Omi Akachan Bancha — “Baby Bancha” Cold Brew Tea (Shiga)

In Shiga, this is the tea everyone grows up with. “Akachan” means baby — this bancha is so gentle and naturally low in caffeine that it has traditionally been given even to babies and grandparents. It’s made only from rare spring bancha, harvested in the cold of February and March from JGAP-certified farms in Asamiya and Tsuchiyama, Shiga. Winter harvesting means no pesticides are needed at picking time, and the leaves grow thick and sweet. The harvest is small, which makes this tea hard to find even in Japan. At Nakagawa Seiseido (est. 1845), the leaves are steamed, dried without rolling, then slowly roasted in the shop’s own kettle — an old method that gives a clean, toasty aroma and a light natural sweetness.