Mauna Kea Tea Import

Welcome to Mauna Kea Tea Import

If you have looked for specialty green tea in the U.S., you may be disappointed about the limited choices that are available. At Mauna Kea Tea, our goal is to introduce to you the fine teas that we have discovered in our search. We enjoy bringing high quality teas into the US and talking about them.

Takahiro Ino, certified Japanese Tea Instructor, has been searching for these high quality teas for some years. Focusing mostly on Japanese green teas, he visits farms and facilities to examine how the teas are grown and processed. He also grows and processes teas himself, to better understand how to improve tea in Japan and at home in Hawaii.

Our Tea Selection Criteria	Tea Knowledge
Sencha Production Process	Preparing Green Tea simple method
Types of Japanese Green Tea

Kagoshima Sencha First Flush - Green Tea

Kagoshima First Flush

The harvest of Kagoshima’s first flush starts early in April. This new growth of spring is fresh and tender and makes for a deep green liquor, rich aroma, and a grassy flavor with little astringency. The aroma, color, and flavor of this first flush is unsurpassed. Infact, the farm producing it has been nationally recognized as Japan’s tea contest's grand prize winner in the sencha category.

Kagoshima Sencha - Japanese Green Tea

Kagoshima is known to be the second largest sencha producing region in Japan. The prefecture is located on the southernmost main island Kyushu, known for its mild climate and early spring flush. In this area, sencha is typically deeply steamed (fukamushi) giving a color that is deeper and a flavor that is sweeter than other sencha. Fukamushi sencha is grown and served throughout Kagoshima. What allows Mauna Kea Tea’s Kagoshima line to stand apart is the producer’s skill at maintaining contest winning quality while demonstrating social and environmental responsibility.