Collection: GOKOU

The name of this cultivar carries a double meaning. Written as 後光 (gokō), it evokes the aureole — the radiant halo seen behind figures in Buddhist sculpture. Written as 五香 (gokō), it speaks to "five fragrances." Both readings are bound in a single name. Selected from native zairai tea trees in the Uji region of Kyoto, Gokō has been cultivated since 1954. Its aroma is layered and complex: the sweet, honeyed fragrance of blossoms, a light and volatile forest-breeze quality, and a deep, nutty richness that anchors the whole. Shaded cultivation is the hallmark of Uji cultivars, and Gokō is traditionally grown that way for both matcha and gyokuro. Here at Tōka, however, we wanted to let the cultivar's true character speak for itself — so we work closely with our farmers to produce this unshaded Gokō sencha.