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Matcha
Hōju

Contest Grade 99 P.

SKU
4810
Hōju Matcha
Hōju Matcha
Hōju Matcha
Hōju Matcha
Hōju Matcha
Hōju Matcha

Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.

One of the best matchas in Japan (won the MAFF Award in both 2012 & 2017), by Ishikawa Seicha in the top terroir of Aichi. Specially selected, hand-picked leaves, carefully ground. Sourced directly from the tea garden. Suitable for usucha & koicha. 20g
  • One of the best matcha farms in Japan – this matcha won Japan's highest award (the MAFF Award) in 2012 & 2017, and the tencha was awarded the gold medal in the Toyota City Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Product Fair Awards in 2021
  • 3rd generation family farm
  • Custom shading system for better ventilation
  • Ground extremely slowly on specially grooved, traditional millstones specially designed for participation in the MAFF competition
  • Only the very best leaves are used for this matcha: over the course of one week, 10 people select the highest quality leaves by hand


Preparation Suitable for usucha and koicha
Character Sweet, fluffy, creamy, vibrant
Tea Garden Ishikawa Seicha
Terroir Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Harvest 1st harvest (ichibancha), May 2022; hand-picked (tezumi)
Cultivar Asahi
Steaming Normal (chumushi, approx. 20 seconds)
Grind Slowly milled on a granite millstone, particle size roughly 5–15μm
Elevation 50m above sea level
Shading Fully shaded for 34 days pre-harvest. Shading technique: tana
Organic Cert. Pesticide-free cultivation
Laboratory Tests Radioactivity (as of 11/2019)
Awards The tea garden won the MAFF Award for this matcha in both 2012 & 2017, and the Toyota City Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Product Fair Award for the tencha (unground matcha) in 2021
Grade 99/100 p. (matcha category); Contest Grade
€44.90
20g

Delivery : 1–3 business days

Incl. VAT, excl. Shipping

SKU
4810
€2,245.00 / 1kg
In stock

Tea Farm

Mr. Ishikawa ranks among the best matcha farmers in Japan and has already won the highest tea award in the country twice (in 2012 and 2017) as well as the gold medal in the Toyota City Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Product Fair Awards in 2021. Each year, he submits his carefully crafted matcha to the MAFF competition – a tea which he cultivates together with his parents at their small tea farm.

Notably, their tea garden was one of the first in all of Japan to produce organic matcha: since the farm's founding they have not used any pesticides or synthetic fertilisers, and they have been certified organic since 1995. The family instead produces natural fertilisers to care for the tea plants, as well as an elaborate 3-layered shading system.

The tea fields are located in a secluded mountainous area in Aichi, to the east of Toyota City, at an altitude of 650m. The location and temperature fluctuations pose challenges for cultivation, but the Ishikawa family has nevertheless earned for themselves a place among the most respected organic tea famers in Japan for their exceptional matcha.

Character

Flavour

Only a few kilos of this absolute top quality matcha from Ishikawa are produced each year. Via an intensive process reserved for teas submitted to the highest competition in Japan, the MAFF award, Mr. Ishikawa carefully tends to the asahi cultivars planted directly adjacent to his home and selects only the finest leaves. All Ishikawa matcha is produced on granite millstones, but this matcha undergoes an extra special, slow procedure with ridged stone.

The name "houjo no mukashi" means "golden age" or "the good old times" and captures the lasting impression that this matcha leaves. The tea is quite sweet, airy and light but with a strong, natural character. The wonderful creaminess of the matcha is a texture to remember.

The end result is one of the best matchas in Japan, twice bestowed the MAFF award (2012 & 2017).

Texture

Creamy, light and airy

Cup

Vibrant grass green

Matcha

Matcha, alongside gyokuro, is considered one of the finest of Japanese green teas. Unlike other teas, matcha is produced from shaded leaves which have been milled to a fine powder. The resulting tea contains the whole tea leaf and all its nutrients. The production of matcha is time-consuming and demanding: the best ones are gently ground on granite millstones which can only produce a few grammes per hour due to the slow pace. Quality matcha has an intensely sweet and umami flavour which only attains a minimum of bitterness in high concentrations, such as in the dark koicha tea.

Laboratory Tests

We go to great lengths to identify the finest organic tea farms across the world’s most celebrated terroirs. All our teas are sourced directly from the farmer and, with a few exceptions, are certified organic or come from pesticide-free farms. Each batch of tea for every harvest is tested for pesticides and other pollutants in an independent German lab to ensure they meet our strict quality standards as well as HACCP food safety requirements. Likewise, the regions of Japan from which we source our teas are tested for radioactivity for every harvest.

Yoshi En

Premium Organic Teas

Our comprehensive portfolio focuses on organic, single-origin teas sourced directly from renowned farms. We believe in creating partnerships with farmers who share our values and are committed to sustainable, responsible tea cultivation. Thanks to these strong relationships our exciting range is constantly growing and evolving. As an international team of dedicated and passionate tea experts, we are committed to preserving centuries-old tea culture while ensuring it remains relevant and continues to bring joy in the present. About Yoshi En.

Cultivation & Processing

For this contest grade matcha, Mr. Ichikawa optimises every aspect of his tea production: the tea field is located directly adjacent to the family home in order for the plants to be carefully tended to as well as shaded for a longer period of time, with particularly high tana mats; the leaves are hand-picked (tezumi) and only a fraction of these are chosen for the tea; the select leaves are then milled extra slowly on ridged stones. The final product is the result of the most meticulous care, which reveals itself in both taste and texture.

Single Origin

This tea is sourced exclusively from the above-mentioned tea plantation in Aichi and is purchased directly from the producer, where the tea is prepared for us in airtight packages.

Preparation

Making Matcha

Using a bamboo chashaku spoon, place two heaped scoops (or approx. one teaspoon) of matcha powder into a matcha bowl of your choice, then pour approx. 80ml hot water (between 60°C and 80°C) into the bowl. Try not to pour the water directly onto the matcha, as this will increase clumping.

To achieve the classic matcha foam, a matcha whisk is indispensable. When using a matcha whisk, the most important thing is of course to master the correct movement: circular and typical whisking movements will result in little to no foam, while holding the whisk at an angle of about 90° in the bowl and moving it back and forth in a tight zigzag pattern with your wrist while moving your arm across the bowl and back again will help you achieve that iconic matcha frothiness. Make sure to touch the bottom of the bowl only lightly with the whisk. The faster you perform this movement, the quicker and easier it is to create a wonderful foam. Practice makes perfect! Enjoy!

Recommended Matcha Bowl

We highly recommend using an authentic Japanese matcha bowl for the preparation of this tea in order to allow for the matcha to develop its full flavour.

Recommended Accessories

To achieve the optimal texture and flavour of matcha, as well as to maximally preserve its bioactive compounds, we recommend using a matcha sifter (furui) and whisk (chasen). To accurately measure and serve matcha powder, we further recommend using a traditional bamboo spoon known as a chashaku.

Storage and Packaging

Matcha should always be stored in the refrigerator and only briefly removed when needed. As a result of being finely ground, the powder is very susceptible to moisture, odour, light and oxidation. Be sure to store matcha in an airtight container. We package all our matcha in high-quality and airtight tins with a screw top. The inside has a BPA-free plastic coating to ensure that the matcha does not come into contact with metal. The tin is also placed within a sealed, flavour-protective pouch. We recommend continuing to store the matcha in the tin and pouch after opening. A better alternative, however, is to store the tea in a matcha caddy: a small container, preferably made of cherry wood, which is both breathable and anti-bacterial.

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