Matcha by Cultivar

Asahi is a luxury-leaning Uji cultivar associated with serious umami and thick ceremonial structure. When done well, it supports very low-bitterness premium bowls with impressive depth.

Deep umami, low bitterness, dense body

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Asatsuyu (朝露, 'Morning Dew') is a Japanese tea cultivar registered in 1953, selected from native Uji varieties. Known as 'natural gyokuro' due to its exceptionally high L-theanine content even without shading, Asatsuyu delivers intense sweetness and deep umami. Its vivid green color and distinctive aroma make it prized for single-cultivar matcha.

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Gokou is prized for aromatic lift, sweetness, and the kind of dense, perfumed body that works beautifully in premium ceremonial matcha. It is often chosen when a producer wants richness without obvious roughness.

Rich umami, pronounced sweetness, full body

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Hoshun (鳳春, 'Phoenix Spring') is a Kyoto Prefecture tea cultivar registered in 2006, developed from natural hybrid seedlings of the Samidori cultivar by the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Research Institute. An early-sprouting variety named after the UNESCO World Heritage Byodoin Phoenix Hall in Uji, Hoshun is prized for its beautiful new leaves and characteristic Uji sweetness, ideal for premium matcha.

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A modern cultivar developed at the Miyazaki Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station by crossing Sakimidori and Saemidori. Kirari 31 is prized for its intense umami, deep sweetness, and vibrant jade-green colour. It has an exceptionally low astringency and a fresh, lingering finish, making it ideal for single-cultivar ceremonial matcha.

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Okumidori is often used when producers want vivid color, stable sweetness, and a calmer balance than sharper mainstream cultivars. It is a practical cultivar for daily ceremonial matcha because it can feel polished without becoming overly delicate.

Balanced umami with mild sweetness and low bitterness

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Saemidori is known for fragrance, vivid color, and a polished sweetness that can make a bowl feel instantly lifted. It often reads a little brighter and more aromatic than denser classic Uji cultivars.

Sweet, fragrant, bright green, balanced umami

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Samidori is one of the classic Uji cultivars associated with premium ceremonial matcha. It tends to support low-bitterness bowls with softness, elegance, and a distinctly refined finish.

Deep umami, creamy texture, very low bitterness

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Seimei is a modern cultivar signal that often shows up in southern-origin organic matcha. In practice, it can bring a rounded nutty-sweet profile with enough balance for everyday usucha.

Nutty, balanced umami, gentle sweetness

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Tsuyuhikari often signals a fresher, more aromatic, and more obviously spring-like bowl. It can feel lighter than heavy ceremonial cultivars, but that brightness is exactly why some buyers want it.

Fresh, floral, clean sweetness, lighter body

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Uji Hikari is valued for aromatic brightness and elegant savory sweetness. In premium matcha, it can produce bowls that feel vivid and expressive without tipping into raw sharpness.

Aromatic, bright, savory-sweet, elegant

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Yabukita is Japan's dominant tea cultivar and shows up widely because of its reliability and balanced structure. In matcha, it can add familiar green-tea clarity and a slightly brisker edge than softer premium cultivars.

Clean, balanced flavor with moderate umami and slight astringency

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