Nepal Jun Chiyabari 'Shiiba' Oolong Tea

An experimental oolong from Nepal's foremost tea producer, with a most unique story behind it:

HSH Himalayan Shiiba is made from tea trees that were originally from Shiiba village of
Miyazaki prefecture, Japan.
In 2004 and 2007 T. Shimada san, the family friend of the owners of Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden
since early 1960's brought some tea trees to Jun Chiyabari from Shiiba village.
The late H. Shiiba san, college friend of T Shimada san, and the person who sourced these tea
trees from the surrounding mountains of his beloved Shiiba village accompanied him in the
second trip to Nepal in 2007.
In Jun Chiyabari these tea trees were called Shiiba Yama Cha to honour the effort of these two
gentlemen from Japan.
It was always the wish of the late Shiiba san and Shimada san to see really wonderful teas
being produced at Jun Chiyabari. They specially wished to see and taste delicious teas made
from Shiiba Yama Cha tea trees. Unfortunately a few months after returning from Jun
Chiyabari Tea Garden in Nepal, Shiiba san passed away in 2008 without seeing his dream of
Jun Chiyabari's tea fulfilled.
For us at Jun Chiyabari it will always be a great regret that Shiiba san passed away before we
could make any tea from the tea trees from Shiiba and indeed before he tasted tea from the tea
trees of his mountain village deep in Miyazaki prefecture. It is therefore fitting that this special
tea made mostly from those tea trees is now called Himalayan Shiiba.
Life has a strange way of breaking connections but at the same time giving an opportunity to
those make the effort to establish new connections.
Like water
rushing down
the river rapids,
we may be parted
by a rock,
but in the end
we will be one again.
- retired emperor, Sutoku in Ogura Hyakunin Isshu
This tea connects in many ways. By producing this tea from Shiiba Yama Cha tea trees, Jun
Chiyabari re-establishes the connection to tea trees of Shiiba village; by drinking this tea, a
connection is made between Japan and Nepal, specially between Hile, the remote village of Jun
Chiyabari high in the Himalaya in east Nepal to the remote village of Shiiba in the mountains
of Miyazaki in west Japan. Most of all this tea connects the spirit of the Japanese and the
Nepali who love, admire and respect each other. That spirit brought the tea trees from Japan
to Nepal. Though parted by a rock for a brief moment, that sprit is made one again by bringing
this special tea from Nepal to Japan.
Lochan Gyawali
Managing Director
Jun chiyabari Tea Garden P. Ltd.

The tea is made using a blend of the Shiiba cultivar with others while propagation of the Shiiba is underway, in the hope that the tea will eventually be made exclusively with Shiiba. It has a smooth floral taste reminiscent of a high grade Baozhong.

I bought the complete  production of just 200g, making available eight 25g bags.

Harvest: Autumn Flush 2022
Invoice: J349
Invoice Size: 1.5kg

Origin: Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden, Hile, Dhankuta district, Nepal
Organic: Certified organic by IMO Switzerland
Altitude: 1,600-2,000m
Sourced: Direct from Jun Chiyabari
Percentage of price going back to Jun Chiyabari: 35%+

Brewing Advice:
- Heat water to roughly 80°C/176°F
- Use 2 teaspoons per cup/small teapot
- Brew for 3-4 minutes

Packaging: Resealable ziplock bag