Kōyō - Tokusen Ceremonial Uji Matcha

Vivid, oceanic, and brimming with brightness — Uji Hikari is one of the rarest matcha cultivars grown in Uji. This first harvest, shade-grown ceremonial matcha is renowned for its unique flavor profile, often described as clean, briny, and bursting with marine umami. If you're drawn to complexity and crave depth, Kōyō delivers an experience unlike any other.

Single origin from a small mountainside farm, this matcha is stone-milled to preserve the cultivar's signature notes: savory, sharp, and delicately vegetal — like a misty morning tide. It's a matcha that never sits still — every sip reveals something new, and no two cups taste quite the same. Just when you think you've found the bottom of it, another layer rises to meet you.

Flavor: Bright umami, nori seaweed, light brine
Texture: Silken, clean, long finish
Color: Vibrant ocean green

Grown in Ujitawara, Kyoto Prefecture, on a 7th generation family-run tea farm that focuses on deeply shaded tencha for matcha. The field used for this Uji Hikari is carefully managed for low yields and high flavor density, resulting in an intense, oceanic umami with remarkable clarity.

Yuta harvests his fields only once per year, minimizing stress on the tea plants to ensure the highest quality ichiban each season.

Usucha (Thin Tea): Whisk 1–2 tsp with 2–3 oz water at 160–170°F to experience its sharp clarity.
Koicha (Thick Tea): Knead 1.5–2 tsp with 1–1.5 oz hot water to enjoy its layered umami.
Food Pairing: Try with a savory snack or rice cracker to highlight its oceanic notes.

Developed in Uji, Uji Hikari is a single-origin cultivar prized for its rare, umami-dominant character. Its clean, seaweed-like sharpness makes it one of the most memorable matchas in the Origin Uji collection.

Highly sought-after in Japan but seldom exported, Uji Hikari is produced in exceptionally limited quantities and reserved for true matcha explorers.

This is the matcha for those who chase the edge of umami.

Uji Hikari is one of the most limited cultivars we source — only a few kilograms are available each year.

Join our restock list to be first in line when the next batch arrives.