What Is Yamamasa Koyamaen?

The Yamamasa Koyamaen family started as Uji tea farmers in the early Edo period, formally founding the company in 1861 as a tea manufacturer and wholesaler.. After the abolition of the Tokugawa shogunate’s tea-master licensing system, their founder Masajirō Koyama launched a wholesale tea business. Since then, they have pursued an integrated approach—from cultivating tea to producing matcha—and have also succeeded in developing excellent cultivars.

From long ago Yamamasa Koyaamen has prioritized tea’s inherent deliciousness—what they call “shōmi-hinshitsu” (gustatory quality)—and they hold to the credo “Taste First.” By combining traditional craftsmanship with rational production and trade practices, they deliver the best possible quality at a fair price.

For Yamamasa Koyamaen, “Taste First” is a guiding philosophy that shapes every aspect of their production and business decisions. It reflects a deliberate commitment to prioritize flavor and quality above all else—even when doing so increases costs. This means investing in superior packaging and storage to preserve freshness, allocating a greater portion of resources to raw materials rather than marketing, and maintaining a streamlined organizational structure so more can be devoted to the tea itself. Because matcha is a luxury beverage, Yamamasa Koyamaen believes it must be genuinely delicious to hold meaning. “Taste First” captures this core principle: a dedication to crafting matcha of exceptional flavor through thoughtful choices at every step.

Yamamasa Koyamaen is one of Uji’s most respected long-established matcha producers, known for its deep commitment to tradition and uncompromising quality. The company maintains its own tea gardens in Uji, which serve as a foundation for preserving cultivation techniques, conducting agricultural research, and establishing quality standards that guide their long-term partner farmers.

While these gardens play an important role in upholding Yamamasa Koyamaen’s tea-making philosophy, the majority of their raw tea leaves come from trusted multigenerational partner farmers in Uji with whom they operate under full-purchase relationships. In recent years, procurement through the Uji tea market has also become an essential part of meeting growing demand.

As a matcha manufacturer, Yamamasa Koyamaen’s core expertise lies in careful leaf selection, blend design, stone-milling, and rigorous quality control—processes that shape the aroma, flavor, and character of their matcha. At the same time, the company has long been closely connected to the cultural world of Japanese tea ceremony. This relationship is reflected in the 17 original tea names (chamei) they have been entrusted with over generations. A chamei embodies the philosophy, aesthetics, seasonal sensibility, and practice of a tea school. Producing such teas signifies long-term trust, cultural understanding, and consistent craftsmanship. Rather than a mark of authority, this connection highlights Yamamasa’s role as a supportive partner within the broader world of tea ceremony.

Uji—History and Tradition

In Uji, a region with a long and storied history, efforts to improve quality and refine technique have continued since long before its fame was established, and those traditions are still carried forward today through steady, daily work. Beyond its favorable natural conditions—climate and soil—the historical role of supplying tea to the Imperial Household and the Shogunate also attests to the high quality of Uji matcha.

They inherit this tradition at Yamamasa Koyamaen, producing matcha with proven skill and experience. In addition, by building robust, long-term procurement relationships with many growers, they secure high-quality raw leaves and provide matcha of consistently stable quality throughout the year.

Yamamasa Koyamaen Matcha (Selection, Method, and Policy)

In selecting raw tea (tencha), Yamamasa Koyamaen rigorously evaluates the leaf color, the liquor (infusion) color, taste, and the color and aroma of the spent leaf. After grinding into matcha, they also examine powder color, aroma, taste, and fineness with equal strictness.

For raw tea (tencha) they use leaves produced under meticulous fertilization and cultivation management, sourced from their own gardens as well as from long-standing partner growers. Drawing on traditional know-how, they carefully assess each batch and compose flavor by bringing out the strengths of each cultivar in color, aroma, and taste.

Tencha is stone-milled to order with care, and the finished matcha is packed (in bags or tins) under controlled temperature and humidity, so that it reaches customers as fresh as possible. Their products do not use additives—no chemically synthesized food additives, no non-synthetic food additives that lack labeling requirements, and no stabilizers or other secondary ingredients—so the natural flavor of tea is preserved.

