Ceremonial Grade Matcha [100% Hand-Picked & Stone-Ground]This matcha is made exclusively from 100% hand-picked tea leaves harvested early in the season from young buds packed with umami. From among these tender shoots, only the leaves with the deepest richness and umami are carefully selected and finished to create this hand-picked matcha. These leaves are grown on naturally shaped “shizen-shitate” tea bushes. Although this natural-style cultivation is usually reserved for teas specially produced for competitions, at KOKAEN all hand-picked teas are grown in this way in pursuit of the best possible flavour. It offers an elegant aroma and a concentrated, savoury umami, and can be enjoyed both as usucha (light, thin tea) and as koicha (thick, concentrated tea).
The entire process – from cultivation and manufacturing through finishing and stone-grinding – is carried out solely by the owner of KOKAEN, a champion of the Kyoto Tea Appraisal Technique Competition.
Production takes place in Yoshiwara Town, a historic tea-growing region dating back to the Edo period, where the soil is enriched mainly with organic-based fertilizers and the tea is grown with an emphasis on living in harmony with the natural environment.
By carefully carrying out each step, from soil preparation in the fields to the final stone-ground matcha powder, this tea is crafted to deliver a rich flavour and an elegant, lingering aroma.
Note: For international shipments, this matcha is handled as “Air Shipment MUST” in order to maintain quality during transport.

この抹茶は、旨味をたっぷりと蓄えた若芽の中でも、特に早い時期に手摘みされた茶葉のみを100％使用しています。 その中からさらに、最も濃厚な旨味と深い味わいをもつ芽葉だけを厳選し、丁寧に仕上げた手摘み抹茶です。 茶葉はすべて、自然仕立て（しぜんしたて）の茶樹で栽培されています。 この自然仕立てによる栽培法は、通常は品評会出品用の特別な茶に限られますが、KOKAENではすべての手摘み茶にこの方法を採用し、最高の風味を追求しています。 上品な香りと凝縮された旨味が特長で、薄茶としても濃茶としてもお楽しみいただけます。 栽培から製造、仕上げ、石臼挽きに至るまで、すべての工程は京都府茶審査技術競技大会の優勝者であるKOKAEN園主が一貫して手がけています。 生産地は、江戸時代から続く歴史ある茶産地・吉原町。 主に有機由来の肥料で土壌を育み、自然との調和を大切にした栽培が行われています。 畑での土づくりから最終的な石臼挽きの抹茶粉に至るまで、一つひとつの工程を丁寧に積み重ねることで、豊かな風味と上品で余韻のある香りを引き出しています。