2026 First Harvest Gokou cultivar from Yame, Fukuoka. Handpicked at peak season, shade-grown in Japan's mountain highlands. Vivid green, intensely umami, deeply savoury with a subtle natural sweetness and a lingering, complex finish.
Description
This is Maison Koko's Gokou Cultivar 2026 first harvest from Yame, Fuokoka, handpicked at peak season when the tea plant's energy is most concentrated and the leaves are at their most flavourful. The colour is vivid green. The texture is full-bodied and silky. The umami is deep, savoury, and rich, not a background note, but the centrepiece of the cup. A subtle natural sweetness threads through quietly, keeping the profile composed and refined rather than overwhelming.
Complex, lingering, and deeply satisfying. A matcha that rewards your full attention and earns it, sip by sip.
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Cultivar: 100% single cultivar Gokou
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Harvest: 2026 First Harvest, handpicked mid-May and shade-grown
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Colour: Vivid green
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Style: Full-bodied, intense umami, deeply savoury
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Sweetness: Subtle: a quiet thread beneath the savoury depth
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Finish: Complex, lingering, and quietly refined
Gokou (ごこう), named after the Japanese word for "halo", has been the benchmark for premium ceremonial matcha since it was officially registered in 1953. It is the cultivar traditionally reserved for the highest quality ceremonial occasions, valued not for trendiness but for a depth and complexity that few other cultivars can match.
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, GMO-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan, and Vegetarian.
A note on packaging: Tin and pouch colours may vary. Colours are assigned at random and cannot be selected at this time.
*Tasting notes and colour descriptions reflect general sensory perception and data provided by our supplier, and may vary by individual preference, preparation method, and seasonal batch. We do our best to describe each product as accurately as possible.
*The image is for reference purposes only. The actual colour may vary slightly due to differences in the seasonal batch.
Why Gokou Cultivar?
Gokou is not a widely grown cultivar. It requires specific conditions, careful cultivation, and produces lower yields than common varieties, which is precisely why it commands a premium, and why relatively few farms grow it seriously. When it is grown well, in the right terroir, by producers who understand it, there is little that rivals it.
Named after the halo — registered in 1953
Gokou (ごこう) means "halo" in Japanese. Officially registered in 1953 after being selected as the finest expression of its terroir, it has been the benchmark for premium ceremonial matcha ever since. It remains a relatively rare cultivar today, one of the few still grown with the care and intention it demands.
Intensity that comes from the plant, not the process
Under shade growing, Gokou accumulates exceptionally high levels of L-theanine, the amino acid responsible for matcha's savoury depth and its distinctive calming clarity. The result is a matcha where the umami is genuine: built into the plant itself, not manufactured through processing. Rich, layered, and enduring.
Complexity that reveals itself slowly
Alongside its dominant umami depth, Gokou carries soft floral and nutty character, a creamy mouthfeel that coats the palate, and a finish that lingers far longer than most ceremonial matchas. It is not a matcha that shows everything at once. Each sip reveals something the previous one hinted at but didn't fully give.
Grown in Yame, Fukuoka, where the mountain does the work
Yame, in Fukuoka Prefecture, is one of Japan's most celebrated matcha-producing regions. Situated in high mountain valleys with cool air, thick morning mist, and mineral-rich volcanic soils, Yame's natural conditions are ideally suited to producing matcha of extraordinary depth. The region's distinct terroir gives Gokou grown here its characteristic richness and full body, a direct expression of the land it comes from.
2026 First Harvest when the flavour is at its peak
Harvested at first flush mid-May, when the tea plant's energy is most concentrated after winter dormancy and the leaves carry their most intense flavour. First harvest Gokou is rarer still: lower volume, higher quality ceiling, and a freshness and intensity that later harvests cannot replicate.
Ingredients
Ceremonial-grade Japanese green tea fine powder (100% first harvest Gokou cultivar)
Character
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Thickness: Full-bodied and silky, coating and substantial
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Umami: Intense and deeply savoury, the defining characteristic
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Sweetness: Subtle, a quiet thread beneath the savoury depth
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Aroma: Fragrant and distinctive, soft floral and nutty undertones
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Finish: Complex and lingering; reveals depth long after the last sip
Origin
Yame, Fukuoka, Japan
