Sonogi is a small region in Nagasaki on the island of Kyushu, and it is known above all for tamaryokucha. Instead of being rolled into needles like sencha, the leaf is left curled, which gives a rounder, softer cup with less edge to it.

Two of our suppliers work here, Ōyama and Forthees. The scale is nothing like Shizuoka, and that is part of why the tea tastes different: warmer climate, different soil, and a processing style that never followed the mainstream.