Asatsuyu
あさつゆ · asatsuyu
Registered
1953
National Share
1%
Asatsuyu is a rare cultivar selected from native seedlings and registered in 1953, renowned for its extraordinary umami intensity that earned it the legendary epithet 'natural gyokuro.' Unlike most tea cultivars that require weeks of shading to concentrate amino acids, Asatsuyu naturally produces gyokuro-level umami richness even when grown in full sunlight — a trait so unusual it borders on the miraculous in the world of Japanese tea. Its astringency and bitterness are virtually absent, yielding a silky, enveloping liquor with a lingering finish that seems to coat the palate in pure umami. Though its cultivation area is limited to roughly 1% of Japan's tea acreage — partly due to its sensitivity to frost and lower yield — its genetic legacy is immense: it is the parent of both Saemidori and Yutakamidori, two of Japan's most important modern cultivars. For tea enthusiasts seeking the purest expression of umami in Japanese green tea, Asatsuyu represents the pinnacle.
Flavor Profile
Aggregated reference values from publicly available information.
Texture
silky
Finish
lingering
Clarity
bright
Aroma Timeline
Recommended Brewing
Temperature
50°C
Water
60ml
Leaf
5g
Teaware
Houhin (handleless brewing vessel)
Steep Time
The key to gyokuro is patience — use cooled water and a long first steep to draw out maximum umami. The houhin, a handleless vessel, is ideal because the water is cool enough to hold comfortably. After the leaves have opened, subsequent steeps can use slightly warmer water with shorter times.
Brewing Timer
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