Time can move slowly in Japan. Reverence for the past means innovations in heritage practices seem, at times, an exception, with craftsman eschewing tradition in pursuit of new and experimental conventions.

Tea making has been a primary trade in the Tsukigase region of Nara for millennia. But sencha has long been the main crop in this area, until an 11th generation tea farmer recognized this rich, red soiled earth, fed by hillside streams and protected by a copse of larger trees, as prime ground for cultivating tencha (the base green tea from which matcha is ground), challenging decades of tradition and gambling on two new cultivars of the Saemidori pollen plant.

Kirari 31 is one of this tea maker’s first experiments.

The trees of these Kirari 31 tea plants are in their first years of harvest, planted a mere 6 years ago. Tsukigase is subject to extreme temperature changes from morning to evening during the spring harvest season, a boon for the natural sugars accumulating in the leaves, but a phenomenon that can leave new buds vulnerable to sun damage and callusing. To mitigate this, each tightly planted row plants is wrapped in thick tarping after the last of the new buds appear on the trees, protecting these delicate leaves from direct sunlight and maintaining their tender structure up until harvest, about 25 days later.

Post-harvest, these leaves are steamed in a brick oven, a slow process that accommodates just 20kg of tea per hour. Following this kill green, veins and stems are removed, leaving just the most tender elements of the leaf to be ground into fine matcha powder. This final element is only done at the very last moment, to prevent excess oxidation and keep the flavor of the tea vibrant and fresh.

The final product is a matcha with youthful vivacity, brewing as brightly as its name suggests (Kirari 31 is a play on words translating to “a momentary flash of light”). This delicious Japanese matcha green tea is beautifully presented in a 20g paulownia wood box, or available as a refill pack.

On storage: Ground matcha has considerable surface area and poses a risk of inadvertent oxidization. Please refrigerate while not in use. Allow package to come to room temperature before preparing.