Green Tea Products

This very old traditional tea is the favourite beverage for those living in China, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. It has a history that stretches back 4,000 years and has become a way of life for many people. The Japanese hold this drink in special esteem where it has its own intricate ritual and practice. Indigo Herbs has sought out an excellent grade Green Tea Sencha and a Green Tea Sencha Powder packed full of goodness and antioxidants for you to enjoy.

Green Tea is the prototype for all other teas with mystical beginnings stemming from the writings of the legendary Chinese Emperor Shennong in around 2737 BC. Following on up until the Tang dynasty, the next major work, ‘Tea Classic’, was written on the method of drinking tea by Lu Yu in 760-762 CE. This book described the origin of Tea, how to make tea, where tea grows and including an intricate plant description. A little later in 805 CE, Green Tea was first introduced to Japan by two Buddhist monks, Saicho and Kukai, when they brought back a few plants from a visit to China. Later in Japan, the Zen priest Eisai wrote his master work, ‘Kissa Yojoki’ (Book of Tea), popularising Green Tea in Japan and spreading its use and benefits as a healthy tonic.

The area of Obuku near Kyoto is thought to be where the very best and rarest tea is produced in Japan. The first tea plants were cultivated in this area in 1271 by the Buddhist monk Kohken. It is said that the environment in Obuku is absolutely perfect for the highest grade Sencha Green Tea and that every botanical facet from the soil, water sources and geographical placement of the valley means that it is a flawless environment for the plant. The Green Tea farmers of Obuku area often wonder how Kohken came to know about the complex environmental factors of the area; how did he know that it was the perfect environment to produce the very finest Green Tea?

Camellia sinensis is native to east and south Asia, growing in tropical to sub-tropical climates. There are two different variants used for tea which are designated by either coming from China or coming from Assam in India. The tea plant itself can grow to about 3 meters in height if it is not trimmed for tea production and produces small white and yellow flowers. Leaves picked for tea are generally harvested when they are young with the best quality teas coming from the growing shoot. The age of the leaf at harvest will determine the quality of the tea.