Onitsuka Shincha Saemidori

Onitsuka-san is a fifth-generation organic tea farmer in Kagoshima. He produces mid-steamed ("chumushi") sencha with a rich, juicy character that reflects his meticulous soil management and masterful cultivation techniques.

Onitsuka-san grows several cultivars for Rishi Tea & Botanicals and brings exceptional care to every aspect of organic tea farming and production. Year after year, his organic sencha ranks among the finest selections in our lineup, consistently delivering a robust and deeply satisfying cup.

Saemidori, which translates to "clear green," is a hybrid cultivar developed from Asatsuyu and Yabukita. One of the earliest cultivars harvested each spring, it is prized by tea farmers throughout Kyushu for its vivid green infusion color and its resilience against early-season frost.

This lot of Saemidori, produced by Onitsuka-san, brews into a shimmering bright green cup with an opaque emerald hue. The fertile black volcanic soils of his farm shine through in the tea's character, contributing a distinctive minerality, depth, and density that make this Shincha Saemidori especially memorable.