Saicho is a luxurious, non-alcoholic single origin sparkling tea.
Sourcing the finest single origin teas from around the world, hand picking the exact varietal, time of harvest, terroir and processing methods.
History
In 804, a young, Japanese, Buddhist monk, named Saicho, travelled to China to learn about the Tiantai school of Buddhism. Whilst studying under the master Daosui, in the monastery at Mount Tiantai, he learned of the tea ceremony; a way of drinking and preparing tea with mindfulness and reverence.
Impressed by the benefits of tea for concentration, calmness and health and preferring the taste and aroma to the bitter, herb infusion drunk in Japan, he brought some tea seeds and tea utensils back to his garden on Mount Hiei. There he cultivated the seeds with care and attention and taught his Japanese disciples how to perform the tea ceremony.
One day, the Emperor Saga came to visit. Saicho served the Emperor tea as a gesture of hospitality and friendship. The Emperor was so impressed by Saicho’s knowledge and skill and so delighted by the tea’s superior quality that he gifted Saicho land for his monastery and an ordination platform.
Saicho is now honoured as one of the ‘Saints of Tea’ for introducing tea culture to Japan and influencing many generations of monks, poets, artists, warriors and tea masters who followed his example of drinking the finest tea with mindfulness and reverence.
