Okuhikari | おくひかり — 50g
Price range: $10.00 through $23.00
For those who crave savoury over sweet — try it with sake
Okuhikari is a mountain cultivar suited to high-altitude terrain — and it tastes like it. The mouthfeel is creamy and weighty, carrying a deep umami that isn’t showy or gyokuro-like, but quieter and more grounded. It lingers in the aftertaste as a gentle broth-like savouriness.
This tea belongs to the same flavour family as our Koshun and Yamakai — mountain-grown, aromatic, with character. But where those two lean into sweetness, Okuhikari has a sharper, more defined edge. There’s a spicy aroma that the producer describes as its signature.
Cold brewed, this sharpness becomes even more pronounced — the producer themselves recommends it as a chaser alongside spirits.
If you enjoy the aromatic mountain teas in our collection, this is the one that adds a different angle — less sweet, more structured, with a quiet complexity that reveals itself over multiple steeps.
Tea Profile
Flavour: Umami, Brothy, Crisp, Spicy Aroma
Type: Single Cultivar
Cultivar: Okuhikari / おくひかり
Origin: Aoi, Shizuoka
Harvest: 2025 First Flush (Spring)
Producer: Hagiri
Brewing Instructions
Hot Brew
Tea / Water Ratio: 3g / 100ml
Temperature: 176°F (80°C)
Steeping Time: 1–1.5 minutes
Tip: Pouring 80°C water into a kyusu naturally lowers the temperature to around 70°C — ideal for bringing out sweetness and umami.
Cold Brew ★ Recommended
Tea / Water Ratio: 15g / 1L
Use ice-cold water (start with ice-filled water)
Refrigerate for 6+ hours
Don’t shake — let it steep slowly
The producer recommends cold brew as a chaser for spirits — the crisp, sharp character pairs surprisingly well.
Tetsu's Tasting Note
This is a personal note — not everyone may relate, but I want to share it honestly.
When I drank this tea, it reminded me of something unexpected: koshu (骨酒). Years ago, deep in the mountains of Shizuoka, I was offered yamame (a river trout) that had been smoked and steeped in sake. The texture and lingering aftertaste of this Okuhikari brought back a trace of that memory — something smoky, savoury, and deeply rooted in the mountains.
— Tetsu, Kawagiri Tea
Okuhikari | おくひかり — 50g
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