Karigane is kukicha made from the good stems — those separated from gyokuro and high-grade sencha rather than everyday leaf. Because the parent plants were shade-grown, it is rounder and more umami-rich than ordinary twig tea.
Karigane is kukicha made from the good stems — those separated from gyokuro or high-grade sencha rather than from everyday leaf. Because the parent plants were shade-grown, the stems carry that same theanine sweetness, and the cup is noticeably rounder and more umami-rich than ordinary twig tea. In Kyoto it is also known as shiraore, and it has long been the tea drinkers' own tea: modest by weight next to gyokuro, but made from the same material. Brew it cooler than kukicha to keep the sweetness forward, and give it two or three infusions. It is low enough in caffeine to drink right through the afternoon.
Hoe het wordt verbouwd en gemaakt, hoe het smaakt en hoe je het zet.
Theesoort
Green tea
Verwerking
Stems separated from gyokuro or high-grade sencha, then steamed and dried.
Smaak
Vegetal, fruity, rounded sweetness
Cafeïne
~22 mg per serving (5 g)
Schaduw
About 3 weeks — the parent plants are shade-grown
Bladsamenstelling
Stems from gyokuro and high-grade sencha
Watertemperatuur
60°C (140°F)
Brouwtijd
2 minutes
Aantal infusies
3
How to Make Karigane Like a Pro
Brew karigane cooler than kukicha to keep the sweetness forward — the stems come from shade-grown plants, and a lower temperature is what draws that out. Higher temperatures may lead to bitterness.
Heat the Water
Heat water to 60°C (140°F).
Add the Leaves
Add 5 g of leaves to a kyusu teapot.
Steep
Pour 150 ml of water and steep for 2 minutes.
Pour & Brew Again
Pour out every drop, then brew the same leaves 2 more times (20 seconds each).
Cafeïnegehalte in Karigane
~22 mg per serving (5 g)
How Karigane Is Made
Van het veld tot het afgewerkte blad: de vijf stappen achter elke partij.
Shade Grown Tea Leaves
20+ Days
1st Harvest
Spring
Steamed and Dried
Stems Separated from Gyokuro Leaf
Graded and Blended
Why Organic Karigane Fields Make a Difference
Theeplanten nemen alles uit de grond op, waardoor teelt zonder pesticiden extra belangrijk is. De boeren waarmee we samenwerken hebben een manier gevonden om heerlijke thee te verbouwen zonder het natuurlijke ecosysteem te schaden.
ORGANISCH
NIET-BIOLOGISCH
Waarom zou je je thee bij Nio Teas kopen?
Geen tussenpersonen, geen pesticiden, geen risico.
30 dagen tevredenheidsgarantie
Probeer het gerust uit. Als het niet bevalt, neem dan binnen 30 dagen contact met ons op.
Nio teas is al een tijdje mijn favoriete plek om thee van goede kwaliteit te kopen, en ze stellen me nog steeds nooit teleur. Hun thee is van uitstekende kwaliteit, maar ik wil graag meer aandacht besteden aan de klantenservice. Het team van Nio is altijd erg vriendelijk en behulpzaam geweest wanneer ik een probleem had. Hun klantenservice stelt nooit teleur; ze zijn zeer attent en reageren snel op vragen. Daarom ben ik al zo lang een trouwe klant.
1 april 2026
5 out of 5 stars
5/5
Sean
Mijn favoriete leverancier van biologische Japanse groene thee. Ze importeren enkele van de beste biologische theesoorten uit Japan en steunen familieboeren en de groeiende biologische thee-industrie in het algemeen. Ik bestel al jaren bij verschillende leveranciers en Nio heeft consequent de beste prijzen en het grootste assortiment. Ze bieden ook uitstekende klantenservice en snelle verzending. Een echte aanrader! 🍃
Shipping is free once your order passes the threshold for your country — USD 54.99 · EUR 54.99 · GBP 44.99 · CHF 49.99 · CAD 74.99 · DKK 399 · SEK 599 · PLN 229 · CZK 1,290. Everywhere else it's the equivalent of USD 54.99, converted automatically. Below the threshold a flat rate applies, always shown at checkout before you pay.
We ship from warehouses in the US, the EU and Japan — whichever is closest to you. US and EU orders arrive in 4–12 business days; the handful of countries served from Japan take around 10. Business days count from dispatch rather than from when you order, and exclude weekends and public holidays. You'll get a tracking number by email the moment your parcel leaves the warehouse.
We only buy from fields grown without pesticides or chemicals. We ask each farmer directly how they manage their land, visit the plantation and processing facility ourselves, taste every harvest before committing, and check that the biodiversity around the fields is alive. Small family farms don't always carry paperwork — so we verify it in person instead.
Japanese green tea covers an enormous range, and choosing online isn't easy. If you've tried yours and it isn't for you, email info@nioteas.com within 30 days with your order number and a line on what you didn't enjoy. We'll send a different tea of equal or lower value, free. Nothing to post back — keep it, share it, or try brewing it cooler. Once per order.
Email info@nioteas.com within 30 days with your order number and a photo. We'll approve it, cover the return postage with a prepaid label or a reimbursement, and refund you — no restocking fee. Refunds go to your original payment method within 2 business days of the return reaching us; your bank may take another 5–20 to show it.
Unopened items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days. Tea is sealed for hygiene, so opened packs can't come back — but the swap above covers exactly that situation. Return postage is yours unless the item arrived damaged, defective or incorrect.
Orders to the US and EU ship domestically from our local warehouse, so there's no customs charge and no duty. A small number of destinations are served from our Japan warehouse, where your own customs authority may apply import duty, VAT or a carrier handling fee on delivery. Those are set by your country, not by us. Ask before you order and we'll help you check.
