matchaism

02 — Origin

One origin:
Yame.

matchaism starts with a single place: Yame, in Fukuoka Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. One origin means you can always say exactly where your matcha comes from.

01 — 八女

Yame, Fukuoka

Region
Yame, FukuokaKyushu, Japan
Tea since
1423Seeds planted at Reigan-ji
Known for
GyokuroJapan’s most shaded tea
Our source
Yame onlyNo blending across regions
Tea fields on the hills of Yame
Tea fields on the hills of Yame, Fukuoka.

Tea fields in Yame climb the hills along the Yabe and Hoshino rivers. River mist settles over the slopes in the morning, and nights are much cooler than days. The leaf grows slowly and keeps more of its sweetness and umami.

Yame is best known for gyokuro, the most carefully shaded of Japanese teas. Yame Traditional Hon Gyokuro was registered under Japan’s Geographical Indication system in December 2015. The same shading craft goes into the tencha that becomes our matcha.

02 — Why one origin

A name you can say out loud

  • Transparent

    Every tin traces back to one region, and we will name it. Your audience asks where the tea is from; you have a one-word answer.

  • Consistent

    One terroir gives one character: soft, sweet and deep green. It does not shift with whatever leaf was cheapest that season.

  • Reliable

    The same farms, the same stone mills, the same grade in every batch — so what you tell people once stays true.

03 — Leaf to powder

Six steps from the field

Covered tea fields at dusk
Fields under black shade covers, weeks before the first flush.
Rows of tea bushes on a slope
Rows of tea bushes follow the curve of the hill.
  1. 01

    Shade

    About three weeks before harvest the fields are covered. With less sun, the leaf makes more chlorophyll and theanine and less bitterness.

  2. 02

    Pick

    Only spring’s first flush: the youngest, softest leaves of the year.

  3. 03

    Steam

    Leaves are steamed within hours of picking. This stops oxidation and keeps the green.

  4. 04

    Dry

    Unlike sencha, the leaf is never rolled. It is dried flat.

  5. 05

    Sort

    Stems and veins are removed. What remains is tencha, the raw material of matcha.

  6. 06

    Mill

    Granite mills turn slowly. One mill grinds only about 40 g an hour, which keeps the powder cool and fine.

04 — In one line

If you only say one thing

05 — Visit

See it for yourself

Walk the fields and the factory with the people who make your matcha.

Plan a visit to Yame