We are excited to share the new package for our popular Gokuzyo Aracha Teabag.
The product inside is still the same teabag you have loved for the past years. It is only the package we upgraded.
What do you think?
What is the teabag made of?
We often get asked about this question. The tea bag is made of Japanese environmentally-friendly material called Soilon™ソイロン.
Soilon™ is a biodegradable material invented by Yamanaka Industry Co., Ltd., a Japanese company specializing in innovative materials.
Unlike many other tea bags commonly found on the market, it doesn't contain plastic.
The tea bag is pyramid-shaped, allowing the full leaves to unfurl completely inside the bag. This enhances the aroma and flavor, delivering an experience comparable to steeping loose-leaf tea in a traditional Kyusu 急須 teapot.
We did a new photoshoot of the close-up of the teabags. Please see below.
Same Premium Loose Leaf Inside
Many teabag companies use the leftover tea from loose leaf to make teabags.
We do not.
We use the exact same premium loose-leaf tea you love inside the tea bag.
Here is a link to the loose-leaf version of this teabag (Gokuzyo Aracha).
Celebrating the new package as "Amazon's Choice"
We are excited that Amazon has chosen this teabag as its Choice. You can check out the Amazon listing here if you have Amazon Prime.
Please be the first to try out the product in the newly designed package now
FAQs about the New Gokuzyo Aracha Teabag Package
What is Gokuzyo Aracha (極上荒茶), and why is it special?
Gokuzyo Aracha (極上荒茶) literally means "highest grade crude tea" in Japanese. "Aracha" (荒茶) refers to tea leaves that haven't been fully refined or sorted after picking — they include the leaf, the stem, and the small leaf bits all together, rather than being graded into separate streams the way most senchas are. Gokuzyo (極上) means "highest grade" or "finest." So it's the best version of an unrefined tea.
Why does that matter? Because aracha keeps the natural complexity of the leaf intact. You're getting flavor from multiple parts of the plant in one cup — the umami of the leaf, the sweetness of the stem, the slight floral edge from the smaller young leaves. It's a bigger, fuller cup than a typical sorted sencha.
Most aracha never makes it to consumers — it's an intermediate step in the tea processing chain that usually gets refined further. The fact that you can buy ours as-is is part of what makes it interesting.
What's new about the Gokuzyo Aracha Teabag package?
The package is fully redesigned. The tea inside is exactly the same — same blend, same farm, same teabags, same brew character. We just upgraded the visual design and outer packaging to match where our brand has gone over the past few years.
If you've been buying the Gokuzyo Aracha teabag for years, the only difference you'll notice is what the box looks like when it arrives. The first sip will taste exactly like the version you remember.
Worth mentioning: the new package recently became Amazon's Choice in its category. Not the reason we redesigned it, but a nice external signal that the upgrade landed.
What is Soilon (ソイロン) — the material the teabags are made from?
Soilon™ (ソイロン) is a Japanese biodegradable material made by Yamanaka Industry Co., Ltd. It's derived from plant-based starches (corn, sugarcane) rather than petroleum, and it breaks down naturally in industrial composting. The material has been engineered to handle hot water without releasing microplastics — which is something most conventional teabags can't claim.
This matters because a lot of tea bags on the market are made from nylon or PET plastic mesh. When you steep them in boiling water, microscopic plastic particles end up in your cup. Studies have found billions of microplastic particles released from a single conventional teabag. Soilon avoids that entirely.
It also holds its shape well during steeping, which is why we use the pyramid format — the leaves can fully unfurl inside, the way they would in a kyusu (急須) teapot, instead of being crushed flat in a paper bag.
Is the tea inside the new package the same as before?
Yes, exactly the same. We don't change the tea when we change packaging. The tea inside is the same Gokuzyo Aracha leaves we've been sourcing from the same farm for years.
Worth noting: a lot of tea companies use leftover or lower-grade leaves for their teabags, saving the premium loose leaf for the loose-leaf product line. We don't do that. The leaves inside our teabags are the same premium loose leaf you'd buy in our bag-of-leaves form. The only difference is that the teabag version is portioned into convenient single-serve sachets.
So if you've been wondering whether the teabag is a downgrade from the loose leaf — it isn't. Same leaves, different format.
Where can I buy the new Gokuzyo Aracha Teabag package?
Easiest path is directly from us — link is in the card below. We ship across the US within 2-5 days through USPS, and 6-10 days for international orders.
If you're an Amazon Prime customer, the new package is now available on Amazon and was selected as Amazon's Choice for its category. The Amazon listing has Prime shipping if that's your preferred way to order.
