Matcha
Hōju

Contest Grade 98 P.

SKU
4810
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 2023; 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
Cultivation Conventional cultivation
Laboratory Tests Radioactivity (annual test of region), pesticides, heavy metals and aluminium
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 98/100 p. (matcha category); Contest Grade
€42.90
20g

Delivery : 1–3 business days

Incl. VAT, excl. shipping

SKU
4810
€2,145.00 / 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.

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.

Organic Certification

Preparation

Using a Chashaku, place two scoops (approx. half a teaspoon) in a Matcha bowl of your choice. Then pour approximately 80ml of hot water between 60°C and 80°C into the bowl, without pouring directly onto the powder to avoid clumping. For the next step, a Matcha whisk is undoubtedly the best choice for achieving the iconic Matcha foam.

The key to the perfect Matcha is in the motion. Circular movements and a typical whisking motion should be avoided, as little-to-no foam will form. Hold the Matcha whisk at an angle of around 90° in the bowl, allowing it to gently scape the base without pressing against it. Now move it straight up and down from the wrist while moving your arm to the left and right, creating a ‘’W‘’ or ‘’M‘’ movement. The faster you perform this movement, the easier it is to create a wonderfully fluffy foam. Practice makes perfect – enjoy!

Recommended Matcha Bowl

For the proper preparation and optimal flavour development, we recommend using an authentic Japanese Matcha bowl.

Recommended Accessories

For the ideal texture, flavour and preservation of Matcha's delicate qualities, we recommend using a fine mesh strainer and a high-quality bamboo Matcha whisk. For dispensing and dosing, the ideal utensil is an authentic Chashaku made of bamboo.

Storage and Packaging

Our Matcha is packaged in a protective bag and stored within a high-quality tin with a screw lid, which is coated on the inside with BPA-free plastic. Before opening, the Matcha can be stored in the original packaging in the fridge or at room temperature.

After opening, we recommend keeping the Matcha tightly closed and at room temperature to protect it from moisture, odour, light and oxidation. During the summer, opened Matcha can be stored in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness, although it should only be taken out briefly to prevent excessive moisture absorption or exposure to unwanted odours. For optimum quality, use the Matcha within a few weeks if possible. For longer-term storage, we recommend storing Matcha in an opaque, airtight container such as one of our Matcha tea caddies and store at room temperature.

Test results

We find it very important that our teas are pure and produced in a way that respects the environment. For this reason, each one of our teas is tested for pesticide residues by an independent laboratory, the results of which can be found here. Some of our teas are also tested for specific nutritional compounds, in which case the test results are also published here.

See tests

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