kukicha , an amazing Japanese stem tea

Kukicha is a Japanese green tea made only from stems. It is very popular thanks to its low caffeine content and can be enjoyed at any time of day. Fresh and original, Kukicha is an excellent choice to get started with Japanese teas!

It’s said that after selling their best teas to the emperor and nobility at the time, Japanese producers decided to make use of the remaining stalks that were usually wasted to produce and sell tea cheaply. This approach was consistent with Zen Buddhist philosophy: when taking something from nature, it is important to use all parts of it.

Kukicha is a tea that was first produced fairly recently. It became popular with the mechanisation of tea production. While high-quality tea is harvested by hand in most producing countries, it’s a different matter in Japan. The tools used by Japanese producers are designed to allow precision mechanical harvesting. Automated sorting in the factory by machines with electronic eyes make it easy to recover the stems of leaves used to produce Senchas and Gyokuros. These stems are then used to make Kukichas with aromatic notes that are similar to traditional Japanese teas. It’s very interesting to taste and is very affordable too as it’s produced using supposedly non-premium ingredients.

A green tea that’s low in caffeine

Sencha and Gyokuro stems are used for their wonderfully intense aromas. This low-caffeinated tea is ideal for those sensitive to caffeine. Caffeine is mainly present in the bud and first leaves, rather than in the stem. Kukicha offers all the grassiness of a Japanese green tea but can be enjoyed at any time of day. In Japan it’s not uncommon to drink Kukicha instead of water. It’s served at many restaurants because it goes so well with all types of food.

The freshness and elegance of nature

Savouring a Kukicha is all about taking time to contemplate the serenity of the Japanese spring, appreciating the tea’s thirst-quenching freshness, and being comforted by the succession of mild notes. The captivating opening iodine and marine notes linger as more vegetal aromas gradually make way for mint and blackcurrant. Mellow and sweet Kukicha is easy to appreciate and pair with food: it has enough character to get along with strong flavours yet is sufficiently refined to accompany more delicate dishes. It makes a generous partner for fresh fish, a sweet dessert or a tamagoyaki (a sweet-savoury Japanese omelet). It’s a tea for all times and occasions and can be enjoyed hot or chilled depending on the season. •

Roasted Kukicha

You can roast your Kukicha yourself in a horuku (a large frying pan)¹ to bring out more woody, cooked fruit, toasted cereal notes. These comforting fragrances evoke a sunny late afternoon. This roasted version is called Shiraore Kuki Hojicha. This stem tea is special in that it’s roasted in the same way as a Bancha Hojicha (hojicha means “roasted green tea”).

In Japan, labour is expensive, and harvesting tea leaves is mechanised. The sophisticated tools used by farmers allow them to achieve a high degree of precision when harvesting.