This is a rare Kyoto Uji Matcha. This matcha was given its name by the current head of Mushanokojisenke, one of the three Senke schools of tea ceremony. Its most distinctive feature is its vibrant green color, reminiscent of fresh spring foliage. Its exceptionally sweet flavor profile is also superb, even when prepared as thick tea. This is a top-grade product, crafted with the pride of a tea house, ensuring it honors the Senke name.
About Ujitawara Town where the company is located
We are very proud that we produce green tea in Ujitawara town, as it is believed to be the birthplace of green tea. Kyoto has the oldest tea garden in Japan, and that place is considered to be where Japanese people first started growing tea. Ujitawara town is located in the southern part of Kyoto and is a major tea-producing region. Nestled deep in the mountains, the town is blessed with natural surroundings ideal for tea cultivation. Let's delve into the history of why Ujitawara is considered the birthplace of green tea.
In the 18th century, around the time of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, a tea farmer named Soen Nagatani produced the first bright-colored green tea in Japan. While bright green tea is common today, people back then drank dusky-red coarse tea made solely by roasting tea leaves. Soen envisioned tea "as bright as fresh tea leaves." He re-examined the conventional tea production methods and, after 15 years of experimentation, established a "green tea production method." This method, which involves gently kneading tea leaves by hand and extracting water through heating, creates flavorful, bright green tea. Soen then shared his method with the local community, and Ujitawara town became the origin of Japanese green tea.
Ujitawara town is one of Japan's leading tea-producing areas. Our tea production factory was established in 1926 in a scenic location where thick fog from the Uji River protects the tea leaves from frost and direct sunlight. We maintain rigorous quality control by purchasing only selected tea leaves, having our tea master Noriaki Yasui assess the flavor, and employing our special blending process. We not only produce green tea at our factory but also sell our Japanese green tea via mail order.
We are delighted that many people have been choosing and drinking our green tea for over 90 years. We believe we are fortunate due to environmental factors, but that's not all. We also feel lucky to have inherited the mastery of green tea from tea farmers and tea masters of the past. One such mastery is the "Ooishita Saibai" or "Covering Cultivation" method, first invented around the 16th century. This cultivation method involves covering the tea garden with a reed blanket just before the cultivation period.
By blocking sunlight, we can produce brighter and much tastier green tea. As a group of tea specialists, we are committed to delivering high-quality green tea, which we continue to improve using our revolutionary, time-honored methods.