Hotaru - Organic Isagawa Gokou Matcha

Name: Hotaru - Organic Isagawa Gokou Matcha
Brand: Tezumi
Price: 69 USD

Koicha (thick), sourced from Uji, Gokou cultivar

SweetUmamiNuttyFruityRichBitterAstringent

$69.00 (50g)

~$1.38 per gram

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Grade

Koicha (thick)

Cultivar

Gokou

Region

Uji

Certification

Organic

Sourcing

Uji, Japan

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Tasting notes

"Rich, nutty, and with a slight fruity twist" with "strong firing" that "brings out its natural sweetness"; flavor breakdown: high sweetness, umami, aroma; moderate astringency; low bitterness

Pricing as disclosed

50g — $69.00

Full details

Everything disclosed on the product page (16 fields)▾

Price: Sale price $69.00, regular price $78.00
Size: 50g Bag
Producer: Osada Seicha
Region: Isagawa, Tenryu, Shizuoka, at 350m elevation; Isagawa valley described as a "remote location" within the mountainous Haruno subregion, spanning 20 hectares from 300-600m altitude
Cultivar: Gokou - an "unregistered cultivar" selected from Uji zairai in the early 1950s, popular in Kyoto for gyokuro and matcha; "thin" leaves ideal for shaded tea; "unique, fruity aroma"
Certification: Organic
Harvest: May 2025
Picking Method: Handheld machine
Tasting Profile: "Rich, nutty, and with a slight fruity twist" with "strong firing" that "brings out its natural sweetness"; flavor breakdown: high sweetness, umami, aroma; moderate astringency; low bitterness
Recommended Uses: Baking, Latte, Usucha (thin tea), Koicha (thick tea) - koicha identified as most concentrated recommended use
Brewing Usucha: 70°C water, 2g matcha + 70ml water, whisk 20 seconds
Brewing Hot Latte: 4g matcha + 40ml 70°C water, add 180ml steamed milk
Brewing Iced Latte: 4g matcha + 40ml 70°C water, pour over 180ml milk in ice-filled glass
Review Rating: 5 stars, 14 reviews
Etymology: "Hotaru (蛍) means firefly"
Producer Background: Founded 1947, modern form established 1994; led by Natsumi Osada, "8th dan (level) national tea appraiser" promoting organic tea cultivation; works with farmers including Takeshi Suzuki and Katsutoshi Izawa in Isagawa valley for "35 years"

Research notes

Elevation stated twice with different figures: farm/product elevation given as 350m, but the broader Isagawa valley range given as 300-600m — both appear on the page describing different scopes (specific plot vs. valley range), not necessarily contradictory, but noted for clarity.