CeremonialHatsu Mukashi
Ceremonial, sourced from Kyoto
From $18.36 (30g)
~$0.61 per gram
Grade
Ceremonial
Region
Kyoto
Sourcing
Kyoto, Japan
View the full sourcing map →Tasting notes
'A refreshingly bright usucha tea with a pleasant tart flavor'; intentionally lower in full-bodied/characteristic sweetness versus higher grades (entry-level profile)
'Gentle umami with a subtle sweetness,' 'smooth, creamy finish'; vibrant green hue, ultra-fine texture, velvety finish; described as 'A Fresh Start to Timeless Tradition' for first-time matcha drinkers and seasoned enthusiasts alike
'Convenient-to-use matcha suited for thin tea preparation with light mouthfeel and aroma; relatively refreshing taste'; taste index shows low-to-moderate bitterness/astringency, moderate umami, crisp (not rich) flavor, moderate aroma
Composition
L-theanine
24.31 mg/g
Ceremonial-grade published estimate — Goto et al., upper-grade matcha samples, Tea Research Report No.80:23-28 (1994)
EGCG
59.3 mg/g
Ceremonial-grade published estimate — Goto et al., upper-grade matcha samples, Tea Research Report No.83:21-28 (1996)
Pricing as disclosed
Full details
Everything disclosed on the product page (19 fields)▾
- Item Code
- MTG010
- Product Name Spelling Variants
- Listed as 'Hatsumukashi' (one word) on Sazen Tea's product URL/title and collection page, and as 'Hatsu Mukashi' (two words) on other retailer sites (ujichamatcha.com, thewhiskfulmatcha.com) and on Hekisuien's official site as 初昔 (romanized both ways) - same product
- Grade
- Entry level (ceremonial-adjacent) grade matcha; designed/recommended for usucha (thin tea) preparation; explicitly the entry point of the Hekisuien lineup
- Maker Origin
- Hekisuien, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
- Prices Sazen
- { "30g_branded_can": "$18.36", "150g_branded_can": "$74.52", "300g_branded_can": "$144.72" }
- Price Ujichamatcha
- $34.99 USD, available in 30g and 150g tins; listed as currently sold out at that retailer
- Price Official Site Yen
- ¥1,836 (tax included) for 30g on ujicha.online
- Name Meaning
- 'Hatsu' = new/first; 'mukashi' references tea made from the leaves of the season's first harvest
- Tasting Notes Sazen
- 'A refreshingly bright usucha tea with a pleasant tart flavor'; intentionally lower in full-bodied/characteristic sweetness versus higher grades (entry-level profile)
- Tasting Notes Ujichamatcha
- 'Gentle umami with a subtle sweetness,' 'smooth, creamy finish'; vibrant green hue, ultra-fine texture, velvety finish; described as 'A Fresh Start to Timeless Tradition' for first-time matcha drinkers and seasoned enthusiasts alike
- Tasting Notes Official Site
- 'Convenient-to-use matcha suited for thin tea preparation with light mouthfeel and aroma; relatively refreshing taste'; taste index shows low-to-moderate bitterness/astringency, moderate umami, crisp (not rich) flavor, moderate aroma
- Brewing Temperature Note
- Sazen recommends water not below 75C, noting the tea can tend toward bitterness at cooler temperatures despite being an entry/lighter grade
- Brewing Instructions Sazen
- 1.5-2g (~1/2 tsp or 2 chashaku) whisked into 70ml water at 80C (176F); warm bowl, sift powder, consume immediately
- Brewing Instructions Official Site
- Standard ~2g matcha + 60ml water (80C); casual method: 2g matcha + 10ml water to paste, then add 50ml hot water (80C)
- Ingredients
- Green tea powder
- Shelf Life
- Best before FEB/2027
- Storage Note
- Consume within one month of opening
- Review Rating
- 3.8 out of 5 stars (5 reviews) on Sazen Tea
- Packaging
- Available in 30g and 150g tin/branded cans; official site offers optional gift box (¥66) with wrapping paper (purple/green) and ribbon (red-white/yellow-white) options
Research notes
Note: a Yunomi.life listing titled '#0624.K6 Shogyokuen: Matcha Hatsu Mukashi, Imperial Ceremonial Grade Heritage Matcha' was found during search but confirmed to be a DIFFERENT brand (Shogyokuen, est. 1827, CEO Hiroshi Kobayashi) using the same product name 'Hatsu Mukashi' - this was excluded as not a Hekisuien product. Similarly, a Sazen Tea listing for 'Matcha Hatsumukashi ... Horii Shichimeien' (a different maker) exists and was excluded. Data compiled from the confirmed Hekisuien Sazen Tea page (p200), Hekisuien's official ujicha.online page (detail/159), and ujichamatcha.com's Hekisuien-attributed page.
