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Discover Matcha "Chiyo Mukashi" - one of our finest offerings at O-Cha.com, renowned for its exceptional quality and versatility. This matcha strikes a perfect balance between thick (koicha) and thin (usucha) consistencies, allowing it to be prepared in either style to suit your preference. Whether you're engaging in a traditional tea ceremony or seeking a potent source of antioxidants, "Chiyo Mukashi" is an excellent choice.

As with all our products, this matcha is guaranteed fresh. We order it as needed to ensure that what you receive has not lingered on shelves but is vibrant and full of flavor. Cultivated in the prestigious tea fields of Uji, known for producing some of the best matchas in the world, "Chiyo Mukashi" is kept under refrigeration right up to shipment, maintaining its quality and freshness.

Available in 30-gram packages, Matcha "Chiyo Mukashi" is ideally portioned for both daily enjoyment and special occasions. Experience the smooth, rich flavors of a truly superior matcha, crafted with care and expertise.

Handmade Quality from Nara, Japan

Our Japanese made tea whisk for matcha, consisting of 65-72 prongs, is meticulously handcrafted in Nara, Japan. Unlike the common imports from China, our whisks are authentic and made with traditional techniques passed down through generations. There are over 120 different types of Nara tea whisks, each varying in material, shape, and number of splines. These variations depend on the tea school, the type of matcha (thick or thin) being prepared, and other factors. We selected this particular chasen for its versatility and suitability for general-purpose matcha drinking.

Meet Our Bamboo Tea Whisk Supplier

Our bamboo tea whisks are crafted by the renowned Kubo family near Nara, Japan. You can watch them in action in this detailed YouTube video, showcasing the intricate process of making these exquisite whisks. View detailed images and video here.

Japanese vs. Chinese Tea Whisks

Most tea whisks available on the market are Chinese-made imitations, not authentic Japanese products. China produces these whisks primarily for export, including to Japan itself. The craftsmanship of Japanese whisks starts with a sharp knife to precisely chip the end of the bamboo, resulting in a clean, sharp break. In contrast, Chinese whisks are often made with a file, leading to shorter-lasting prong tips.

The bamboo used in Japanese tea whisks is of superior quality, dried for over a year without fungicides, ensuring durability and safety. While a genuine Japanese made tea whisk for matcha may cost two to three times more than its Chinese counterpart, it offers unmatched long-term reliability and performance. Investing in an authentic Nara tea whisk ensures you get the best experience and longevity from your matcha preparation.

Choose a real Japanese made tea whisk for matcha from Nara and elevate your matcha drinking experience with the finest craftsmanship and materials.

Introducing A Chinese Made Tea Whisk for Matcha

Due to the growing popularity of matcha, our current Japanese whisk supplier is having a somewhat difficult time to keep up with the high demand, resulting in a several-month backlog of orders. To ensure you can still enjoy your matcha without interruption, we are now offering a Chinese made tea whisk as a cost-effective alternative.

Quality and Craftsmanship

Our Chinese made tea whisk closely resembles its Japanese counterpart in appearance and functionality. While it may not match the superior craftsmanship and long-term durability of a Japanese made whisk, it is still more than sufficient for basic matcha preparation. This whisk is designed with the same traditional style and consists of 65-72 prongs, making it an excellent choice for everyday matcha drinking.

Affordable and Accessible

Understanding the need for an affordable option without compromising too much on quality, we have sourced this Chinese whisk to offer you a practical solution. It is priced lower than the Japanese whisk, making it accessible for those who are new to matcha or on a budget. Despite the differences in quality, this whisk will still help you achieve a smooth and frothy matcha.

Why Choose Our Chinese Whisk?

• Appearance: Similar look and feel to a Japanese whisk.
• Functionality: Effective for basic matcha making.
• Affordability: Lower price point compared to Japanese whisks.
• Availability: Immediate availability to meet current demand.

While our Chinese made tea whisk may not offer the same level of precision and longevity as our Japanese whisks, it remains a practical and sufficient tool for matcha enthusiasts. Choose this whisk for its accessibility and convenience, ensuring you never miss out on your daily matcha ritual.

Introducing Uji Matcha Manten, an unparalleled matcha offering that stands as the epitome of excellence in the world of matcha. Since its debut on O-Cha.com in the mid-2000s, Uji Matcha Manten has been a coveted treasure previously unavailable outside of Japan and remains an exclusive online offering through our site.

Upon experiencing this matcha, you'll be captivated by its intensely aromatic nature—the first hint of its superior quality. Sourced from a grower in Uji with a very limited production, this matcha is a rarity, supplied mainly to the local market. The availability of Manten is sporadic, making each batch a precious find.

