Shiogama's new symbol "Datecha" press conference to be completed [Miyagi Prefecture]

On July 27th, 2017, a press conference was held at the main auditorium of Shiogama Shrine, Ichinomiya, Mutsu Province, to announce the completion of "Date Tea."
Date Tea is a Japanese tea manufactured and sold by Yabeen Tea Co., Ltd., which has a store in Shiogama City.
It is the northernmost tea produced using tea leaves grown in Monou Town, Ishinomaki City.
This time, we will introduce "Date Tea," which has been born as a new specialty of Shiogama.

---

What is Yabeen Tea Shop?

Yabeen Tea is a long-established tea master that will celebrate its 84th anniversary in 2017.
They work every day to spread the deliciousness of Japanese tea from Shiogama to the rest of Japan and even the world.

The deliciousness of the tea is guaranteed.
It is even used as the tea served on the JR East luxury sleeper train, Train Suite Shiki-shima, which began operation this year.
The tea is even brewed in a completely different way, allowing even non-alcohol drinkers to fully enjoy the charm of the tea.

The new northernmost tea that Yabe-en is now manufacturing and selling is the "Date Tea" that we will introduce to you today

---

What is Date tea?

Datecha is a Japanese tea produced in Monou-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

Previously, it was sold as "Momono Tea" and was loved by locals, but in order to gain a deeper understanding of the product among people all over the country, it has been renamed "Date Tea" and has made its revamped debut.
The name "Date" is a symbol representing Miyagi Prefecture.
The aim is to use this name to communicate the culture of Miyagi Prefecture to people all over the country in a catchy way.

There were voices expressing regret at losing the name Momono,
but Yabe Toru, president of Yabeen, said that they decided to go ahead with this decision because they could promote the fact that tea is grown in Momono by establishing the symbol of "Date" to attract attention from all over the country and then explaining that it was produced in Momono.

The name "Momono" was not simply lost.
The packaging for Date tea is designed in the style of "Kiriko," a form of Date culture, and the name Momono lives on in the "peach pattern" that resembles a brightly shining sun at the top center.

By the way, the name of this Date tea was officially recognized by the Date family, Date Yasumune, the 18th head of the family since Date Masamune!

Now, I was curious about the taste of Datecha.
There was a tasting corner at the venue, so I tried some myself. The moment I drank it, I thought, "Japanese tea can be so delicious!"
That's how shocked I was.

The venue served two types of iced Datecha tea, not cold-brewed coffee, but sencha and genmaicha.
The rich aroma of both teas that spread the moment you took a sip moved you in a way that you had never experienced before with any other tea. They
were not bitter, and had a sweet taste.
The slight astringency at the end left a refreshing aftertaste.

Brewing Date tea with ice water prevents the bitter component, caffeine, from leaching out, resulting in a Japanese tea that is easy to drink with almost no bitterness.
As such, it is recommended to drink Date tea brewed with ice water, but you can also savor the refined bitterness by using warm water.
Try drinking Date tea according to the season and your mood to enjoy it to the fullest.

---

How to enjoy Date tea

It is recommended to drink Datecha tea by steeping it in ice water, and a teapot that can also be used as a shaker has been made specifically for this purpose. It
's easy to make.
Place the tea leaves in the teapot, then add ice directly on top.
Add room temperature water and shake gently for about 90 seconds.

If you don't have a dedicated teapot, you can add ice and water and let it sit for 20-30 minutes before brewing to enjoy a delicious drink.
Of course, brewing it with hot water will also have a different appeal, so please try both.
Datecha will be officially released on August 5, 2017.
It can be purchased at Yabe-en Tea Shop in Shiogama or online.
The 350ml PET bottle has already been released, so if you want to try it early, please purchase that.

Yabeen Tea Shop ＜Information＞

• Name: Yabeen Tea Shop
• Address: 1-20 Duo Hills Shiogama Kaigandori, Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture, 985-0002
• Phone number: 022-364-1515
• Official URL: http://yabe-en.com/

Google Map

---