Kotobuki - Uji Matcha
Arita SansuienThis decadent koicha is blended entirely from fields of hand-picked Samidori tencha with an average shading time of two months, producing an intense umami.
This blended tencha is then rounded out by gentle drying and heating over binchotan charcoal, a traditional practice now almost extinct in Japan.
The name Kotobuki (寿) means "Longevity".
Producer: Arita Sansuien
Region: Uji, Kyoto (Jōyō, Hachiman, Kumiyama, Ide, Wazuka)
Cultivar: Blend: Samidori
Harvested: April-May, 2025
Picking: Hand Picked
Shaded: 59-75 Days
Uji city in Kyoto prefecture has long been at the centre of Japanese tea and has been famed for its high-quality matcha production for centuries, dating back to the 12th century. The shading method used to produce modern matcha (c. 15th century) along with sencha (1737) and gyokuro itself (1835) were all invented by Uji farmers looking to push the boundaries of tea quality.
Though the name Ujicha remains associated with high-grade tea, most tea branded as Ujicha is produced in the neighbouring towns of Ujitawara, Minamiyamashiro, Kizugawa, and primarily Wazuka.
Not to be confused with the more popular Saemidori, Samidori is a classic Uji cultivar. Though it is one of the oldest cultivars, bred by Uji tea breeder Koyama Masajirou (小山 政次郎) in 1939, it is technically unregistered. It was developed to be suitable for shaded teas, with leaves that grow vertically for easy hand-picking.
Today, Samidori is commonly grown in Kyoto for use in gyokuro and matcha where the cultivar’s bright green colour and deep umami shine through.
Brewing Instructions
Koicha
Thick Tea
Heat water to 85º C (185º F)
Add 30 ml (1 oz) of water to 4 g (3-4 tea scoops) of sifted matcha
Knead the tea in a circular motion until smooth and glossy
Usucha
Thin Tea
Heat water to 70º C (158º F)
Add 70 ml (2.4 oz) of water to 2 g (2 tea scoops) of sifted matcha
Whisk briskly in a back and forth motion for about 20 seconds
Arita Sansuien (有田三翠園)
Founded by Arita Heiichi (有田平一) in 1949, Arita Sansuien's focus is sourcing, blending, and finishing high-quality tencha, working both directly with farmers and also buying top-tier tencha at auction, with a focus on hand-picked, honzu-shaded teas. Their unique specialty is their perseveration of the traditional tencha finishing method of gently heating the leaves in a single layer on washi paper heated by binchotan charcoal. Once standard throughout Kyoto, this technique has all but vanished.
Today, Arita Sansuien is headed by Arita Ippei (有田一平) who continues to refine and perfect their blends and drying techniques to bring out the best from Kyoto's best tencha farmers. Their upper grades of matcha contain tencha from Kikuoka Yuuichi (菊岡祐一) and his family, who have won first place at the National Tea Competition, and consistently place high every year.