79th National Competition Sevent Place Awarded Matcha Asahi No. 6007
Yoshitsugu Furukawa is a highly regarded, sixth generation tea farmer and is located in Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto. He describes tea farming as not just his livelihood, but his life, lifestyle, and passion. Furukawa uses a traditional shading technique called honzu/ooishita cultivation. By hand-building structures with reeds and rice straw to block sunlight, he increases the amino acids (theanine) that create umami flavor while limiting bitterness. The decline of domestic rice farming makes acquiring rice straw increasingly challenging. Many farmer's present multiple entries and Furukawa secured the 1st, 2nd, and 7th places in the top ten! The bidding for this year's selections was fierce and we lost the 2nd place by only 81yen. We were lucky to secure the 7th place and are excited to win this small selection of 3.5 kg (>180 cans) and to offer it exclusively, completely unblended and pure.
*The final numbers for the national competition are always the same, where 6 represents the Tencha category (Kabuse is 4, Gyokuro is 5, etc), and the next three digits represent the awarded placing. Judging took place in Nara on July 2025 with a total of 100 entries for the Tencha category.
Origin:
Uji, Japan
Cultivar:
100% Asahi
Flavor and Aroma Profile:
Dark chocolate and peony fragrance, perfectly balanced taste of refreshing bitterness, umami, and a long, floral aftertaste
Servings:
4 x 5g for Koicha
Net weight:
20g (0.71oz)
*Matcha of this quality is thoroughly enjoyed in the most traditional and formal method, Koicha. Koicha, or thick tea, uses twice as much matcha and half as much water, resulting in a dense paste that is deep green and devoid of foam. A bamboo whisk will be necessary to prepare it.
5g of sifted matcha, 40 ml of water at 195°F
Preheat the bowl, sift in the matcha, and add the hot water. With the Chasen, start by submerging all the matcha in the water. Then, gently whisk/fold the liquid until it thickens and becomes consistent. Move quickly but use short strokes, and enjoy the process while it's still warm.
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