The processing method of Gyokuro is identical with that of Sencha. The difference is in the field where the tea trees are grown, between shaded and unshaded.
Let us first show you the traditional hand processing method so that you can have a clearer idea of which stage of hand processing those on a table of machine processing correspond to.
Shaded tea field of Gyoku and Maccha
Unshade Sencha
tea field.
◎A traditional hand processing

Charcoal fire is
put into Hoiro.		 Freshly picked leaves are immediately steamed. While steaming, charcoal fire is built in Hoiro, or a flat stove set under the rubbing table whose top is a replasable board called "Jyotan". Tens of sheets of traditional Japanese paper are glued one over another to make this board.
　

Chakiri,
drying tea leaves		 Steamed leaves are spread over the "Jyotan" board and dried for about 25 minutes with the heat of charcoal fire below. The leaves are constantly and gently mixed throughout this process.
　

Yokomakuri,
rolling and drying		 Further drying process is applied. As the leaves are rolled and rolled, the moisture in the leaves disappers gradually.The scent of fresh Green tea starts to rise toward the end of this process which lasts nearly one hour and twenty minutes and requires more laborious handiwork than any other process.


"Rubbing on the wooden board"
When rubbing reaches this final stage, the paper top is torn in places and must be reparied.
Now we move on to a ITAZURI or "rubbing on the wooden baord" process. The tea leaves are already fairly well rolled up in the previous process. In order to roll them tighter and thinner and to give them a better aroma and a lustrous color, the leaves are rubbed for 50 minutes on a wooden board put on the rubbing table against the rubber's side.
　

Drying the leaves
The final drying and selecting process.
The tea leaves are spread thin on the paper top, Jyotandai and fanned cool with Ucchiwa, flat paper fan with a bamboo frame. Stems and big sized leaves are sifted out on a coarse meshed bamboo sieve, called Zaru. It takes about five hours to complete this entire hand-making process.


How did you like your visit ?
Our delicious Uji tea is packed after one last delicate process of blending to which is applied our accumulated knowledge of the characteristics of different tea leaves.
SHOHOKUEN has in our factory the most sophisticated machinery to manufacture our tea. Our tea manufacturer's sprit, however, has remained the same as our pioneer families' 350 years ago. We try to be sensitive dealing with nature and are grateful for the gift it gives us.That is why we do not use any food additives and chemicals in any of our products. We only wish to produce what is good for our health.
　
◎Blending
The characteristics of tea leaves are determined by the location of tea fields. Even in Uji region itself, depending upon where a tea field is located, the taste, color, aroma and richness all differ forming a characteristic of the tea grown in each tea field. Blending is done to bring out the best in different characters and the result is a harmony of enhanced flavors that can never be obtained without our respect for and professionalism of manufacturing the highest quality tea possible. We bear the responsibility of providing our customers with only the tea that we can be proud of.
We will be happy to receive your questions, comments and requests.

Tea factory
　

automatic rubbing machine
　

filtering through mesh


Board Director
Director, Production Department
Master Tea Blender
Seiji Nishida

Tea leaves picked in shaded tea fields are steamed and then cooled. As soon as the leaves have cooled off, they are dried at a high temperature to become crispy dry. At this point, the leaves still keep their complete forms with stems and veins contained. The leaves are then cut, and after being dried again, the stems and veins are sorted out to leave the tenderer and more delicious part of the leaves called "Tencha". Tencha is then stone-ground and made into powdered tea called "Maccha". The grinding process requires a great care and a considerable length of time.
Crispy dry tea leaves with stems and veins.
Hand-ground in olden days
Going through the clean room to enter the Maccha factory
Maccha factory

　SHOHOKUEN brand tea is available at all renowned tea shops and Mitsukoshi department stores throughout Japan. Please remember to specify by our name SHOHOKUEN. Thank you very much.