For wholesale or larger quantity orders (cafés, restaurants, retail shops), get in touch with our wholesale team — we have separate pricing tiers for bulk and recurring orders.
Buy Newly Designed Gokuzyo Aracha Teabag
Tea Bag - High-Grade Unrefined Tea - Gokuzyo Aracha (50 tea bags)
Gokyuzyo 極上, meaning "The Highest Grade," brings the rustic charm of Aracha 荒茶, or "wild tea," into a convenient teabag form, offering a taste as close to freshly picked leaves as possible. Unlike fully processed green teas, this unrefined Fukamushi Sencha preserves its natural shape and texture, blending soft sprouts, twig tea, coarse leaves, and powdered tea for an intense aroma and rich, vibrant flavor. Cultivated by the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil and made from the Yabukita cultivar, this tea captures the traditional, nourishing quality enjoyed by generations of tea farmers. Available in a resealable aluminum bag with 50 pyramid-shaped teabags or as a single-serve sample, it is perfect for enjoying authentic Japanese green tea anytime, anywhere.
Gokuzyo Aracha - High-Grade Unrefined Green Tea
Gokyuzyo 極上, meaning "The Highest Grade," and Aracha 荒茶, meaning "wild tea" or "crude tea," offer a rare opportunity to enjoy green tea in its most natural, unrefined state. Unlike most green teas that undergo further processing, Aracha retains its original shape and includes twig tea, coarse leaves, and powdered tea, producing a beautifully colored drink with a mild, unique taste and higher nutrient content. Traditionally enjoyed by tea farmers for generations, this authentic Fukamushi Sencha is cultivated using the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil and made from the Yabukita cultivar. Available in a 3.5 oz (100g) eco-friendly resealable package or as a convenient 0.3 oz (10g) single-serve sample, it offers a truly traditional Japanese tea experience.
Loose Leaf Tea Filters | 144 or 504 Filter Bags
Enjoy brewing your favorite loose-leaf teas with these easy-to-use filter bags (お茶パック), designed for tea lovers who want a simple and effective way to get the most flavor from their tea. Each oversized bag allows tea leaves to fully expand, enhancing the release of rich flavors and aromas, while the widened bottom ensures thorough brewing.
Perfect not only for green tea but also for black tea, herbal blends, and even soups, these versatile pouches measure 3.5" x 2.8" (9cm x 7cm). Each pack includes 144 or 504 high-quality filters, proudly made in Japan.
The Sencha Lover Gift Set - Premium Japanese Green Tea Set Package
This tea set features three exceptional Japanese green teas, each crafted with care and traditional techniques. Issaku Reserve, a Global Tea Champion winner in 2017 and 2019, is a rare masterpiece created by Farm Master Mr. Arahata at Arahataen Green Tea Farm. Handpicked once a year from the first flush and processed with advanced methods, Issaku represents the highest-grade deep-steamed green tea, available only in limited quantities even in Japan.
The set also includes Gyokuro, a premium shaded green tea known for its rich, sweet flavor and deep mossy green color. Grown under special mats for 20 days to increase caffeine and amino acid levels, Gyokuro offers a layered, smooth taste unlike any other. Completing the collection is Nozomi, a fine Kabuse-cha, or "Covered Green Tea," carefully grown under nets to gently shade the leaves just before new sprouts emerge, resulting in a soft, rich, and refined flavor profile.
Gyokuro - Shaded Imperial Premium Green Tea
Gyokuro, also known as "jade dew" or "jewel dew tea," is a premium Japanese green tea shaded from the sun for 20 days using specially made mats, a method that boosts caffeine levels and strengthens amino acids to create a sweeter, richer flavor. This extended shading process results in dark, mossy green leaves with an unmistakable aroma and a complex taste that is layered yet balanced. Cultivated by the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil and made from the Yabukita cultivar, this loose-leaf authentic Gyokuro is offered in a high-quality, air-tight paper tube canister (chyazutsu) to preserve its exceptional freshness and flavor. Each 3.5 oz (100g) full-size package steeps 30–40 cups, and a convenient single-serve sample is also available.
• Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my
own. This post may contain affiliate links that I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
The commission also supports us in producing better content when you buy through our site links.
Thanks for your support.
- Kei and Team at Japanese Green Tea Co.
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese green tea connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company.
Driven by a deep desire to share the rich flavors of his homeland, he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—earning multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Expanding his mission of introducing Japan’s finest to the world, Kei pioneered the launch of the first-ever Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee through Japanese Coffee Co. He also brought the artistry of traditional Japanese craftsmanship to the global market by making katana-style handmade knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time through Japanese Knife Co.
Kei’s journey continues as he uncovers and shares Japan’s hidden treasures with the world.





