SHINCHA KABUSECHA
-Saemidori -

Harvested late April 2025

Origin: Japan, Satsumasendai (Kagoshima Prefecture)
Cultivar Saemidori

We wanted to enrich our online catalog of Japanese teas with this precious tea from southern Japan, a kabusecha made from the Saemidori cultivar.

WHAT IS A KABUSECHA?

A Kabusecha (か ぶ せ 茶) is a type of Japanese green tea similar to Sencha, but a few days before harvesting, it is covered with shading nets.  Kabuse actually means shaded and cha means tea.
This process causes the plant to produce a boost right before the leaf harvest, of chlorophyll and L-Theanine which significantly impact the properties and taste of the infusion, giving it sweeter and umami notes.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GYOKURO AND KABUSECHA

There are several teas that undergo the shading process, the most famous is certainly Matcha, but also Gyokuro. In Terza Luna's high-quality Japanese tea catalog, we also have a Kukicha Kabuse.
Gyokuro and Kabusecha are similar, the main difference between the two is the duration of the leaf shading; in Gyokuro, it is longer, thus producing a sweeter liquor. We could say that Kabusecha is a middle ground between a Sencha and a Gyokuro.

PREPARATION OF KABUSECHA

To best extract the flavor of Saemidori Kabusecha, we recommend:

• Water with low mineral content
• Temperature around 70°-80°
• Short infusion times and multiple infusions
• For 200 ml, at least 4-5g

For utensils, we recommend small teapots (max 200 ml) and small cups that favor multiple infusions. 
One of the most beautiful discoveries in tea is experiencing how the liquor evolves through different infusions.