Gyokuro Kokyu – Well-Rounded Kyoto Gyokuro Blend

Our Gyokuro Kokyu is a blend of two of Kyoto Prefecture's finest teas: Ujitawara Gyokuro and Wazuka Kabusecha, or "covered tea." By blending these two teas, tea masters create a consistent, high-quality gyokuro that can be enjoyed by tea enthusiasts worldwide at a stable, affordable price.

Gyokuro is shaded for several weeks before harvest to boost its sweetness and umami, while kabusecha is grown the same way but shaded for a shorter period, increasing chlorophyll and creating a flavor somewhere between sencha and gyokuro. Together, they create a beautifully well-rounded cup with the best qualities of both.

Tasting Notes

Liquor: rich, bright green
First notes: a slight, fresh grassiness
Flavor: rich umami sweetness
Body: smooth and well-rounded
Finish: long and lingering

Why You'll Love It

Gyokuro Kokyu offers the luxurious umami and sweetness of gyokuro with the freshness of kabusecha, all at a price that makes it easy to enjoy regularly. It's a smooth, savory cup with a lingering sweetness.

A blend of Ujitawara Gyokuro and Wazuka Kabusecha
From Kyoto Prefecture
Rich umami sweetness with a lingering finish
Consistent quality at an affordable price

How to Enjoy

Brew it with cooler water to bring out its sweetness and umami, and enjoy multiple infusions. It pairs beautifully with Japanese cuisine, from sushi to tempura, and with delicate wagashi sweets.

Smooth, sweet and beautifully balanced, Gyokuro Kokyu is gyokuro made for everyday enjoyment. It's an ideal way to explore the luxurious world of gyokuro, and a lovely gift for Japanese tea fans.

Make it your kind of cup

ready, set, steep.

A great starting point. Adjust the strength to suit your taste.

011-1.5 TSP or 1 BAGScoop your leavesAdd tea to a roomy infuser or teapot.
0280°C200mlJust add waterPour water over the leaves at the suggested temperature.
031.5 - 2 minGive it a momentLet the tea steep, then remove the leaves.
04Your perfect cupSip and enjoyTaste it plain first, then make it your own.

A little steeping tipLet just-boiled water cool for a minute or two — water that’s too hot can turn delicate leaves bitter. Good leaves give a lovely second cup, too.

Preparation:

Use 1-1.5 TSP or 1 BAG per 200ml of water at 80°C and steep for 1.5-2 min.

Ingredients:

Green tea

Write your own Review

Lissa Blood

January 2026

GREEN DYNAMITE! flavor so intense, I could only.take the tiniest sips
Gaiwan next time

Sascha Uncia

February 2024

I have been experimenting with the gyokuro and reading brewing instructions online to learn how to brew it. I found some steps that are working well.

- You need to use a fair amount of leaves compared to other tea or the first infusion will be weak.

- The first steeping should be done at a lower temperature, around 60°C. If needed you could go up to 70°C as the temperature will drop when you add the water to the pot.

- Use filtered water, otherwise fully boil the water and let it cool down. I found that heating tap water to ~60°C without letting it boil really made the chlorinated taste stand out. The tea is delicate so it is easy to detect any off flavours.

- The first infusion will be light jade green, mildly umami, grassy, and have some sweetness. This is my favourite one.

- The tea can then be infused a couple more times, It will be more astringent and have a less green appearance. It's interesting how it changes so much between steeps. Subsequent infusions can be done at a higher temperature and should be shorter, around 40 sec to a minute.

- One site recommended making a salad from the spent leaves once they had been steeped a few times. You prepare it like spinach gomae, and it looks very similar. I tried this and it was pretty decent. Worth trying at least once and gives you some extra use from the leaves.

Sascha Uncia

February 2024

I don't have a lot of experience with Gyokuro but this is pretty good.

Anna Turek

May 2021

Love this one, it has a very gentle taste :)

See all 9 reviews