Yame Kirari 31 Matcha

Name: Yame Kirari 31 Matcha
Brand: Tezumi
Price: 48 USD

Koicha (thick), sourced from Yame, Kirari 31 cultivar

SweetUmamiBitterAstringent

$48.00 (20g)

~$2.40 per gram

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Grade

Koicha (thick)

Cultivar

Kirari 31

Region

Yame

Sourcing

Yame, Japan

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Tasting notes

Sweetness moderate-to-high, Umami high, Aroma present, Astringency low, Bitterness low

Clear and unique taste shines with a soft body, straightforward sweetness, and clean finish

Pricing as disclosed

20g — $48.00

Full details

Everything disclosed on the product page (22 fields)▾

Producer: Yamecha Kumaen (八女茶くま園)
Price: $48.00
Size: 20g
Region: Yame, Fukuoka (八女), Japan
Elevation: 320m
Cultivar: Kirari 31 (derived from 1994 cross of Sakimidori and Saemidori); an early-budding cultivar with high frost resistance; compared to Yabukita, features higher levels of amino acids and lower levels of catechins, meaning more umami and less bitter
Harvest: May 2025
Picking Method: Machine-picked
Certifications: None mentioned
Flavor Profile: Sweetness moderate-to-high, Umami high, Aroma present, Astringency low, Bitterness low
Tasting Notes: Clear and unique taste shines with a soft body, straightforward sweetness, and clean finish
Recommended Uses: Progression from least to most concentrated: Baking -> Latte -> Usucha -> Koicha
Brewing Usucha: 70°C (158°F) water, 2g matcha (2 scoops) to 70ml water, whisk briskly ~20 seconds
Brewing Hot Latte: 4g matcha (2 tsp) with 40ml water at 70°C, add 180ml steamed milk
Brewing Iced Latte: Prepare matcha base as above, pour into 300-350ml glass with ice and 180ml milk, optional ~5ml syrup
Producer Background: Head Tea Master Masahiro Kuma (久間正大), third-generation farmer; Operations Head Kazumi Nakatani (中谷一美), fourth-generation granddaughter; Kumaen founded over 100 years ago, produces gyokuro, sencha, matcha, and wakoucha; their Dento Hon Gyokuro consistently wins many awards, including 1st place (perfect 200 points) at National Tea Competition 2017
Additional Cultivars Grown: Saemidori, Samidori, Okumidori, Okuyutaka, Tsuyuhikari, Asatsuyu, Hikari-tsuyu, Benifuki, Benihikari
Regional Context: Yame best known for shaded teas, namely gyokuro and matcha; maintains Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro designation requiring hand-picked tea shaded under straw for minimum two weeks; teas finished with relatively strong firing, imparting a nutty aroma
Reviews: 5 stars, 1 review
Packaging: Tin container
Shelf Life Storage: Not provided
Faq: No FAQ section visible on product page

Research notes

Note: this product is picked by machine, while several other Tezumi products (e.g. Uji Hikari, Uji Samidori, Shirakawa lines) are hand-picked. This is a genuine difference between products, not a contradiction.