Monthly Japanese Tea Subscription Box : Sencha, Hojicha and More
Virtual Tea Terroir Experience
EXPLORE AND DISCOVER!
Different regions, different cultivars and different types of tea. You can explore the differences , find your favorite and feel the pleasure of discovery by tasting teas you have never encountered before. What could be a more wonderful experience for tea lovers?
With this monthly subscription, we want to bring that kind of pleasure directly to your door.
PLACES
Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and Kyoto are the well-known production areas for Japanese tea, but in reality, tea is grown in 37 of Japan's 47 prefectures, and variations can be enjoyed depending on factors such as climate, topography, and the producer's expertise. For example, in Shizuoka prefecture just for example, different flavors and aromas of tea are produced along the sea coast and in the mountains.
CULTIVARS
Currently, there are over 120 cultivars of Japanese tea! There are cultivars with a strong umami flavor, cultivars with a strong earthy profile, cultivars with a flowery aroma, and many other characteristics!
TEA TYPES
There are not only popular traditional tea types such as sencha and hojicha, but also rare types such as kamairi-cha, tamaryoku-cha and some new types that have been produced by young producers in recent years, such as withering sencha and lightly roasted hojicha, which have a new taste with a slightly different production process from the traditional method.
WHAT YOU'LL GET EACH MONTH
- 5 handcrafted premium teas —We carefully select 5-6 teas from tea farms across Japan that are the best for the season. Each tea contains 10-15g (3-5 cups) of loose tea leaves.
- The story of your tea — Its origin, why it was chosen, and the recommended brewing method for optimal flavor.
WHY OUR TEA?
1Different themes by month
It is not simply a different tea each month. We set a seasonal theme each month and qualify teas to deliver to you. It will be a never before experience for you!!
2Bringing you a virtual experience of Tea Terroir of Japan!
Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Kyoto - all are famous for their tea production, but that's not all. We deliver teas that feature the characteristics of each region, such as local climate, topography, soil, and production techniques. Enjoy the terroir of Japanese tea!
3Collaboration with Artisanal Tea Master
We are pleased to collaborate with Fumiki Kawaguchi, one of the leading experts in the Japanese tea industry. Fumiki is involved in the production of XX varieties of tea each year, as well as speaking at events, writing and serving as a judge at tea competition. All teas are of the highest quality, carefully selected by his strict eyes!
ARTISANAL TEA MASTER
Fumiki Kawaguchi
We are pleased to collaborate with Fumiki Kawaguchi, one of the leading experts in the Japanese tea industry. Fumiki is involved in the evaluation of over 5,000 of teas from all over Japan per year, as well as speaking at events, writing and serving as a judge at tea competition. All teas are of the highest quality, carefully selected by his strict eyes!
TEA THEME OF THE MONTH FOR 2023
It is not simply a different tea each month. We set a seasonal theme each month and qualify teas to deliver to you. It will be a never before experience for you!!
April, 2023
First Flush Sencha from Kagoshima:
The first harvest of Japanese tea begins in the south. Kagoshima Prefecture is located in the southern region of Japan and consists of 28 islands. 2021, Kagoshima overtook Shizuoka Prefecture for the first time in terms of tea production, ranking first in Japan. Taking advantage of the geographical conditions of the prefecture, which is long from north to south, tea produced in Kagoshima is characterized by its rich variation in color, aroma, and taste: the cool mountainous foothills, with their large temperature differences between day and night, produce aromatic tea, while the flat areas with their abundant sunshine produce tea with a distinct flavor.
May, 2023
First Flush Sencha and other teas from Kyushu region:
Kyushu is located southwest of the main island of the Japanese archipelago and consists of nine prefectures. With its mild climate, the Kyushu region is very well known for its tea production. Also the region's long history of exchange with China and the Korean peninsula gave rise to a unique tea culture, including kamairicha and tamaryokucha. In May, we will be offering a selection of teas from famous tea-producing regions in Kyushu, excluding Kagoshima, which we delivered in April.
June, 2023
First Flush Sencha from Kyoto&Shizuoka: Kyoto and Shizuoka are both tea-producing regions with very long histories. Uji tea, which represents Kyoto, has a history of about 800 years. Uji tea was a special tea offered to the Imperial Court in Kyoto and the Tokugawa Shogunate. Because of this history, Uji tea is still used to produce a number of high quality teas. Shizuoka is also known as a major producer of tea. Located in the center of Japan and stretches 160 kilometers from east to west, each tea-growing region has its own unique characteristics. In the mountainous areas where the temperature varies greatly, in the foothills where snow remains even in early spring, and in the plains and coastal areas where the difference in temperature is relatively small, each area has its own unique cultivation methods.
July, 2023
First Flush Sencha from Saitama: Saitama Prefecture, where Sayama tea is produced, is located next to Tokyo. Because of its cool climate for tea production, various efforts have been made over the years to improve tea tree varieties and devise production methods. The production method that emphasizes flavor rather than shape of the leaves is the mainstream, and is characterized by the unique aroma produced by the "Sayama-biire" finishing process and the sweet, rich, full-bodied flavor produced by using thick leaves grown under severe climatic conditions.
August, 2023
Carefully select teas suitable for cold brewing from various teas such as sencha, hojicha, and kamairi-cha from various regions. Recipes for each Cold Brew are also included, of course!
September, 2023
Tea Master Pics:
This year's recommended tea cultivars®ions selected by our partner tea master, Fumiki Kawaguchi, from sencha and other teas of the 2023 harvest from all over Japan. The brewing method and an introduction to each cultivar is included.
October, 2023
Tea Master Pics: This year's recommended tea cultivars®ions selected by our partner tea master, Fumiki Kawaguchi, from sencha and other teas of the 2023 harvest from all over Japan. The brewing method and an introduction to each cultivar is included.
November, 2023
November is the time of year when various events such as Japanese tea competitions and festivals are held. We will be offering a selection of award-winning teas of 2023.
December, 2023
Hojicha is roasted green tea, and there are a variety of types. Roasted sencha leaves, roasted stems or roasted kamairi-cha. There are also various degrees of roasting, such as dark roast and light roast. There is also hojicha, which is made by roasting the stems of tea made by the black tea manufacturing method, as a special variation. They all have different aromas and flavors, and it is a very enjoyable experience to compare them.
HOW IT WORKS
1.You sign up for our monthly tea subscription service.
2.We curate a selection of high quality, artisan teas across Japan.
3.We deliver to your door every month. You’ll receive your first box straight away, with each subsequent delivery in the first week of every month. You can cancel anytime.
4.Enjoy!
FAQ
ABOUT LILIKU TEA
Akiko, founder,
Certified Japanese Tea Instructor
There are many producers in Japan who make good quality teas in an environmentally friendly way, however many of their teas have not yet been distributed overseas. In October 2019, we launched our own tea brand LILIKU TEA. We are working together with a small, family-owned tea farms that do not allow mass production but continue to make good quality tea. Our mission is to bring more of these small batch but high quality teas to overseas markets so that more people can enjoy the various terroirs of Japanese tea, and to improve the sustainability of tea farmers who are striving to preserve Japanese tea for future generations.
