Rare ceremonial matcha by Tsujirihei Honten, available outside Japan for the first time. Mori no Shiro, meaning Forest of White, made the traditional way, exactly as it always has been. Floral, silky, and made for the moments worth slowing down for.
Tsujirihei Honten · Est. 1860 · Traditionally Shaded · Floral & Silky · Maison Koko Exclusive · First Release Outside Japan
Description
森ノ白 — Mori no Shiro. Mori (森) means forest, and shiro (白), traditionally used in tea naming to denote usucha, tea made by the old "white" processing method, speaks to purity, lightness, and clarity. Together, the name evokes dappled light falling through ancient tea gardens: clean, luminous, and quietly composed. It is a name that speaks to what this matcha is, something that belongs to a world of quiet, cultivated beauty.
Some matcha is grown. Mori no Shiro is cultivated, tended in centuries-old full-shade gardens in Uji, Kyoto, by one of Japan's most revered tea houses, using methods unchanged since the Muromachi era. This is a matcha that carries history in every gram.
Crafted from Ujihikari and Samidori cultivars, it opens with a gentle floral cover aroma, delicate, composed, unmistakably Uji. On the palate, it delivers fine silk texture, a clean natural sweetness, and a depth of character that reveals itself slowly. Elegant rather than bold. Refined rather than intense. A matcha that asks you to slow down and pay attention.
Producer Tsujirihei Honten Est. 1860, Uji, Kyoto
Cultivars Ujihikari & Samidori Uji, Kyoto heritage cultivars
Availability Rare & limited First release outside Japan
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.
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Origin: Uji, Kyoto, Japan
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Cultivars: Ujihikari & Samidori
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Shading: Honzu (本簀) — traditional reed and straw canopy
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Net: weight: 20g — presented in an elegant Tsujirihei Honten tin
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Style: Floral, silky, elegantly sweet
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Finish: Clean, refined, and quietly lingering
*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?
Uji is not simply a tea-growing region. It is the place where Japanese matcha as we know it began, a city in southern Kyoto where tea has been cultivated for over 800 years, shaped by river fog, mineral soils, and a climate of gentle seasonal extremes that produce tea of unparalleled refinement.
Ujihikari & Samidori, Uji's heritage cultivars
Both cultivars used in Mori no Shiro are deeply associated with Uji's tea heritage. Ujihikari, developed in Uji, is known for its exceptional refinement and floral character. Samidori contributes natural sweetness, creaminess, and the smooth body that defines this matcha's silky texture.
Limited and unrepeatable
This is a strictly limited release. Once this allocation is sold, availability cannot be guaranteed. Tsujirihei Honten produces in small quantities by design, quality over volume, always.
Tsujirihei Honten
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 authentic Uji tea, sold only at their own boutiques in Japan until now.
Their tea gardens use honzu (本簀) shading, the oldest, most labour-intensive method in Japanese cultivation, used by fewer than ten farms today, and their tencha is stone-milled in a century-old factory to preserve colour, aroma, and flavour. This exclusive release through Maison Koko marks the first time their range has reached an international audience, in strictly limited quantities.
Ingredients
Ceremonial-grade green tea fine powder (Ujihikari & Samidori cultivars, Uji, Kyoto)
Character
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Thickness: Fine and silky, exceptionally smooth on the palate
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Sweetness: Gentle and natural, present from the first sip
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Umami: Harmonious and deep, never overpowering
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Aroma: Floral cover aroma, delicate, composed, unmistakably Uji
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Finish: Clean, refined, and quietly lingering
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Astringency: Minimal, the hallmark of honzu-shaded, first-grade matcha
Origin
Uji, Kyoto, Japan
