{"product_id":"nadeshiko-rose-japanese-fermented-tea","title":"Nadeshiko Rose Japanese Fermented Tea","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Nadeshiko Rose Japanese Fermented Tea is a unique and rare type of post fermented tea from Mr. Takada in Uji. There are some similarities that can be drawn between this tea and puerh, but it is in a category entirely of it’s own. The tea is made through a unique fermentation which is similar to that used to make sake, soy sauce and miso. The tea goes by many names, pink tea, the rosé of tea, but the one thing that is for sure is that it is one of a kind!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is Japanese fermented tea?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are 6 main categories of tea, white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, red\/black tea and post fermented or dark tea. This last category is our focus here\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJapanese fermented tea is a category that is often overlooked. Overshadowed by the more popular Japanese green teas and Chinese fermented teas, Japanese fermented tea is quite rare by comparison. This tea is produced at a very small scale in a small number of towns and villages around Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e1st brewing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea begins with a slight sweet wooden flavor, with higher notes of flowers and caramel. The tea shares some characteristics with a \u003cstrong\u003eJapanese roasted tea\u003c\/strong\u003e, but overall there is more sweetness. There are also similarities between this tea and \u003cstrong\u003epuerh\u003c\/strong\u003e, but you may notice more earthiness accompanied by some delicate notes of tree bark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e2nd brewing:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second brewing starts off strong with an even more powerful sweet wooden note. The earthy and floral characteristics become more apparent and the earthy notes begin to float into the foreground. The tea finishes off with a delicate sweet aftertaste.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOrigins of fermented tea\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of post fermented tea likely began by accident. In China, green tea leaves would be pressed into a brick so that they could be carried over long distances. As the climate changed from warm Southern China to the mountainous regions of Tibet, the tea began to naturally ferment. The microbes in the leaf and in the air transformed the tea leaves, rendering the flavor smoother and fruitier. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the flavor of these naturally fermented teas became so popular, producers began experimenting with different production methods to make the tea taste better. They began trying different methods of pan firing, solar withering and gradual aging. The most famous of the post fermented teas is puerh. Similar to champagne, a post fermented tea is \u003cstrong\u003eonly called puerh if it is produced\u003c\/strong\u003e around the region or puerh \u003cstrong\u003ein Yunnan\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is of course the most famous region for post fermented tea production,\u003cstrong\u003e but post fermented teas can also be produced in Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e. Let’s talk about the Japanese post fermented tea known as Nadeshiko. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is Nadeshiko Tea\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNadeshiko Tea is a Japanese \u003cstrong\u003efermented tea made using koji\u003c\/strong\u003e, the same microbes used to make sake, soy sauce and miso. This is the most common culture to use for fermentation in Japanese food, so it’s no surprise that it is the key ingredient in Japanese fermented tea as well. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eHarvesting of Nadeshiko\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eThe tea leaves are collected from the first or second harvest and then they are steamed, rolled and dried. Once the leaves are processed, they are gathered together into a room to begin the fermentation process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eThe fermentation of Nadeshiko\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eAfter the leaves have been gathered, moisture is applied on top of the leaves before they are sterilized. Then the koji is applied to the leaves to activate the fermentation. Unlike puerh tea for example, this is done in a controlled, sterilized environment to make sure the koji is the only microbe fermenting the tea leaves. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Rosé of tea\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf puerh is the champagne of the post fermented tea world, Nadeshiko is the rosé. This tea is also known as “pink tea” because of its very unique color. The flavor is sweet and flowery, and it is slightly lighter compared to a rich puerh tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may notice some tasting notes with a puerh tea. This earthy or tree bark like flavor is present in the finish. Overall, it is a bit more flowery and sweet, and shares some aspects with a hojicha. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBenefits of Nadeshiko tea\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNadeshiko has similarities to a Japanese black tea or Wakoucha, but also Chinese puerh tea. The notable difference is that it has a higher concentration of catechins, citric acid and gallic acid. These compounds are developed thanks to the strictly controlled fermentation process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilar to other fermented foods, fermented Japanese tea like Nadeshiko is thought to help support a healthy diet and metabolism. Research conducted at Shizuoka University by a team of researchers discovered that there are two new types of polyphenols found inside this tea that could have some key health benefits. These polyphenols are thought to suppress the enzymes responsible for adult diabetes. They are also thought to decrease the levels of visceral fat, neutral fat and cholesterol. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the unique microbial fermentation process, the catechins found within the tea leaf are degraded and turned into teadenol A and teadenol B. Teadenol A has been shown to suppress appetite and increase insulin secretion. Fermented Japanese green teas are also thought to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMade in Uji\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Nadeshiko comes to us from the talented farmers at \u003cstrong\u003eChanoka in Uji\u003c\/strong\u003e. When we visited \u003cstrong\u003eMr. Takada\u003c\/strong\u003e, he introduced us to so many different types of rare teas and this is one of them. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMr. Takada and his family have been in the tea industry \u003cstrong\u003esince 1907\u003c\/strong\u003e when they opened their tea plantation. He is able to lean on multiple generations of tea knowledge to produce excellent quality green tea, oolong tea, black tea and Japanese fermented tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat makes Uji tea so special?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUji is known for consistently producing some of the best quality teas in Japan. The soil is great quality, the air is clean and misty, the terrain is hilly and the winters are relatively mild with no frost. This climate has produced excellent teas for hundreds of years. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory of Uji Tea\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUji has been a hot bed for tea cultivation since the 1300s. When the tea plant was first cultivated in Japan in 1191, it was mostly grown in the Toganoo mountains. Toganoo was known for producing the best tea on the island, but they would soon be challenged by their counterparts to the south. The original monk Eisai who brought the tea seeds to Japan from China, shared some of the seeds with his friend Myoe Shonin in Uji. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1383, Uji was known for producing the second best tea in Japan. In 1460, the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa proclaimed that Uji tea was his favorite type, which began the unofficial reign of Uji as the top tea producing region in Japan. Depending on who you talk to, that reign still may persist to this day, as Uji teas are the most internationally recognized Japanese green teas. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the reputation for Uji tea is thanks to their production of matcha, but they also produce some Japanese fermented teas here and we are happy to have found a great one!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to prepare Japanese fermented tea\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeaf: 5 grams\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater: 150ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTemperature: 80 degrees C or 175 degrees Fahrenheit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTime: 1 minute\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis tea can be rebrewed up to 4 times at 20 seconds each\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Nio Teas","offers":[{"title":"100g","offer_id":43494117933133,"sku":"ttc1787268272568","price":30.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200g","offer_id":43494117965901,"sku":"svy1787268272569","price":57.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0644\/1182\/8301\/files\/nadeshiko-rose-japanese-fermented-tea_1.webp?v=1787268277","url":"https:\/\/www.grandorchard.shop\/products\/nadeshiko-rose-japanese-fermented-tea","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}