KAGOSHIMA
Oosumi Organic Tea Company
Maker of Organic Gyokuro “HI”, a shaded loose-leaf tea from Kagoshima.
Maker of Organic Gyokuro “HI” · shaded loose-leaf gyokuro · 有機玉露「ひ」
Meet Shigehisa Ozaki
Mr. Shigehisa Ozaki
Representative, Oosumi Organic Tea Company
The Tea
In the cup, HI expresses pronounced umami and sweetness, with relatively little bitterness or astringency and a clean, lingering finish.
THE PRODUCT
Organic Gyokuro “HI”, 50 g
OOTC’s own shaded gyokuro, made by evaluating, selecting and blending (合組). Loose leaf · 50 g · Kagoshima, Japan.
The pack image is a studio rendering prepared from the current label artwork; photography of the physical pack is in progress with the maker.
PROVENANCE
Where HI comes from
This is the chain as far as we have been able to confirm it. Where we have not identified a farm or a step for this product, we say so instead of guessing.
Growers
Oosumi region, Kagoshima
Organic cultivation
Kirishima · Kanoya · Kimotsuki · Kumage. We have not yet identified the individual farms for this product.
Oosumi Organic Tea Company
Kanoya, Kagoshima
Tea evaluation · selection · quality design
JA Kagoshima Kimotsuki Tea Industry Center
Kagoshima
Finishing · blending (合組) · Organic JAS certified processing
Organic JAS certificate (加工 1153) verified by ATJ as current for finishing and grading.
All Things Japan
Yokohama
Maker and product information reviewed by ATJ
Fulfilment origin: Japan
Destination route confirmed before shipment
Maker's identity preserved
Each step comes from the maker's confirmation or their own published information. Organic labelling and certification rules for your country are checked before we confirm an order. If a step is not listed, we have not confirmed it.
OOTC IN KAGOSHIMA
People, place and tea
Photographs and film stills provided by Oosumi Organic Tea Company. Fields shown are the growing region; they are not identified as a specific lot.
ON FILM
How HI is made
Film provided by Oosumi Organic Tea Company. Subtitles on the harvest film are an English translation of Ozaki-san's own words, prepared by ATJ. Fields shown are the growing region; they are not identified as a specific lot.
What is gyokuro?
Gyokuro is not matcha, and not ordinary sencha.
All three come from the same plant. The difference is shade and form. Sencha is grown in full sun and sold as loose leaf. Matcha is shaded, then de-stemmed, de-veined and stone-ground into a powder that is whisked and consumed whole. Gyokuro is shaded like matcha but processed and sold as loose leaf like sencha, and it is infused rather than suspended.
Shading is one of the defining production steps of gyokuro. The leaf for HI is shaded for about 20 days before harvest, which is part of why it has so much umami and so little bitterness. OOTC then evaluates, selects and blends (合組) the tea to reach the HI profile.
The maker: Oosumi Organic Tea Company, Kanoya
Oosumi Organic Tea Company works with organic growers across the Oosumi region (Kirishima, Kanoya, Kimotsuki and Kumage). OOTC evaluates the tea grower by grower and cultivar by cultivar, decides the blend (合組), and handles finishing, quality control, Organic JAS grading, sales and export. HI is finished at the JA Kagoshima Kimotsuki Tea Industry Center, which is Organic JAS certified.
Shuichiro Sakamoto (坂元修一郎), one of the first people to make organic gyokuro, works with the growers through the Oosumi Organic Tea Research Group. He lectures a few times a year, sits on the joint judging of the growers' aracha, and advises on growing, processing and raw-leaf quality.
How to brew HI
This is how OOTC drinks HI. They worked it out so anyone can taste how the tea changes, without any special technique.
Use about 10 g of leaf. Begin with approximately 30 ml of cold or room-temperature water and let the leaves open slowly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add approximately 10 ml of hot water to gently raise the temperature and release the aroma. From the second infusion onward, use approximately 30 ml per infusion, gradually increasing the proportion and temperature of the hot water. Cool water draws out the umami; hot water lifts the aroma.
Each infusion yields about 10 ml, taken in a small cup. Enjoy the changing flavour and aroma over 20 to 30 minutes, through around ten infusions. The point is not one perfect cup, but time spent with the same leaves as taste and aroma evolve.
Cold brew, if you prefer: 15 g of leaf in 750 ml of water, refrigerated for about 15 minutes.
Professional applications
Considering HI for a professional tea or beverage program? HI may be relevant to buyers exploring applications such as:
- Fine-dining tea service
- Non-alcoholic pairing programs
- Premium cold-brew service
- Specialty tea retail
- Hotel and hospitality beverage programs
- Bar or mixology development
These are possibilities for you to consider, not applications ATJ has confirmed. The right format, availability, commercial terms and destination requirements depend on your intended use and market. ATJ reviews each business inquiry individually with OOTC.
FOR BUSINESS BUYERS
Interested in carrying HI?
What ATJ has verified
- Supplier identity
- Product identity
- Japan-origin basis
- Organic JAS processing certificate, confirmed current
Destination-specific requirements are reviewed separately before commercial confirmation.
We review the inquiry, check your country's requirements, and coordinate with OOTC. You will hear from us within two business days.
Business buyers only.
Organic Gyokuro “HI” is offered to overseas buyers through All Things Japan, Yokohama.