Yabukita is the most popular (by a huge margin) tea cultivar grown in Japan. It generally produces very well-balanced teas.

This particular Yabukita, however, is very special. The farmer cleared the undergrowth from a forested portion of their land, then planted these Yabukita bushes there. All shading of this Tencha is thanks to the canopy of the trees that were left behind - not straw mats, nor plastic sheets, but the dappled light of a forest. As far as we know, this is unheard-of in the world of modern Tencha farming.

Whether it's because of the unique shading, the skill of the farmer, or some combo of the two (most likely answer), this "forest matcha" really stands apart as particularly smooth, aromatic, and rich, with floral and fruit notes on the nose and a sweet, earthy moss-like flavor on the finish.

Somada is a sub-region of Wazuka, the main tea town of Uji. This matcha is from a portion of a small farmer's land that has been left relatively wild, with natural tree cover providing the shading. Additionally, like all of our partner farmers, he is committed to natural farming without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

As with all of our matcha, our Wild Yabukita is milled-to-order by us in Minneapolis. This guarantees the highest percentage of aromatic compounds and antioxidants, as well as a smoother matcha.