The grower, a renowned figure in the Uji tea community and an accomplished author on the cultivation of Tencha (the precursor to matcha), has won numerous awards from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. His meticulous care and traditional methods ensure that Manten offers a unique taste profile that is unmatched, often chosen by tea ceremony instructors who demand only the best.

Manten is ideally suited for koicha (thick matcha), which is sweeter and milder than the more common usucha (thin matcha). This exquisite quality is derived from tea plants that are at least 30 years old, necessary for achieving the less bitter, profoundly rich flavor required for koicha. While Manten can be prepared as usucha, its exceptional properties are best expressed when served thick.

Each 30-gram package of Uji Matcha Manten offers a chance to indulge in a matcha experience that transcends ordinary. 

For those preparing it as koicha, consider pairing it with a specialized 48 prong tea whisk designed for this luxurious thick style matcha.

We didn't think we would ever be able to offer another matcha comparable to the famous Manten we currently carry; yet it has come to pass! Like Manten, we realize Uji Matcha Taiko-San is an expensive matcha and we make no bones about it - this is about as an exclusive matcha as you will ever find. If you are in search of the absolute best matcha available anywhere, however, then your search is over! Until O-Cha.com obtained this gem from Japan's oldest teashop, this matcha had never been sold outside of Japan.

A few words about this item...

The farm where Taiko-San is grown is known as "Taikou-tsutsumi" and is located not too far from our supplier Tsuen tea's shop in Uji Japan. The area is both a tea farm as well as an archaeological site. The matcha is produced in this small field by the river beside an ancient levee, which is being studied for its construction methods. The grower, Mr. Fukui, farms several strains of tea in this plot and he adjusts the blend every year according to the plants condition to create the specific flavor. As with Manten, the plot is small and the yield is limited.

This handpicked tea has an abundance of umami, which has been described by Tsuen as sweet with a hint of bitter and having a fresh green smell. The color is a rich and dark, very intense green froth. Compared with Manten, this matcha has a more masculine taste. Again, the grower has an extremely small production, and is currently supplying only the local market with this grade so the supply is extremely limited. O-Cha.com will have this item in stock as supplies are available, which may be very hit and miss. Because of limited space and the age of the tea plants used for this item the grower will never be able to increase his production. There is no competition for this grade - this is a connoisseur's class matcha. As with matcha Manten, O-Cha.com is the first to carry this matcha outside of Japan. Koicha (matcha which can be made thick) is sweeter, milder tasting than usucha (the normal matcha which is made in a thinner consistency). Because twice the amount of tea powder is used to make a thicker tea, a milder, less bitter product is required. While you can brew a thick matcha in the normal "thin" manner, the opposite is not true and there are really very few matcha green teas which one can make a true thick style matcha. Taiko-san, along with Manten, however, is one of those.

If you wish to brew this in a thick manner, you may want to consider obtaining a tea whisk made especially for koicha

Net Weight 30gm

Experience the unparalleled quality of our handcrafted Shiboridashi teapot from Tokoname Prefecture, Japan. This exquisite teapot is increasingly rare and highly sought after by tea connoisseurs, especially those who appreciate the delicate nuances of brewing gyokuro, the most luxurious and costly type of loose-leaf green tea. Designed to brew at lower temperatures with a double amount of loose leaves, this teapot is perfect for extracting the subtle flavors and deep umami characteristic of gyokuro.

The Shiboridashi teapot's small size is purposefully designed to hold about 60ml (2 ounces) of water, making it ideal for preparing just one or two small cups at a time. This allows for multiple, concentrated infusions, each capturing the essence of the tea. The unique design features a thin gap between the inner body of the teapot and the lid, eliminating the need for a traditional filter basket and enhancing the infusion process for larger leaf teas like gyokuro and light-steamed asamushi sencha.

It’s important to note that due to its specific design, this teapot is best suited for larger leaf teas and not recommended for fine leaf particles like those found in deep-steamed green tea (fukamushi-cha).

Each Shiboridashi teapot is a testament to the artisan's skill, with attention to detail that might not be immediately apparent but significantly enhances both functionality and aesthetic appeal. Given the handcrafted nature of these teapots, slight variations from the images shown may occur, adding to the uniqueness of each piece.

For those deeply engaged in the art of tea, particularly gyokuro enthusiasts, our Shiboridashi and Houhin teapots offer an optimal brewing tool, combining traditional craftsmanship with effective modern design.

How to Brew Gyokuro - Step-by-Step Instructions!