Rare and unconventional, Tamaryokucha is one of the original gems of Japanese green teas; a tea that defies boundaries, dancing between two worlds without ever completely betraying itself. For it alone embodies this singular alchemy: the steamed delicacy of Japan embracing the roasted boldness of China, in an aromatic pirouette that defies classification.
At the turn of the 20th century, while Japan dreamed of conquering world markets, a paradox plagued Kyushu tea producers. Their refined green teas remained overshadowed by a dominant Chinese presence: the legendary Gunpowder, with its leaves rolled into small balls, captivated Russian merchants and Western traders alike. How could they compete? How could they export without betraying the very essence of Japanese tea?
It was there that the idea of a near-heretical compromise, a deliberate and brilliant transgression, germinated: why not combine Japanese steaming (this noble and ancient process that preserves the chlorophyll with steam) with Chinese rolling, this spiral twist that gives tea its mysterious roundness? Thus was born tamaryokucha, a steamed tea that resembles in every detail the shell-like or rolled leaves of Chinese green teas. A rebellious tea, one that rejects dogma, that defies boundaries.
In Ureshino, a tea-growing region for over six centuries, artisans are embracing this quiet revolution with passion. From the moment the first spring shoots are picked, the leaves are steamed, as per Japanese tradition—a process that preserves their freshness, their delicate flavor, and their characteristic jade-like luminosity. But where Sencha would have continued its journey as fine, refined needles, Tamaryokucha takes a different path. The leaves, still warm and supple, are rolled into a comma shape, like a small pearl coiled upon itself. It is this twist that defines its identity.
The subsequent drying process, more robust and intense than that of Sencha, adds the final touch of originality. It is in this final drum heating that the subtle hint of roasting emerges, this warm and enveloping roundness that fleetingly evokes certain Chinese green coffees, while remaining distinctly Japanese. No aggressive roasting, no burning bitterness, but a delicate warmth, an unexpected depth, as if Tamaryokucha held onto the memory of a journey never completed, a rebellion never fully embraced.
Today, Tamaryokucha remains an enchanting curiosity in the world of tea: less than 2% of Japanese production is devoted to it. Ureshino and the neighboring regions of Nagasaki, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto remain its undisputed masters. For connoisseurs, this tea represents a delicate gateway to Japanese complexity: approachable, smooth, and imbued with a latent sophistication. It is a tea for those who appreciate nuance, unexpected approaches, and traditions that dare to question themselves.
To taste a Tamaryokucha from Ureshino is to hold in your hands the story of a refined transgression; that moment when East and West meet on a tea tray, where two worlds embrace without denying each other, in a silent and eternal dance.
