Sencha Shizu was grown by Taruwaki-san, in the mountainous area of Kawane, Shizuoka. This town lies along the beautiful Ooi River. The plentiful water and abundant nutrients found in this area have made it the home of several national award winning teas. Taruwaki-san has been farming without the use of pesticides since 1990, and made the transition to organic farming in 2002. One of his many secrets to success is blending his own fertilizers. His goal is to boost the natural fertility of soil and ensure that his tea field is in symbiosis with nature. This is yet another Sencha that embodies the essence of Shizuoka’s rich tea heritage. 

One of the things I’m passionate about with tea, and food in general, is unique and heirloom varietals or cultivars. So I am very excited to find single cultivar senchas NOT made with the ubiquitous Yabukita cultivar. Of course there are fabulous senchas made with Yabukita but I’m all about preserving and encouraging diversity in specialty tea.

Provenance:

• Origin: Kwane, Shizuoka, Japan
• Grower/Teamaster: Taruwaki-san
  
• Elevation: 
• Harvest Date: Spring 2025
• Cultivar: Organic Shizu-7132 
  
• Cultivation: USDA Organic, repackaged
• Plucking Standard: Machine harvested
• Processing Notes:  Asamushi (light) steamed
• Nickname:  This varietal's flavor comes from its naturally high levels of the aromatic organic compound “coumarin” which is also present in high concentrations in Japanese cherry trees, earning this single cultivar the nickname “Sakura Kaori” (Cherry Blossom Aroma) 
  

History/Pedigree: Single Cultivar Shizu-7132 was developed at the Shizuoka Tea Research Center. While several of its sister plants, including Sayama Kaori and Oku Midori, were registered by the Japanese government, Shizu-7132 has yet to be officially registered and continues to be grown only by a few truly passionate tea farmers in Shizuoka. Because of this, Shizu-7132 is a particularly rare offering. It is renowned for its delicate sakura aroma and flavor

Brewing Suggestions¹:

• Water: 155-175˚F
• Tea: 4g per 4oz of water (about a level 2 tsp²)
• Infusion: 30-60 seconds until steeped out
  

Tasting Notes:

• Floral (sakura), artichoke, light body, brisk to mild astringency, light umami.
  

¹ Brewing suggestions are just that. Try it the suggested way then experiment. In this case I suggest first experimenting with the quantity of tea per oz of water. I use 4g (instead of my usual 2g for most teas) per 4oz of water as I like the stronger flavor of a higher tea to water ratio. For temperature, 160˚ gives a grassy, sweet, fresh balanced profile while 175˚ brings out fuller flavors with more pronounced notes. For a sweet, light delicate profile, you can try it as low as 140˚. Some tea drinkers like to use slightly hotter and longer times for each subsequent steeping.

² Weighing your tea is always the best way to control your dosage. I provide approximate volume measures for convenience but they can be problematic due to the variance in tea leaf shape and size.