Naturally Grown Kyobancha (winter-roasted green tea leaves)

Unique to the city of Kyoto from which it gets name, Kyobancha is harvested from tea leaves and twigs that have matured over the winter months and then roasted producing a very woodsy flavor.

Often called ‘bancha for babies’ (akachan bancha 赤ちゃん番茶) because it has almost no caffeine, it is also called ‘spring bancha’ (haru bancha 春番茶) because it is harvested in March from winter matured leaves. Rarely offered outside of Japan, it is even quite rare to find it in supermarkets in Japan as well.

Shinichi Kihara’s Kyobancha gives off a smoky aroma, but surprises you with a flavor that is both smoky as well as sweet. (See our steeping notes.)