High grade tea, hand picked Gyokuro, Sencha and Matcha are only grown in very small quantities as there is only one tiny place in the world ideal for growing this special tea. A small earthy area here in the Uji region of Japan. For this reason, the hand-picked tea is very valuable.
First flush is the name given to tea leaves that are picked for the first time this year. The tea tree does not sprout from Autumn of the previous year until the Spring of the following year. Like most plants, it survives the cold Winter months and does not produce tender shoots.
In the meantime, the tea tree stores nutrients inside. When spring comes and the temperature is above a certain level for several days, it begins to sprout.
The first green tea flush is the highest quality of the year, because the nutrients stored until the arrival of Spring are more concentrated inside the tree. The ceremonial grade Matcha and Gyokuro tea are harvested only during the first harvest. In spring, the soil is most fertile, which gives Ichibancha the best flavor.
The best time to pick tea leaves is when the tea tree has 3 to 5 sprouts. Only a few days pass from the time the sprouts appear until the leaves become too large to harvest. If the farmer harvests the leaves 2 to 3 days too late, the quality of the tea may be affected. If he collects the leaves too early, the quantity will be too small. Therefore, the farmer must carefully determine the right time to harvest. This explains why Ichibancha is the highest quality grade and most limited produced.
