At Uji, right outside of Kyoto, the birthplace of tea in Japan. The top grade Gyokuro are covered for 30 days prior to harvest. But here in Uji, it is shaded for not only 45 days, but with Yoshizu 葦簀, a river tube like plant for making window blinds in the ancient times. Here a cover for shading the tea nursery, a labor intensive but specialized method. Taniguchi san explains that when it rains through the straw tubes, the rain water is even sweeter tasting, nourishing the plants. Modern convenient black tarp like shades can’t compare.
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