The Matsumoto family considers that not only should it be obvious that tea is produced without using pesticides, but that it should be produced without any kind of fertiliser – thus following a principle of traditional Japanese agriculture.
However, for Sakura-No Sencha, there is no possibility of certification under Japanese or European organic farming regulations. The disadvantage of this procedure is, of course, that there is no third party who can ensure the tea produced complies with the principles of organic cultivation. The advantage is the surprisingly low price of this high-quality Sencha; which is due to the fact that the costs of certification are quite high and, given the small quantities of tea produced, would have otherwise caused a disproportionately high addition to the price. However, as we so much admire the philosophy of Matsumoto family, we have decided to import this tea – even without certification – and we are particularly pleased to have this fantastic Sencha, amongst our list of products.