Teas / green / Yame Gyokuro

Yame Gyokuro
🇯🇵 Japan

Yame Gyokuro

八女玉露 · Yame Gyokuro

gyokuro

Yame in Fukuoka Prefecture (northern Kyushu) produces more than 40% of all Japanese gyokuro per Wikipedia — the largest regional share by some margin. The local microclimate (mountainous inland terrain with morning fog) suits the long 20+ day shading period that gyokuro requires; the resulting cup is famously the most umami-dense, dashi-like style of all Japanese green teas. The Yame style is generally a touch sweeter and even thicker than Uji's, with the cooler 40-50 °C brewing temperature drawing out the extreme umami without astringency.

Quick facts

Region
Yame
Harvest year
2025
Harvest season
spring
Shading
20 days
Cultivars
Okumidori, Saemidori

Brewing

Leaf
3.3 g / 100 ml
Water
50°C
Rinse
no
Gongfu steeps (s)
150, 30, 45, 60

For top-grade Yame gyokuro, water as cool as 40-50 °C and a 2-3 minute first infusion are typical — the lower the water, the more pronounced the umami and the less astringent the cup.

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Tasting notes

Aroma
intense marine broth, sweet umami, fresh seaweed
Flavor
extreme umami, deep dashi-like, sweet, almost meaty
Mouthfeel
extremely thick, viscous
Finish
extremely long

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