A Burgundy label guarantees origin.

A Champagne label guarantees method.

But Japanese tea origin names do not always work in this way.

"Uji tea," Japan's most prestigious tea name, does not necessarily mean tea grown in the town of Uji. It can be made from tea leaves grown in Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, or Mie, as long as it is finished by a Kyoto-based processor using methods associated with the Uji region.

Until 2019, tea grown anywhere in Japan could be labeled as "Shizuoka tea" if it was finally processed in Shizuoka. Today, the rules are stricter: "Shizuoka tea" requires 100% Shizuoka-grown leaves, while blended teas must be labeled differently.

Even within the same region, the price of one tea can be twenty times higher than another.

Origin matters, however origin is not a quality certificate.

Japanese tea has never had the appellation system it deserves.

mirume was created to fill that gap.