Asahi Matcha - Shimizuさん Kageyama Uji
Chamomile. Fizzy. Hay.
9th Generation Shimizu and Sons’ fizzy Asahi from the heart of Uji, Kyoto: Kageyama.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
Chamomile. Fizzy. Hay.
9th Generation Shimizu and Sons’ fizzy Asahi from the heart of Uji, Kyoto: Kageyama.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
Chamomile. Fizzy. Hay.
9th Generation Shimizu and Sons’ fizzy Asahi from the heart of Uji, Kyoto: Kageyama.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
About this Matcha
Experience Shimizuさん (a 9th-generation Uji tea farmer) Asahi cultivar. Asahi is one of Japan’s most prized tea varieties. An excellent Matcha from an legacy farmer.
The 2022 vintage has been cold-aged (known as Jukusei) since 2022. This will be the final milling, and service, of this exceptional cultivar.
As unground Matcha (known as Tencha) has unbroken cell walls, unlike other teas, Matcha can be aged. The aging process rounds and deepens the tea, while dulling and “raw” notes.
In the past, aging was done for a maximum of 6 months. Modern air-tight vacuum sealing and cold-storage technologies allow for long durations for aging.
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Shimizuさん and his two sons have been helping preserve Uji tea culture, where they maintain multiple fields across the township. The family participates in traditional cultivation techniques such as hand-picking and rice-straw shading.
These techniques are becoming increasingly rare. Ooika is thrilled to continue supporting this family, and Uji as a whole, by milling their single-origin Matcha fresh in the United States.
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To make a fresh and smooth bowl of Usucha or Koicha, follow our brewing instructions.
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Long-term Storage: Store unopened Ooika Matcha in the refrigerator. Consume within 6 months.
Room-Temp Short-term Storage: Store opened Ooika Matcha in a cool, dark place away from sunlight. Consume within 3 months.
Refrigerator Short-term Storage: Opened Matcha can be stored in the refrigerator to help maintain freshness, however, the Matcha is at risk of condensation when cooler than ambient air. For this reason, if you choose to store an opened Matcha in the refrigerator, be sure to take the Matcha you need and then immediately place it back in the refrigerator to minimize exposure to the warm air.
Ochairinikki (御茶入日記)
Category Green tea (お茶) |
Subcategory OISHITACHA (おおいしたちゃ) |
Grade Indigo (Beyond Ceremonial) |
Terroir Kageyama, Uji, Kyoto, Japan |
Vintage 2022 |
Cultivar Samidori (さみど) |
Harvest Method 100% handpicked (手摘み, Tezumi) |
Shading Style Kanreisha Tana |
Shading Duration 45 days |
Milling Ishi-Usu (石臼) Stone-Milled by Ooika |
Packaging Cold-stored, oxygen-free bag |
Use Usucha, Koicha |
Shimizuさん
Shimizuさん: 9th-generation Uji farmer, and one of his 10th-generation sons holding a framed photo of the late 8th generation.
Visiting Kageyama, Uji (蔭山)
The available land in Uji shrinks every decade, as more public roads and infrastructure increases.
We can see two of Shimizuさん’s fields from above, bisected by a new road.
To the west, his rice straw-covered Asahi. To the west, Kanreisha's black tarp covered Samidori.