It is often said that every maker has its own house flavor profile. If they were to put theirs into words, Yamamasa Koyamaen’s profile is defined by the fresh fragrance of young buds together with a toasty note derived from the relatively high drying temperature during primary (ara-cha) processing.

Ceremonial Matcha

The Yamamasa Koyamaen brand offers twelve ceremonial (tea-ceremony) drinking grades, ranging from top to standard, each with its own tea name (chamei). As a rule, we do not impose artificial, exaggerated flavor “personalities” on each name; rather, for every product we manufacture under the principles stated above, with the responsibility that it is a Yamamasa Koyamaen matcha.

Overall differences in taste

As you may know, the higher the grade, the more fragrant the aroma, the smoother the taste, the lower the astringency, the richer the umami (sweetness), and the cleaner the finish. In general, higher-priced grades provide a more satisfying matcha experience. This is because higher grades use raw leaves that require greater care and labor—notably fertilization and shading.

Matcha naturally contains catechins and L-theanine, ingredients often appreciated for their calming and antioxidant properties — not intended for medical use. While fertilization is a given, note that theanine—the source of umami in tea—converts to catechin (astringency) under sunlight. Therefore, leaves that are well shaded retain more theanine and deliver more abundant umami.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Doesn’t Yamamasa Koyamaen Label Its Products “Uji Matcha”?

Yamamasa Koyamaen's matcha is crafted and packed in Uji, Kyoto, Japan. Raw materials are selected from Uji and other Japanese regions based on strict quality standards.

Uji is one of Japan’s most renowned tea regions. Although Yamamasa Koyamaen is headquartered in Uji and even maintains its own tea gardens within Uji City, they do not actively use the “Uji matcha” label. This is not because they undervalue Uji—quite the opposite. It stems from deep respect for the place and from the way they define quality.

“Uji-cha” vs. “Uji-grown matcha”: two different meanings

Uji-cha (Uji tea): Tea that is finished (final manufacturing) within Kyoto Prefecture, using raw leaves of which at least 50% originate from Kyoto Prefecture, with the remainder sourced from neighboring regions such as Shiga, Nara, or Mie.

Uji-grown matcha: Matcha made exclusively from leaves cultivated within Uji City—a far more limited definition.

For context, Uji City accounts for roughly 1% of Kyoto Prefecture’s area. Naturally, the volume available solely within Uji City is limited. To produce high-quality matcha with stable, year-round supply, collaboration across a broader tea-growing zone—including areas of the Yamashiro region such as Wazuka and Jōyō—is essential.

What they value more than the name of origin

Their mission is “to deliver the taste we believe is truly delicious—year after year, without fail.” That means they do not choose leaves merely by whether they are “Uji-grown” or labeled “Uji-cha.” Instead, they evaluate each year’s climate and growing conditions, select the best possible raw leaves, and apply an optimal blend. In some cases, these leaves offer excellent intrinsic quality without the premium associated with Kyoto-origin labeling, allowing us to improve taste and balance while maintaining price integrity. This is their craft responsibility and their conviction.

If, in a given year, leaves grown outside Uji City or in other prefectures (such as Shiga, Mie, or Gifu) best realize the flavor they seek, they adopt them without hesitation. That is how they protect Yamamasa Koyamaen’s house flavor profile.

In short: While Yamamasa Koyamaen’s matcha qualifies as Uji-cha under Japanese regulations, they do not emphasize this label. Instead, they focus on delivering quality and flavor that speak for themselves.

Why Doesn’t Yamamasa Koyamaen Release Single-Cultivar Matcha?

In wine, people often compare single-varietal vs. blended styles. A similar idea applies to matcha. At Yamamasa Koyamaen, they produce matcha not from a single cultivar, but by blending multiple cultivars—and there are clear reasons why.

The appeal—and the limits—of single cultivars

Cultivars such as Samidori or Asahi—like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot in wine—are celebrated for their distinctive character and high quality. Used on their own, they can yield excellent matcha.

