Sae - Akari

 Another tea picking activity I had on April 24.  I went to Saitama prefecture to pick the "Sae Akari" variety. Sae means clear, while Akari means light.

The Sae  Akare variety has long leaves. I picked the core with the three leaves.

The tea plantation was owned by a 15th-generation tea farmer. Last year, he won first place in a hand-kneaded tea contest.

As you know, there are three types of tea that are made from the same leaf. 

The Sayama tea has thick leaves and because of its cooler climate, these leaves have a distinct sweet and rich flavor and are known to have higher levels of antioxidants (1).

additional sources:

1- https://en.chocotabi-saitama.jp/magazine/63