Uji, Kyoto
The Ritual.
From sift to sip.
Every bowl begins long before water touches powder. Below are the complete steps we follow — for both matcha and hojicha — so you can prepare each one with the same care we give in the fields.
Ceremonial Matcha
Four minutes.
A different morning.
- 01
Sift
Two scoops (4g) of matcha through a fine sieve into a warm bowl. Sifting removes clumps and aerates the powder so it suspends evenly in water.
- 02
Pour
Add 60ml of water just off the boil — around 75°C. Too hot and the tea turns bitter; too cool and the foam will not hold.
- 03
Whisk
Quick W-strokes with the chasen until a fine, glossy foam forms. The wrist moves, not the arm. Twenty strokes is usually enough.
- 04
Sip
Hold the bowl in both hands. Drink before the foam settles — the first sip carries the sweetest umami.
Roasted Hojicha
When the afternoon
turns amber.
Hojicha is matcha’s roasted counterpart — late-harvest leaves slow-roasted over charcoal until they bloom into deep russet. The powder is prepared similarly, but the water is hotter, the whisk gentler, and the result is smooth, sweetly toasty, and naturally low in caffeine.
- 01
Sift
Two scoops (4g) of hojicha through a fine sieve into a warm bowl. The roasted grains are finer and lighter than matcha — sifting is essential.
- 02
Pour
Add 90ml of water at 90°C. Hojicha loves heat; the higher temperature unlocks the caramel and nutty depths that roasting creates.
- 03
Whisk
Slow, circular strokes with the chasen. Unlike matcha, hojicha does not need a thick foam — aim for a silky, even surface with a light froth.
- 04
Sip
Hold the bowl and drink while warm. The first notes are toasted grain and caramel, followed by a long, sweet finish that lingers.
Notes from the Farm
Matcha or Hojicha?
Matcha
- ·Water at 75°C — never boiling
- ·Vigorous W-strokes for thick foam
- ·Fresh, vegetal, umami-rich
- ·Higher caffeine — ideal for morning
Hojicha
- ·Water at 90°C — hotter is better
- ·Gentle circular strokes, light froth
- ·Roasted, caramel, nutty
- ·Low caffeine — perfect for afternoon or evening