Kukicha Background
The work Kukicha literally means "twig tea" in Japanese. As the name suggests it is made from the twigs that are left over after the processing of Sencha or Gyokuro green tea. (The Japanese are loath to waste anything that could possibly produce a good tea.) And, Kukicha is definitely a good tea for several reasons.
The twigs that are left over after processing Sencha and Gyokuro are very sweet indeed. What's more, they are considerably lower in caffeine than tea leaves. Our Kukicha from Sugimoto farms in Shisouka Prefecture, Japan, has a very clean taste and buttery mouthfeel without the astringency and grassiness normally attributed to Japanese green teas. It is extremely refreshing both hot and cold and is the perfect choice for anyone trying to avoid caffeine, including children.