CeremonialTenko
Ceremonial, sourced from Kyoto, Kotobuki cultivar
From $44.28 (30g)
~$1.48 per gram
Grade
Ceremonial
Cultivar
Kotobuki
Region
Kyoto
Sourcing
Kyoto, Japan
View the full sourcing map →Tasting notes
'Tenko almost envelops the person fortunate enough to taste it, with sweetness and gentle yet pronounced mildness'; 'divine taste and creamy, lingering finish'; explicitly compared to Shiro no Kotobuki as 'less sweet, yet more full-bodied' with more pronounced umami character
'Deep with strong umami, particularly popular as thick tea (koicha) matcha'; taste index shows position on bitterness/astringency-to-umami, clean-to-full-bodied, and subtle-to-aromatic scales (skewed toward umami/full-bodied/aromatic per description, exact index values not quantified in extracted text)
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 (17 fields)▾
- Item Code
- MTG005
- Grade
- Ceremonial grade; classified under Sazen's 'Koicha' category but explicitly usable for both usucha and koicha; described as 'Extraordinary koicha with a heavenly fine flavor'
- Maker Origin
- Hekisuien, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
- Prices Sazen
- { "30g_branded_can": "$44.28", "150g_branded_can": "$204.12" }
- Price Official Site Yen
- ¥4,428 (tax included) for 30g on ujicha.online - this is the highest price among the 7 products found on the official site in this batch (matches it being one of the higher grades, though Sazen's overall Hekisuien catalog shows even higher-priced items like Matcha Houju at $108/30g which is outside this batch of 8)
- Name Meaning
- 天鼓 (Tenko) relates to Japanese hand drums and thunder - specifically the drums played by Raijin, the Shinto God of Thunder
- Tasting Notes Sazen
- 'Tenko almost envelops the person fortunate enough to taste it, with sweetness and gentle yet pronounced mildness'; 'divine taste and creamy, lingering finish'; explicitly compared to Shiro no Kotobuki as 'less sweet, yet more full-bodied' with more pronounced umami character
- Tasting Notes Official Site
- 'Deep with strong umami, particularly popular as thick tea (koicha) matcha'; taste index shows position on bitterness/astringency-to-umami, clean-to-full-bodied, and subtle-to-aromatic scales (skewed toward umami/full-bodied/aromatic per description, exact index values not quantified in extracted text)
- Brewing Instructions Usucha
- 1.5-2g matcha, 70ml water at 80C, whisk vigorously until frothy (Sazen); official site: ~2g + 60ml water at 80C standard, or casual paste method (2g + 10ml water to paste, then +50ml hot water)
- Brewing Instructions Koicha
- 3.5-4g matcha, 30ml water at 80C, gently mix until creamy (Sazen); official site: ~5g matcha + 40ml water at 80C for thick tea
- Preparation Note
- Sifting powder through a fine strainer before use 'strongly recommended' to prevent clumping
- Ingredients
- Green tea powder
- Shelf Life
- Best before February 2027
- Storage Note Official Site
- Tea is sensitive to moisture, heat, oxygen, and UV light; store sealed with minimal air in a cool, dark place; consume within one month after opening (Sazen)
- Review Rating
- 4.8 out of 5 stars (5 reviews) on Sazen Tea
- Packaging Official Site
- Optional gift box (¥66) with wrapping paper (purple/green) and ribbon (red-white/yellow-white)
- Company Info Official Site
- Attributed to 'Hekisuien Co., Ltd., Kyoto'
Research notes
Cross-referenced Sazen Tea (p195) with Hekisuien's official shop ujicha.online (detail/154). One of the top two most expensive/premium products in this 8-item batch, alongside Shiro no Kotobuki; both are the only two positioned for dual usucha/koicha use in this set.
