This year, I was fortunate enough to learn how to grow, preserve and enjoy tea from one of the most exceptional tea farmers in Japan, whose experience can be measured in orders of magnitude of that figure. His dedication to the craft, along with the organic tea farm, was inherited from his father and grandfather before him. To be in the presence of such unwavering dedication, multi-generational focus and unique knowledge about Japan’s most prestigious tea is electrifying and inspirational.
Learning about the plant and the conditions for its success had to be the first step when building Circadian. After drinking and learning about tea for 15 years, I finally decided to immerse myself in the harvesting season. As with any plant, the climate determines the harvest time and urgency. The southern most part of the main Japanese archipelago experience the hottest temperature. Therefore, tea plants located there are among the first to be plucked.
Following this path, I spent most of the time in Japan's biggest tea producing region. I learned about the local terrain, shading and different processing stages and how this affects freshness and flavour. Up to this point, my knowledge has only been theoretical. When not leading a team of 8 for an emerging bank, I was educating myself about the difference between the three categories of steaming Asamushi (light), Chuumishi (medium) and Fukamishi (deep) and the different material used in covering the plant - bamboo or canopy.
When carefully balanced, minimal processing and expert cultivation yields teas that offer unparalleled versatility. Tea becomes a perfect companion for a gourmet meal, morning boost or an evening ritual. Knowing the fundamentals of the plant is necessary because of the effect it has on tea drinkers. That first sip is crucial, as it shapes the lasting impression the tea will leave on someone.
Spending time in Kyushu, was in the service of confirming the tea that will be at the core of what Circadian offers - rare and premium Japanese teas to help the vanguard make the most of the day and the night.
Our mission starts with single cultivar Gyokuro. By the time I first tried it in Osaka in 2018, I had been drinking tea for almost 10 years. But that first sip completely reset what my understanding of tea was up to that point and ushered me into a realm of its own. Unlike most teas in Japan that can trace their start to China (matcha originated there as well), Gyokuro’s identity is fully Japanese. It makes up less than 0.05% of the global tea supply. This rarity makes it also unknown within Japan, a fact that I experienced myself when talking to locals on my day off from the farm.
Producing Gyokuro is a laborious process. One must be proficient at biology and meteorology. The former to make sure that the plant receives the required organic nutrients to make it survive in low light conditions and the latter, to know how sudden weather changes affect the delicate plant. Unlike other teas, three weeks before being plucked, Gyokuro leaves are covered with shading that eliminates 75% of the light from the plant. In the last days before harvest, the plant lives in 90% darkness. All of this comes across in the tea’s unique alertness inducing and flavour properties.
This year’s harvest season and this very inaugural blog post are also in the service of manifesting the values behind Circadian and what you can expect from us when drinking our tea: obsession with freshness, local-first expertise, utmost quality and dedicated sourcing. In the coming posts, I’ll expand on the harvest and the work Circadian is doing to elevate appreciation of Japanese teas.
Until then, a sincere and heartfelt thank you for being one of the first ones to read this.
