OKUMIDORI MATCHA | Yame

A Modern Expression of Refined Umami

Light and aromatic, this usucha grade matcha reveals refined steamed-green and soft buttery notes with fresh grassy clarity and a whisper of floral nuance. A gentle bitterness adds poise, finishing with creamy umami and a long, composed aftertaste.

A finely balanced single-cultivar matcha from Yame, crafted from the Okumidori cultivar, valued for its vivid green colour, buoyant texture, and gentle sweetness, this matcha offers restrained depth and a lingering umami that bridges classical tea ceremony sensibility with modern refinement.

Cultivated and processed using traditional Japanese methods. Grown in Jōyōmachi, the tencha is produced by a respected third-generation, multi-award-winning tea farmer in the pristine mountain landscape of Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, one of Japan’s most esteemed regions for high-grade tea.

To develop its characteristic sweetness and umami, the tea plants are shaded for approximately 30 days under Kanreisha, allowing the leaves to deepen in colour and complexity. The resulting matcha yields a vivid green liquor with a soft, composed aroma and a light, elegant structure, making it especially well suited for usucha in chanoyu.

On the palate, Okumidori Matcha Oboro is light and fragrant, opening with gentle steamed-green and buttery notes, followed by a fresh grassy lift. A very subtle bitterness provides quiet structure without intrusion, while a delicate floral nuance emerges toward the finish. When whisked, it forms a fine, creamy froth that lightly coats the tongue, leaving a clean, lingering umami with a soft buttery depth and a long, composed aftertaste. Its clarity and balance also allow it to perform beautifully in refined matcha lattes, where elegance must remain intact.

About the Tea Garden

Located in Jōyōmachi, Yame, one of Japan’s most distinguished gyokuro-producing regions, this historic tea garden has cultivated high-grade gyokuro, sencha, matcha, and wakōcha (Japanese black tea) for over a century. Its reputation rests on disciplined cultivation, generational knowledge, and an uncompromising adherence to traditional method.

Now led by its third-generation tea master, the garden treats Dentō Hon Gyokuro as a year-long commitment rather than a seasonal crop. The orthodox straw shading method is precisely calibrated to regulate light exposure and encourage concentrated amino acid development, deepening umami while preserving clarity and balance. Harvesting is carried out by hand at peak maturity, ensuring structural integrity in both leaf and liquor.

This disciplined approach has earned national recognition, including a perfect 200-point score at the 2017 National Tea Competition, a rare distinction that places the garden among Japan’s most accomplished producers. Yet beyond accolades, the objective remains unchanged: to craft gyokuro that is not only technically exemplary, but enduring in memory.

Preparation method: Usucha

Cultivar: Okumidori, shizen-jitate, single-cultivar

Origin: Jōyōmachi , Yame, Fukuoka

Grade: Usucha grade,

Elevation: 320mt above sea level

Harvest: First flush, Hand-picked (tezumi), Spring 3^rd May 2025

Shade: Kanreisha method, shaded for 30 days before harvest

Fertilising: Rapeseed oil cake, fish cake (tuna and bonito)

Steaming: Medium (futsūmushi)

Flavour profile: Buttered greens, soft florals, lingering umami sweetness

Producer: Kuma Family

Content: 20g