Yamakai (やまかい、山峡) means 'ravine'.
The name of this variety comes from the fact that it has a color similar to mountain tea. It is a tea known as natural Gyokuro. It’s suitable for making Sencha, Kabusecha and Gyokuro.
Yamakai is an extremely rare variety, growing in less than 3% of all Japanese tea plantations nationwide. It was selected from Yabukita's seedlings and registered as a variety in 1967.
It has a distinctive taste with a strong Umami flavor and a fruity sweetness. Many people liken it to a flavor similar to Dashi stock and a melon-like aroma.
We highly recommend tasting this side-by-side with our other asamushi-senchas to fully appreciate the distinctions between cultivars.
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