Gyokuro

Gyokuro (Japanese: 玉露, "jade dew") is a type of shaded green tea from Japan.

It differs from the standard sencha (a classic unshaded green tea) in being grown under the shade rather than the full sun.

Gyokuro is shaded longer than kabuse tea (lit., "covered tea"). While gyokuro is shaded for approximately three to four weeks, kabuse-cha is shaded for approximately one week.

The name "gyokuro" translates as "jewel dew" (or "jade dew", referring to the pale green colour of the infusion).

While most sencha is from the Yabukita (薮北) cultivar of Camellia sinensis, gyokuro is often made from a specialized variety such as Asahi, Okumidori, Yamakai, and Saemidori.