Jiro Katahira is one of the most revered producers working in Shizuoka today, having developed a reputation for meticulous farm management and an approach to processing that results in highly expressive teas with incredible fidelity. Working almost exclusively with single cultivar teas, Karahira-san focuses on lightly steamed expressions that put the natural flavors of the tea plant and the terroir of his land in full focus. In addition to yielding some of our favorite sencha, this approach creates the perfect canvas for houjicha. This selection is made from Seimei, an incredibly rare cultivar that is primarily used in matcha and gyokuro. Expressive and complex on its own, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to see it transform through the roasting process. The result is a deep and thought-provoking houjicha of the highest order.