{"product_id":"new-mandokoro-yabukita-gokujo-sencha-shiga-prefecture-50g-2026-spring-harvest","title":"NEW Mandokoro Yabukita Gokujo-Sencha; Shiga Prefecture, 50g. 2026 Spring Harvest","description":"\u003cp\u003eMandokoro Gokujo*-Sencha - 2026 Ichibancha (First\/Spring Harvest Tea.)\u003cbr\u003eOrigin: Mandokoro Tea Region, Higashi Omi City, Shiga Prefecture.                                                              Cultivar: Yabukita (\"North of the Bamboo grove\").                                                                                          *\"Gokujo\"-Sencha (極上煎茶) designates the highest quality or supreme Sencha. It is not a strictly regulated grading system, but tea producers use it to highlight teas with richer flavor, more \u003cem\u003eumami \u003c\/em\u003eand\/or \u003cem\u003eamami\u003c\/em\u003e (sweetness) characteristics, or premium leaf selection. Usually, Gokujo Sencha sits above \"Tokujo\" Sencha (特上煎茶, Extra Premium\/Super Superior) and Standard Sencha. Rather than a definite quality indicator across all teas, it might be best interpreted as a preference by individual producers within their own tea selection. In this case, the farmer\/producer has ranked this Sencha above other Sencha within their own production line-up. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMandokoro Gokujo-Sencha infuses to a light yellow-green color, with a light \u003cem\u003edashi \u003c\/em\u003earoma, and a buttery mouthfeel. It comes off well-balanced, with umami\/amami\/shibumi (savory\/sweet\/astringent) on the first infusion with a medium astringent finish. The umami fades a bit on the second infusion and the balance of grassy sweetness of citrus astringency develops in the second and third infusions, with more sweetness emerging each time. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tw-ta-container tw-nfl\" id=\"tw-target-text-container\" role=\"text\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cpre class=\"tw-data-placeholder tw-text-small tw-ta\" data-placeholder=\"\" id=\"tw-target-rmn\" role=\"text\" style=\"text-align: left;\" dir=\"ltr\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Y2IQFc\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/pre\u003e\n\u003ch5 class=\"tw-target-rmn tw-ta-container tw-nfl\" id=\"tw-target-rmn-container\" role=\"text\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eMandokoro-cha (Mandokoro Tea):\u003c\/span\u003e Along the Echi River in the foothills of the Suzaka Mountain Range lies the mountain hamlet of Mandokoro, in the Higashi \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eŌ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003emi City limits, with a population of less than 90 people, most around 70 years old. Many are involved in the tea industry, and Mandokoro Tea has been called a “phantom tea” (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003emaboroshi no ocha\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e) by some as the production is quite small, making it a fairly rare tea. Mandokoro teas are mostly grown with traditional methods, often with native (z\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eairai\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e) seeds going back hundreds of years. Some of this is mandated by the harsh growing conditions on hillsides not accessible to modern tea production machinery thus requiring hand-picking, and the colder temperatures which lessens the reliance on pesticides. The farmers of Mandokoro have also aimed to protect the traditional ways of tea cultivation and the natural environment which has sustained tea production in the region for generations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eThe history of Mandokoro Tea goes back to the late Muromachi Era (1333-1573) and the nearby mountain temple of Eigen-ji. The temple’s 5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e Abbot Ekkei Sh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eū\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003ekaku initiated and promoted tea growing in Mandokoro. Around 1577, on a visit to Eigen-ji, the great feudal lord (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003edaimyo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e) and Chief Advisor to the Emperor (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003ekampaku\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e) Toyotomi Hideyoshi was served tea by a young temple page named Ishida Mitsunari. Hideyoshi was served three cups of tea at different temperatures to enjoy the particular benefits of each infusion. The tea was said to be Mandokoro-cha, and led to Hideyoshi’s famous “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eSankencha\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e” (Three Cups of Tea) anecdote on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eomotenashi \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e(hospitality). It also made Hideyoshi a fan of Mandokoro Tea, many say for life. The status of Mandokoro Tea was elevated to a tribute tea, which provided tea to the military and aristocratic elite of the Hikone Domain and of the Imperial Court. Mitsunari was also promoted by Hideyoshi, and eventually became a famous military commander. Production of Mandokoro Tea grew dramatically in the Edo Period, but has since nearly disappeared in the modern era. It can now be considered a small-production artisanal tea enjoyed by Japanese tea connoisseurs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eŌmi-cha (Oumi Tea)\u003c\/span\u003e is the collective term for teas from Shiga Prefecture, Ōmi being the old provincial name prior to 1872. Shiga Prefecture is located in central Japan; sharing borders with Kyoto, Mie, Aichi, and Fukui Prefectures. It is best known as the prefecture that contains Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake. It is not as well-known as a tea producing region as neighboring Kyoto, famous for Uji teas; or Shizuoka or Kagoshima Prefectures, which are typically the top first and second ranked producers by volume. In fact, Shiga is not even in the top ten prefectures ranked by production. However, Shiga Prefecture stands out in historical importance, and in tea quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003eIn terms of tea quality, Shiga Prefecture tea often ranks highly in national and regional tea competitions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003eThere are three main regional brands among teas grown in Shiga Prefecture; Asamiya (South Shiga; Shigaraki Town, Koka City), Tsuchiyama (SE Shiga; Tsuchiyama Town, Koka City), and Mandokoro (SE Shiga, Mandokoro Village, Higashiōmi City, close to the Suzaka Mountains and the Mie Prefecture border.) Asamiya and Tsuchiyama teas have done very well through the years in both the regional Kansai Tea Competition, and the All-Japan National Tea Competition, especially in the Sencha and Kabuse Sencha categories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\" style=\"line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003eAs for tea history, when the Buddhist monk Saichō (767-822 C.E. born in Ōmi City, in present-day Shiga) first brought tea seeds back from China to Japan in 805 C.E. and began cultivation around Mount Hiei, which straddles the border of Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures. On the Shiga side, this was thought to be at Hiyoshi Shrine, which still maintains a small tea garden today. In 815 C.E., the monk Eichū served tea to the Emperor Saga, who then ordered that further tea cultivation be established five locations around the region, one of which was the area around the Hiyoshi Shrine tea garden. For these reasons, Shiga Prefecture, with a tea history of over 1,200 years, is sometimes called the “birthplace of Japanese tea cultivation.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Charaku Fine Japanese Tea","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58800005841199,"sku":null,"price":11.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0778\/9464\/8111\/files\/MANDOKORO.GOKUJO.SENCHA.LEAF.jpg?v=1794437127","url":"https:\/\/charaku-tea.com\/products\/new-mandokoro-yabukita-gokujo-sencha-shiga-prefecture-50g-2026-spring-harvest","provider":"Charaku Fine Japanese Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}