2026 Tanegashima Hashiri Kabusecha - Ozaki Shigehisa - Yabukita - 50g

Name: 2026 Tanegashima Hashiri Kabusecha - Ozaki Shigehisa - Yabukita - 50g
Brand: Artisanal Japan
Price: 21.00 USD
Availability: InStock

2026 Tanegashima Hashiri Kabusecha - Ozaki Shigehisa - Yabukita - 50g

$21.00

Included:

Tanegashima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

|

Kabusecha, loose leaf | 50g |

About 2026 Tanegashima Hashiri Kabusecha - Ozaki Shigehisa - Yabukita - 50g

About

A kabusecha from Tanegashima, a small island south of Kyushu where the sea keeps the air mild and the tea year opens earlier than anywhere else in Japan.

Ozaki Shigehisa covered these Yabukita rows for two weeks before picking them on the sixteenth of April. Shaded through the final stretch of their growth, the leaves hold their sweetness rather than spending it, and the cup carries a depth that unshaded tea rarely reaches.

Hashiri (走り) names the first arrivals of a season, gathered while the year is still opening. A hashiri tea is valued for lift and clarity rather than weight. The shading gives this one body underneath that brightness.

The dry leaf smells of green apple and white grape. Warm water draws out something coastal, a clean saline note beneath a broad, savoury umami. The finish is long and quiet, with no astringency to clear.

Twenty kilograms were made.

The Producer

Ozaki Shigehisa farms organically on Tanegashima, in the island's volcanic kuroboku soil. His approach is to feed the ground and leave the surrounding ecosystem intact, allowing a field to express what it has rather than pushing it toward a flavour.

The island shapes the work: ocean air, warm light, and a growing season that begins weeks ahead of the mainland.

About Kabusecha

Kabuse (被せ) means to cover. For the final ten to fourteen days before harvest, the field is shaded.

With less light, the plant slows its conversion of L-theanine, the amino acid behind umami, into the catechins that give green tea its astringency. The theanine remains in the leaf. Chlorophyll rises, and the leaf darkens toward emerald.

The result sits between sencha and gyokuro. It keeps the freshness of a spring tea and gains the sweetness and weight of a shaded one.

Teaware Care

Japanese teaware is made to be used and enjoyed. With simple, consistent care, your kyusu, shiboridashi, hōhin, yunomi, and matcha ware can age beautifully over many years.

In most cases, the best approach is also the simplest: clean soon after use, use warm water, and allow every piece to dry completely before storing.

Everyday Care

After each tea session, remove the leaves and rinse your teaware as soon as possible. Letting wet leaves or tea sit for too long can lead to odors, staining, and moisture problems, especially in unglazed clay or more porous glazed wares.

For routine cleaning, warm water and a gentle hand rinse are usually enough.

Once rinsed, allow the piece to dry fully before storing it. This matters most for kyusu, shiboridashi, hōhin, and porous chawan, where moisture can linger in spouts, lids, filters, and clay bodies. Wiping with a clean cloth is fine, but air-drying is still important, especially for more absorbent wares.

What to Avoid

Avoid soap, bleach, harsh cleaners, and abrasive scrubbers on most handmade teaware.

This is especially important for unglazed interiors and porous glazes, which can absorb residues and affect the character of future brews. Dishwashers are also best avoided for most handcrafted teaware, as heat, detergents, and vibration can be hard on delicate or handmade pieces.

Unglazed Clay

Unglazed clay teapots and brewing vessels should generally be cleaned with water only. These clays can interact subtly with water and tea, and they may absorb soap or lingering aromas.

Tea stains in unglazed kyusu are not necessarily a problem. A gentle patina is often a natural part of regular use and can become part of the piece’s character over time.

Porous Glazes

More porous glazed wares need slightly more attention. Pieces with porous glazes can absorb moisture and slowly develop character through use.

Because of that porosity, these wares should be rinsed promptly after use and dried thoroughly. Soap is best avoided, since it can seep into the clay or glaze.

Kyusu Tips

Cleaning all of the leaves out of a kyusu can sometimes be difficult, especially with narrow openings or built-in filters.

A useful method is to fill the pot with water, swirl it gently to loosen the leaves, and pour them out. If small leaves cling to the filter, use a soft brush such as an old toothbrush very gently, then rinse again through the spout to ensure it is clear.

Storage

Store teaware only when completely dry. Trapped moisture can lead to mold or stale smells. For more absorbent pieces, give them extra air-drying time before putting them away in cupboards or boxes.