A Most Rare Selection; Tsuji-san's Award Winning Matcha

This Spring of 2019, Joshua visited the 5^th generation tea master, Tsuji San, who is the recipient of many prestigious awards for his matcha.  He has even received an award from the Emperor of Japan for his unrivaled tencha tea-farming practices (the last time the award was granted was 50 years ago).  His passion for traditional farming and artisan practice is inspiring.

Tea bushes for premium matcha are harvested once per year.  A tea master farmer like Tsuji San monitors his gardens diligently to choose the best day for harvest.  The farming technique is unique and focuses the plant’s energy on the top, tender leaves of the tea plant, where the rich content of amino acids and caffeine concentrate.

As the plants develop, shades are applied in steps and varying layers.  The bushes are shaded for 40-50 days. The first layer of shade is applied when the buds begin to break and blocks around 70% of the sunlight.  When the two leaves and a bud form, the second layer is applied, increasing the blockage of sun to about 95%. This practice of shading the gardens to block the bushes’ access to the sunshine, while simultaneously feeding the bushes copious amounts of nutrients, significantly enhances the umami flavor and rich sweetness.  The intense shading forces the bushes to make their leaves fatter and greener, with increased chlorophyll to seek out the sun.  In turn, this farming practice greatly enhances the nootropic and neuro-stimulating substances.

At Rishi, we are lucky enough to be one of the few to whom Tsuji San sells his Uji matcha, which has been analyzed to have the highest amino acids scores and L-theanine content of any matcha in Japan and the world.

Visit our Journal to read more from this entry, Makers Spotlight: Tsuji San Matcha.