However, single-cultivar matcha is highly sensitive to climate, soil (terroir), and year-to-year variation (vintage). Aroma, flavor, and color can shift with each harvest, making consistent quality harder to maintain.

What blending brings: stability and depth

By blending multiple cultivars, we can fine-tune the balance of aroma, umami, color, and astringency. For example: layer a cultivar with rich body, add one with lifted aroma, and round it with a soft, mellow component. This is precisely where a tea master’s craft shines.

The approach is akin to the great Bordeaux houses, which build complexity on the foundation of blends. What Yamamasa Koyamaen seeks is not the easy legibility of a single cultivar, but the harmony and depth that blending creates—together with the reliability of flavor year after year.

What they aim to deliver: “year-to-year reassurance” and “the essence of deliciousness”

Matcha is still on its journey toward broader understanding worldwide. That is why they focus on creating a trustworthy cup—one you can choose with confidence.

More than a fixation on single cultivars, more than eye-catching origin labels, our standard is simple: Is it truly delicious?

Why Yamamasa Koyamaen Stands Firm Amid Global Matcha Price Surges

As matcha draws worldwide attention, market prices have repeatedly climbed to 2.5–3.0× the usual level. Even so, Yamamasa Koyamaen continues to produce and supply ceremonial-grade drinking matcha for the tea ceremony with only moderate price increases for the same quality. Behind this resilience are two pillars built over time: long-standing trust with tea-growing families and our guiding principle, “Taste First.”

1 | A supply commitment forged in the tea ceremony market

For generations, Yamamasa Koyamaen has been cherished in the tea ceremony world. From daily practice to formal koicha service, we deliver the required quality and quantity when needed. Their market share ranks among the top three in the tea ceremony segment (internal estimate), which means they shoulder a substantial obligation to keep both quality and price stable, even when demand spikes.

2 | Not market-dependent—direct partnerships with growers

Buying through the open tea market can look attractive (you can often secure what you need at the moment). But when volatility hits, it becomes hard to obtain the quality you want in the volume you need.

Yamamasa Koyamaen has long practiced direct purchasing from farmers under agreements to buy all or fixed volumes. This cannot be built overnight. Because they have invested for decades in a stable, long-term procurement framework, they can keep quality and prices steady. As a result, their stable purchasing volume—their sourcing power—is markedly stronger than most peers.

3 | Staying on the “making side”—their own gardens and shared know-how

Their roots are in tea farming. They still maintain their own tea gardens and grow raw leaves specifically for top-tier matcha. This maker’s perspective fuels active technical exchange and guidance with their partner growers—covering cultivation, shading, and processing—so that, together, they uphold high ceremonial quality. They are not merely suppliers; they are partners aligned with the same house flavor profile.

4 | When prices jump, we bend less—the foundation of “direct-sourcing power”

With demand accelerating, 2025 prices reached 2.5–3.0× last year, and continued elevation is likely. In such times, the question is: Can you secure the same quality on advantageous terms?

Because a large share of their leaves is sourced directly from growers, their direct-sourcing power lets them obtain the same quality at better prices. This is only possible because they have produced significant volumes of matcha, year after year, for a very long time.

5 | The wall facing rapid expansion and new entrants

Amid a sudden global “matcha boom,” manufacturers with limited past production who try to scale quickly, or new entrants, must buy through an overheated market—often at runaway prices. The result is multiple-fold price gaps for the same quality.

Compared with companies now charging several times more for comparable quality, Yamamasa Koyamaen has kept price increases far more restrained. This is where long-term relationship capital truly shows its value.

6 | Safeguarding farmers’ futures is safeguarding matcha’s future

Direct purchasing with all- or fixed-volume commitments supports farmers’ long-term, stable management. Planning fields, investing in shading, and careful fertilization all require visibility and confidence in the future. Creating an environment where growers can continue producing is, in itself, what preserves sustainable top-grade quality.

Because the fields are secure, they can deliver reliably, year after year. This is the underlying reason Yamamasa Koyamaen’s prices and quality remain stable.

Shop Yamamasa Koyamaen Matcha Collection

View all