Is Marukyu Koyamaen matcha in stock in 2026?
Yes — all 7 blends. Marukyu Koyamaen is one of two premium Uji brands maintaining full catalog availability through the 2026 shortage (alongside Ippodo). The key reason: the company sells direct-to-consumer from Japan (marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp) and holds its own stock rather than routing through US distributors that have been hardest hit. Full availability as of June 2026: Isuzu ($0.71/g, 40g, umami 6, body 5), Yugen ($0.88/g, 20g, umami 7, bitter 4, sweet 7), Wako ($1.10/g, 20g, umami 8, bitter 3), Kinrin ($1.48/g, 20g, umami 8, bitter 2, body 8), Unkaku ($1.58/g, 20g, umami 9, bitter 2, body 9), Aorashi ($1.60/g, 20g, umami 9, bitter 2, body 8), Eiju ($2.28/g, 20g, umami 9, bitter 1, body 9). Aorashi also available via Ujicha Matcha at $0.67/g in a 40g pack — the cheapest Aorashi entry point. Kinrin available via Sazen Tea at $1.30/g.
Which Marukyu Koyamaen blend should I buy right now?
Buy Unkaku ($1.58/g) if you haven't tried Marukyu before. Umami 9, bitterness 2, sweetness 8, body 9 — the best score-per-dollar blend in our entire 543-blend dataset. That's not category-specific: it beats every other tracked blend on protocol-weighted value. The logical upgrade path: Isuzu ($0.71/g, affordable 40g, entry Uji) for budget-first buyers. Wako ($1.10/g) for body-forward daily drinking. Unkaku ($1.58/g) is the one to start with if you're skipping the lower tiers — the umami sits in the back of your mouth after you swallow. Eiju ($2.28/g, bitterness 1, sweetness 9) for ceremony tier: no Ippodo equivalent exists at this price.
How does Marukyu Koyamaen availability compare to other Uji brands?
Ippodo also maintains full availability (8/8 blends) — both are the exception in 2026, when most importers run 40–60% in-stock rates. Kettl, sourcing from multiple Japanese farms including Uji, has ~18/26 blends in stock. Marukyu's position is strengthened by the fact that all seven of its in-stock blends carry scored flavor data — availability combined with full data coverage is unusual during the shortage. Most in-stock blends from shortage-affected brands cannot be scored because producers don't release detailed provenance or cultivar specifications.
Will Marukyu Koyamaen matcha go out of stock?
Unlikely for the core lineup in 2026. The shortage hits hardest for specialty harvest blends (single-harvest, named farm, rare cultivar) — Marukyu doesn't sell those in retail channels. Their catalog is built for consistent, year-round availability with no seasonal SKUs and no single-harvest exclusives in the retail range. The exception is Aorashi ($1.60/g): if Unkaku goes out, Aorashi is the next call. Kinrin ($1.48/g, body 8, bitterness 2) is the entry into the high-value tier; buy it at Sazen Tea for $1.30/g — the cheapest route to that score profile.