Shizuoka

Meaning 'late green', Okumidori is a cultivar that flushes later in the spring season compared to Yabukita. Registered in 1974, it's a cross between Yabukita and a native Shizuoka variety. It's valued for its strong umami, rich flavor, and vibrant green color, making it excellent for matcha and shaded teas like gyokuro. Its late budding nature can be an advantage in avoiding frost damage.

Meaning 'clear green', Saemidori is a relatively newer cultivar, registered in 1990. It is a crossbreed of Yabukita and Asatsuyu, inheriting desirable traits from both. It's prized for its vibrant green color, lower astringency, and rich umami flavor. It is an early-budding tea plant. It's gaining popularity for producing high-quality sencha and matcha with a beautiful hue and a sweet, mellow taste.

Developed in 1908 by Hikosaburō Sugiyama in Shizuoka Prefecture, Yabukita is the most widely cultivated tea cultivar in Japan, accounting for a vast majority of tea production. Its name comes from 'yabu' (bamboo grove) and 'kita' (north), as Sugiyama originally planted it north of a bamboo clearing. It was officially registered as Tea Agriculture and Forestry Registered Cultivar No. 6 in 1953. Its popularity stems from its hardiness, frost resistance, adaptability to various regions, high yield, and excellent, well-balanced flavor.