KIRARI31 Iri-Matcha 02 ChaYou
Single-cultivar Matcha from Nagasaki, Japan
iki Iri-Matcha 02 Cha You is made from the modern cultivar Kirari 31 and processed using a special Iri-Mushi (roast-steam) method. The result is a gentle, well-balanced matcha where soft sweetness and umami meet a subtle roasted note from the Iri-Mushi processing. The roast character stays light and supportive, never overpowering the clarity of the base tea.
The ChaYou tea garden, run by the Matsuo family, sits on a small hill about 300 metres above sea level with a view over Omura Bay in Nagasaki. In this mild coastal climate, surrounded by rich vegetation, the family has been growing and processing tea since 1970.
Owner Masatoshi Matsuo works with a clear respect for tradition – organic fertilisation of the fields and classic wara-kake straw-shade for the tea bushes – while also exploring new ideas in processing. Over the past years ChaYou has attracted a lot of attention among Japanese tea drinkers and has received several awards, including the Emperor’s Cup in 2010.
Origin: Sonogi, Nagasaki, Japan
Cultivar: Kirari31
Shading: 21 days with direct shading
Harvest: May 2025, machine-harvested
Stone-Milled: September 2025 (refrigerated since then)
Taste: Nutty, Chestnuts, Creamy without astringency
FAQ
| How fresh is this Matcha? | Our Matcha is milled in Japan in small batches close to order and stored at 2 °C from the moment it arrives in Germany. We ship from our gallery in Munich. |
| How should I store Matcha? | Unopened: cool, dark and dry — the fridge is ideal. Once opened, keep the tin or pouch tightly closed and away from light, heat and moisture, and enjoy it within a few weeks for peak aroma. |
| How do I read the best-before date? | Japanese producers usually print the best-before date in the Japanese order YY.MM.DD (year.month.day) — a package marked 27.02.05 is best before 5 February 2027. |
| How do I prepare it? | For Usucha: sift about 2 g, add 60–80 ml of water at around 80 °C and whisk in a rapid M motion until a fine foam forms. Product-specific ratios are in the description above. |
