A top-tier 100% handpicked ORGANIC matcha from the Nakanishi families genuine traditional Oishita-Chaen in Kyoto. All leaves are handpicked from samidori tea bushes (not to be confused with another cultivar Saemidori which is not the same).

At this level and price you can really start to experience genuine high quality ORGANIC matcha that is vibrant, smooth, tasty, and outstanding in color. It can be enjoyed by all, from beginners to connoisseurs to those who practice the tea ceremony. Preferably prepared as usucha, but the high quality nature of this matcha will allow you to prepare it as koicha, too. The quality of Tenkei Tori really does shine through!

Why is Tenkei Matcha so special...

- Plantation has over 250 years of history.
- Grown at an authentic organic oishita-chaen (covered tea garden) on the single estate in Kyoto.
- Tea leaves are 100% genuinely handpicked
- Tea bushes are kept in the rare traditional Shizen Shitate style which are hand pruned and tailored, never machine harvested or machine shaped.
- Farm specializes in organic tencha and the growers are professional tencha artisans, not regular tea growers.
- Tea gardens have been awarded for their outstanding cultivars.
- 100% stone-ground.
- 100% single cultivar.
- Tencha is aged in the traditional manner and is aged for at least 6 months before release.
- One of only a few organic matcha in Japan that can truly be prepared and enjoyed as koicha (thick matcha).
- Very limited, never mass produced, quality is absolutely paramount.
- Completely free from farm-to-farm, region-to-region, and tea shop/manufacture/merchant blending/masking/tampering.
- TOTALLY ORGANIC JAS certified.

Tea Garden Images...

PLEASE NOTE: The proceeding images were taken under 95%+ shade they appear much brighter due to a high ISO speed being used on the camera that was used to take the pictures. Please see the last image for a more accurate feel of the actual degree of light.

A rare glimpse at a generations-old traditional JAS certified organic oishita-chaen (covered tea garden)! Organic samidori tea bushes growing vibrantly in shaded conditions in Late-April:

Here shows the traditional Shizen Shitate hand pruned and tailored tea bushes that are never machine harvested or machine shaped:

A closer look and you can see that the tea bushes are looking extremely healthy and soon to be plucked by skilled hands! Leaves that are handpicked from here are used to make Tenkei Tori:

Genuinely handpicked matcha is very rare! Most tea leaves for matcha are either scissor cut or machine harvested from tea bushes that have been machine shaped these days. However, our Tenkei Matcha is always 100% handpicked from traditional Shizen Shitate tea bushes. Here you can see skilled pickers handpicking leaves for our Tenkei matcha at the tea gardens in May:

A more accurate feel of the actual degree of light once you have entered the oishita-chaen and your eyes adapt to the darkness: