Tea: Houjicha Grower: The Kinezuka Family Origin: Nakayama Village in Fujieda: Shizuoka, Japan Elevation: 350m (1150ft) Cultivation: Natural (Organic, but no certification) Harvest Date: Spring 2021 Roast Date: Autumn 2021 • • • Houjicha is a popular Japanese green tea. The dark color is due to the roasting process, which smooths out the bitterness and brings out beautiful aromatic, savory and smoky flavors. The roasting process also reduces the amount of caffeine to be less than decaffeinated tea. Most houjicha is crafted from lower grade, autumn harvest leaves. However, this lit from the Kinezuka Family is crafted from Spring leaves, harvested in May. These young, tender leaves yield a stronger, more robust flavor and the tea lasts for many more steepings. The warm, sweet flavors with savory undertones are reminiscent of salted caramel. The sweetness and lower caffeine content makes it popular for children, and it is also very easy to brew. • • •