YaME-tea sweets

The origin of YaME-tea is said to have originated when the monk Shuzui built Reiganji Temple in 1423 (Oei 30) and conveyed the cultivation of tea. Yame City and the surrounding area are “cool and rainy,” making it a very suitable environment for cultivating Japanese tea. It is said that YaME-cha has sweetness, richness, and solid umami, yet gives a refreshing impression. In Yame, the old tradition is preserved, and shoots are covered with rice straw instead of chemical fibers. Normally, it blocks sunlight for about 2 weeks, and for about 20 days when cultivating YaME-tea. This prevents theanine, which is the umami component of tea, from being transformed into catechin and caffeine due to sunlight, resulting in a tea with sweetness and richness.