gyokuro

is a type of green tea from Japan. It differs from the standard sencha (a classic green tea grown in the sun) in being grown under the shade rather than the full sun. The name "gyokuro" translates as "jewel dew" (or "jade dew"). According to the Japan Tea Central Association, gyokuro is defined as "a tea manufactured in the same manner as sencha from tea leaves picked from covered tea gardens that are almost completely shaded from sunlight for about 20 days using covering materials such as reed screens, straw, or shading nets, from the time when the new shoots of the first flush start to grow."

While most sencha is from the cultivar of Camellia sinensis, gyokuro is often made from a specialised variety such as Asahi, Okumidori, Yamakai, and Saemidori. Most gyokuro is grown in the Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Mie prefectures.