named this tea "Kai" 壊 after the field that retains vestiges of those who have lived in the region for centuries. We wanted to create a tea that captures the presence of the mountain villagers living in this serene locale.

We hope you can feel the power of the mountains and the nostalgic taste of the people who lived close to the mountains, nurtured by the mountain air that is only accessible to those who care for the tea fields. Whether brewed strong or weak, the unique flavor of mountain tea comes through in this type of tea that is easy to brew and drink.

Flavor Profile

A very light, slightly floral green oolong created by oxidizing the handpicked tea leaves and pan roasting. 

About Kunitomo Tea Garden

Tea garden owner Akika Kunitomo's father operated a landscaping company in Kochi Prefecture and in the 1990s discovered wild tea plants on an isolated mountainside during the course of his work. He began caring for the plants by clearing away the under brush and but allowing the plants to grow naturally as they had been.

Seeking to return to the roots of tea making in the Kochi region, Kunitomo-san built a small processing factory that focuses on pan-firing tea leaves. Akika took over the project when her father passed away, expanding by using seeds from the original wild plants and creating a managed tea field while continuing to adhere to the philosophy of zero use of pesticides and fertilizer.

• Ingredients: Oolong tea
• Cultivar: Yamacha (zairai, or non-specific cultivar grown from seed)
• Harvest: Spring, harvested by hand
• Production method: Withered about 15 hours. Hand processed pan firing
• Region: Ino Village, Kochi, Japan

Steeping Recommendation

• Tea: 3 grams
• Water Temperature: 80C/176F degrees
• Water Amount: 200 ml
• Time: 3-4 minutes
• Resteep 3-4 times (total 3-4 cups per 3 grams)