Premium Ceremonial Matcha (Manyo no Mukashi)

Description

Manyo no Mukashi. Man'yō (万葉) is the name of Japan's oldest and most celebrated poetry anthology, the Man'yōshū, compiled in the 8th century, a collection of verses devoted to nature, seasons, and the quiet beauty of the world. Mukashi is a traditional designation in tea naming, marking this as made the old way, by methods unchanged for generations. Together, the name evokes a matcha rooted in ancient beauty, made exactly as it always has been.

Where other matchas in the Tsujirihei Honten collection announce themselves boldly, Manyo no Mukashi arrives quietly, and that is its gift. Crafted from Asahi, Ujihikari, and competition-grade Samidori, it leads with silken softness rather than intensity. The texture glides.

The umami builds slowly, rising from subtle to rich over the course of the cup. The finish is long and elegant, unhurried, serene, and deeply satisfying in the way that only restraint can be.

This is a matcha for those who appreciate the poetry of the understated. Steeped in centuries of Uji tradition and brought to life by 160 years of Tsujirihei Honten mastery, Manyo no Mukashi is as much an experience as it is a cup of tea.

The elegant Tsujirihei Honten tin is part of what makes this matcha a gift in itself, a piece of Uji craftsmanship to keep long after the last spoonful.

• Origin: Uji, Kyoto, Japan
• Cultivars: Asahi, Ujihikari & Samidori (competition grade)
  
• Shading: Honzu (本簀) — traditional reed and straw canopy
• Net: weight: 20g — presented in an elegant Tsujirihei Honten tin
• Style: Silken, serene, gently umami-rich
  
• Finish: Long, elegant, and quietly enduring
  

*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.

Why This Matcha?

Manyo no Mukashi takes its name from the Man'yōshū, Japan's oldest poetry anthology, compiled in the 8th century and devoted to the beauty of nature, the turning of seasons, and the quiet emotional world of ancient Japan. It is a name that carries 1,300 years of cultural reverence, and a matcha that honours it.

THE THREE CULTIVARS AND WHAT THEY BRING

Samidori (competition grade) for silken texture and refinement

Competition-grade Samidori is the defining cultivar of this blend, selected to the standard used in Japan's most demanding tea competitions. It delivers exceptional silken texture, natural sweetness, and a refined softness that gives Manyo no Mukashi its distinctive character. This is not everyday Samidori. It is Samidori at its most precise and considered.

Asahi for depth and aromatic presence

Asahi brings the slow-building umami depth that underpins this matcha, the quality that reveals itself gradually over the course of the cup. It provides structure without weight, presence without dominance.

Ujihikari for floral character and elegance

Ujihikari, developed in Uji itself, contributes the refined floral character and structural elegance that lifts this blend above the merely excellent. It is the cultivar that keeps this matcha serene rather than heavy.

Honzu (本簀), 16th century shading

All cultivars in Manyo no Mukashi are grown under honzu shading, reed screens and rice straw that filter sunlight naturally, deepening colour, sweetness, and the long umami finish that defines this matcha.

Strictly limited availability

Tsujirihei Honten produces in small quantities by design. Once this allocation is sold, availability cannot be guaranteed.

Tsujirihei Honten

One of Japan's most respected tea houses, and until now, one of its best kept secrets outside of Japan.

Tsujirihei Honten was founded in 1860 in Uji, Kyoto, the region that has defined Japanese matcha for over six centuries. For more than 160 years, the house has dedicated itself exclusively to the cultivation, refinement, and blending of authentic Uji tea, remaining one of the most respected names in Japanese tea culture.

Their teas are cherished by tea masters, cultural institutions, and discerning connoisseurs across Japan. Tsujirihei Honten operates from a century-old tea processing factory in the heart of Uji, partially renovated to preserve its historic character, where stone mills grind tencha into matcha in the traditional manner, slow and temperature-controlled to protect colour, aroma, and flavour.

WHAT SETS THEM APART

160 years in a single craft

Since 1860, Tsujirihei Honten has focused exclusively on Uji tea — no diversification, no compromise. Generations of expertise concentrated into a single pursuit.

Honzu shading, the rarest cultivation method 

The tea gardens used for Mori no Shiro are shaded using honzu (本簀) — the oldest and most labour-intensive shading method in Japanese tea cultivation. Farmers hand-construct bamboo frames over the tea bushes and drape them with natural reed screens and rice straw, creating a breathable canopy that filters sunlight gently and evenly. This allows the plants to grow freely upward while being protected, unlike modern plastic sheeting, which restricts growth and airflow. Used by fewer than ten farms in Japan today, honzu shading is the mark of the most serious tea producers.

Stone-milled in a century-old factory

Tsujirihei Honten grinds their tencha in the same factory that has been used for over a century, using granite stone mills that run slowly and deliberately, preserving the vibrancy, sweetness, and aroma that high heat or fast milling would destroy. 

Elegant packaging with a collector's tin

Every Tsujirihei Honten matcha is presented in a beautifully crafted signature tin, a piece of Uji design heritage in itself. The tin preserves the matcha from light and oxidation while making it one of the most thoughtful gifts in the Maison Koko range.

How to Prepare

Usucha – Light & Frothy (1 Serve)

• Sift 2g (1 tsp) of matcha into a warm bowl.
• Add 60ml of water heated to 70°C.
• Whisk briskly in a zig-zag motion until a fine froth forms on top.

Koicha – Bold & Velvety (1 Serve)

• Sift 4g (2 tsp) of matcha into a warm bowl.
• Add 20ml of water (70°C) and knead with your whisk until smooth.
• Add another 20ml and whisk until thick and silky.

The Golden Matcha Ratio

• Base Ratio (4:40): 4g matcha + 40ml hot water (70°C)
• Hot Matcha Latte (200 ml): 4g matcha + 40ml hot water (70°C) + 160ml milk
• Iced Matcha Latte (300 ml): 6g matcha + 60ml hot water (70°C) + 240ml milk

*Whisk matcha with hot water before adding cold milk.

It is best to use our Bamboo Matcha Whisk and Glass Bowl with Spout.

Ingredients

Character

• Thickness: Silken and smooth, effortlessly light on the palate
  
• Sweetness: Refined and natural, present from the first sip
  
• Umami: Deep and slow-building; rises gradually, lingers long
  
• Aroma: Subtle and floral, serene, composed, unmistakably Uji
  
• Finish: Long, elegant, and quietly enduring
  
• Astringency: Minimal, serene and smooth throughout
  

Origin

Uji, Kyoto, Japan