{"title":"高香園 KOKAEN (Aichi)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Origins of Tea Cultivation in Toyota\u003cbr\u003eThe origins of tea cultivation in Toyota date back to ancient times. During the Bunka-Bunsei period of the Edo era, Baikou\u003cbr\u003eBaicha-o, the head priest of Muryoju Temple in Yatsuhashi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, preached that tea was a beverage\u003cbr\u003ewith medicinal effects and spread this knowledge throughout the country. He is said to have distributed tea seeds and taught\u003cbr\u003ecultivation methods.\u003cbr\u003eAt that time, Terada Denbei, who lived in Hanazono Village (present-day Hanazono-cho, Toyota City) and was famous for\u003cbr\u003esake brewing, was the first to sow tea seeds and create tea fields. Subsequently, tea gardens were expanded to the\u003cbr\u003eneighboring villages of Yoshihara and Nakane, and they came to support the tea industry of the Kariya Domain.\u003cbr\u003eKokaen has been involved in tea cultivation in the historic Yoshihara-cho area since ancient times. Since their founding in\u003cbr\u003e1945 (Showa 20), three generations of the family have consistently handled tea tree cultivation, tea processing, and sales in\u003cbr\u003etheir own gardens.\u003cbr\u003eKokaen's Tea Woven by Handcraft\u003cbr\u003eFirst, they create the soil, plant and nurture tea trees there, carefully hand-pick the tea leaves, and transform them into\u003cbr\u003efragrant tea through the owner's skill and experience. They put all their strength and heart into every process so that\u003cbr\u003ecustomers will think \"I want to drink this again\" and \"I want to drink this every day.\" This is Kokaen's tea-making philosophy.\u003cbr\u003eThe quality of the soil where the trees take root and grow is deeply related to the taste of the finished tea. To achieve the\u003cbr\u003edesired deliciousness, they first focus on soil preparation. During the cultivation period, they use organic fertilizers and\u003cbr\u003eminimize pesticides. They also avoid pruning and cultivate tea trees as naturally as possible, entrusting them to nature's\u003cbr\u003ewisdom.\u003cbr\u003eDuring the new tea season, their tea fields are filled with the cheerful voices of local women and the refreshing aroma of tea\u003cbr\u003eleaves that have absorbed plenty of sunlight. The \"tea pickers\" hand-pick each leaf while selecting only the tender new buds.\u003cbr\u003eTea leaves picked by hand have a noticeably different umami and aroma when compared in taste tests.\u003cbr\u003eThen, the rough tea is steamed and dried according to the condition of that year's tea leaves. The garden owner adds one\u003cbr\u003emore step: \"fire treatment.\" If the temperature is too high or too low, it will damage the tea's aroma. However, only through\u003cbr\u003ethis process does it become their \"fragrant and memorable tea.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"高香園-kokaen-matcha-好昔-konomimukashi","title":"高香園 Kokaen - Matcha 好昔 Konomimukashi","description":"\u003cp\u003eKokaen Hand-Picked Matcha Konomimukashi is a matcha powder that luxuriously uses hand-picked tea leaves. Its\u003cbr\u003echaracteristic feature is the exquisite balance of richness and bitterness, allowing you to experience its superior quality from\u003cbr\u003ethe moment you take your first sip. By hand-picking 100% of the tea leaves, the matcha's flavor and nutritional value are\u003cbr\u003erichly concentrated, enabling you to enjoy an even more intense taste. Brewing at a slightly lower temperature can reduce\u003cbr\u003eastringency to the absolute minimum. The clean taste is a testament to its premium quality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"stoa coffee","offers":[{"title":"20g","offer_id":45758336499874,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/0253\/9170\/files\/IMG_7015.jpg?v=1755187302"},{"product_id":"高香園-kokaen-かきつばた-kakitsubata","title":"高香園 Kokaen - かきつばた Kakitsubata","description":"\u003cp\u003eThey use tea leaves carefully cultivated in cool mountain tea gardens at altitudes of 200-500 meters, where insects are\u003cbr\u003enaturally less likely to be present. This matcha is a blend based on the Yabukita variety, combined with Okumidori and\u003cbr\u003eTsuyuhikari varieties. It offers a well-balanced matcha with harmonious umami, bitterness, and aroma. It is primarily suitable\u003cbr\u003efor making lattes with milk and can also be used in confectionery.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"stoa coffee","offers":[{"title":"20g","offer_id":45758342693026,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/0253\/9170\/files\/IMG_7014.jpg?v=1755187432"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/0253\/9170\/collections\/rogo.png?v=1755187044","url":"https:\/\/stoacoffee.ca\/collections\/%e9%ab%98%e9%a6%99%e5%9c%92-kokaen-aichi.oembed","provider":"stoa coffee","version":"1.0","type":"link"}