Development story | Craft Tea

Wasanbon has long been a popular snack to go with tea, but here it is the star of the show.

HIYORI's craft tea was created with the idea of creating tea that allows you to enjoy its refined sweetness and smooth texture on a deeper level.

Staff member Aya Miyatake talked to us about the journey that led to product development.

 

Stimulate the desire to "try it" 

Miyatake, who has been involved in various Japanese tea-related projects, is also a big fan of Japanese tea in his private life. 

However, this time, we started from the idea of making a tea that would make even people who are not normally familiar with Japanese tea say, "I'd like to try it." 

 

"I think Japanese tea has an image of being somewhat difficult to drink for people who are not used to drinking it. I wanted to find an approachable 'starting point' so that anyone could easily pick it up."

The idea that came to mind was to add visually appealing ingredients to the tea leaves. 

The flavor has also been given a unique character, making it so interesting that you'll want to try it out.

With ingredients that give you a taste of Setouchi  

 The tea leaves used for both types of craft tea are from Takase, Kagawa Prefecture. 

Although it is not a name that is commonly heard, in fact 80% of the tea produced in Kagawa Prefecture is grown in Takase. 

The principle is local production for local consumption, so the produce rarely leaves the prefecture. 

In the past, when Emperor Showa and Empress Showa visited Kagawa Prefecture, they drank Takase's new tea. It is a hidden gem of tea, known only to those in the know. 

All of the teas made under the guidance of the Takase Tea Industry Association are made using 100% Takase tea leaves.

Tea leaves grown freely in tranquil tea fields are carefully manufactured into products in well-managed factories. 

It has a good balance of bitterness and sweetness, and a simple yet elegant taste. 

Its simple deliciousness makes it the perfect base for craft tea. 

The Japanese black tea (Benicha) is paired with Unshu mandarin chips from Iwaki Island in Ehime Prefecture.

After trying over seven different kinds of citrus chips, I found that Unshu mandarins were the ones that had the most delicious balance of sour and sweet.

The flavorful Japanese black tea gently captures the lingering aftertaste of Wasanbon.

  

By the way... Benicha is Takase's original "Japanese" black tea.

It uses locally grown tea leaves of the brand "Meiryoku," and is characterized by its subtle, gentle sweetness and fruity aroma.

It goes well with both Western and Japanese sweets, and is a wonderful black tea that will add elegance to a wide range of occasions.

The somewhat unexpected pairing with sencha is chrysanthemum flowers from Taiwan.

It has a soft, sweet aroma, and in Taiwan it is sometimes blended with oolong tea.

This time, we chose the organically grown "Kikuka" (pile chrysanthemum), which is of such high quality that it is even used in traditional Chinese medicine.

The base tea, Takase Sencha, is a classic taste, characterized by its strong flavor and moderate coolness.

The sharpness of the sencha and the mellowness of the chrysanthemums...these contrasting flavors match perfectly and bring out the delicate flavor of the wasanbon. The way the chrysanthemums softly open up in the tea is also lovely.

"We struggled to find a way to make sure the sencha flavor didn't overpower the wasanbon flavor. After tasting the tea repeatedly among the HIYORI members, we came up with the idea of adding chrysanthemum flowers...and when we tried it, it turned out surprisingly delicious."

 

 The attention to detail goes into the appearance and shape

The packaging, which looks like a gift envelope, is perfect as a gift.

We created a simple design so that at first glance you wouldn't realise it was Japanese tea.

When you open the envelope, you will find tea leaves, mandarin oranges, and chrysanthemum flowers inside separately. 

The reason we decided not to put all the ingredients in a tea bag but to separate them is because we want everyone to be able to enjoy the fun of brewing tea. 

 

"It's fun to make it yourself, isn't it? Making tea leaves, adding mandarin oranges and chrysanthemums... I would be happy if this 'fun' experience could spark an interest in tea and wasanbon." 

 

HIYORI's craft tea will change your image of Japanese tea.

Please give it a try!