Thread: Loose leaf tea lovers, I need your help!

I come to you loose leaf tea lovers, hat in hand, to ask for your help.
I have just discovered that my favorite tea is not likely to be available through my normal source! I have searched online and at stores in my area to no avail! The tea style, Aki Bancha, is available on line but this particular tea by this particular grower is what I am looking for! I am providing a scan of the package that it came in. It comes vacuum sealed and is a delightfully mild tea suitable for drinking at any time of the day as it is very low on caffeine!
If you run across this tea in your daily travels could you let me know?
OLD_SCHOOL, if my source is right and this tea will no longer be brought in from Japan maybe you might spot it in your travels! Please let me know if you do!

Thank you!

Ok, I might be able to help! I have a proud collection of 63 different kinds of tea. Ok, Aki cha is nothing but fall tea twigs really. I would maybe not recommend in importing that because it would be kind of insane. Maybe any sort of Sencha would do BUT I would really recommend you a tea called Kuki cha!
Hmmm, another good green tea that has lower caffein would maybe me fukamushi. In general though green tea has less caffeine than black tea and I maybe suggest also a white tea or just herbal teas for the night time.
I usually drink black in the morning, green during daytime, and herbal at night. Why do you wanna drink green tea all day long?

Thank you io7, or do you prefer Onigiri, or maybe Omusabi is your preference?
I used to drink Kukicha on a regular basis, also Hojicha! this would be my night time tea! I would drink sencha in the moirning if I wasn't having coffee!
The problem is, everytime I find a particular tea I like, the store soon stops carrying it, so I have to look for something else! Well, This particular tea has been a constant companion since 2003! It stuck around the longest, and I really like the delicate flavor! Gugi thinks it tastes like seaweed, but even his neanderthal palate recognizes that it is a quality tea!

If you ever see this tea, let me know as it is the tea I want!

lol, yeah many people think it tastes like seaweed. anyway, since i get my teas directly from Japan i am not sure but I did one time come across this website here that seemed to have a good selection of tea Green Tea | Health Benefits | Japanese Tea

Sorry, I usually buy mine in Shizuoka

However, I just found many websites selling Aki Bancha

I live probably an hour or so away (depending on traffic) from the market listed on the label there. Is this store no longer importing it? I can go check it out sometime, maybe Tuesday, and try to figure something out. If it's there, I hope there's only one in an orange bag, as I'm a bit rusty on my Japanese! (And by a bit rusty, I mean I know nothing of it...)

If you teach in the Phoenix area then you are much closer than an hour away! I used to live in Scottsdale, and worked all over Arizona fixing bakery and deli equipment! We did a lot of work for Safeway supermarkets, and one happened to be right across from the "New Tokyo Market", which is how I discovered the tea in the first place! I am in contact with the owner of that store and she does not believe she can get it anymore! I will call her in the next week or so to confirm! If I cant get it then I will get it directly from Japan or do without!
Thanks for the offer Sir! It is really appreciated!

I say "Phoenix Area" but I mean Queen Creek, and even then I live between there and Florence. I figured most people would not know about Queen Creek, but as you're familiar with the area, you might have heard of it.

Anyway, sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Originally Posted by m0perale

I say "Phoenix Area" but I mean Queen Creek, and even then I live between there and Florence. I figured most people would not know about Queen Creek, but as you're familiar with the area, you might have heard of it.

Anyway, sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I'll keep my eyes open.

40 minutes unless you hit traffic...unless you are closer to Florence, and if that's the case, 1 hour easy!!

Thanks again for your thoughtful offer!!

I recently picked up some of this. I like it but this is my first time with bancha.I find houjicha to have a better roasted flavor though.

Organic Bancha Twig Tea - Japanese Green Tea