Nakamura Tokichi Bessei Hatsumukashi No. 1 Matcha 20g（別製初昔 壱號）
In springtime Shirakawa, Uji, only the year’s first and second leaves are selected and carefully hand-picked for this rare tencha. After unhurried maturation, it is slowly stone-milled into an exceptional matcha for koicha.
The cultivar is Asahi, considered especially suited to tencha. Highly regarded at Japan’s National Tea Competition, it brings sweetness, umami, aroma, and color into beautiful harmony.
Maturation softens the flavor’s edges: pure sweetness opens on the palate, followed gradually by deep, quiet umami. Bitterness and astringency are exceptionally low, while the finish lasts remarkably long.
Its aroma unfolds in layers—floral brightness, nori-like depth, and the gentle toasted fragrance known as roka—creating a multidimensional bouquet.
Its beautiful green is another defining appeal. Rich and vivid yet transparent and deep, this “natural green” lets you appreciate matcha’s beauty with the eyes as well as the palate.
Product details
| Contents | 20g tin |
|---|---|
| Best before | 3 months unopened |
| Ingredients | Green tea (Japan) |
| Nutrition facts | Per 20g: Energy 47.4kcal; Protein 5.9g; Fat 1.1g; Carbohydrate 7.9g; Salt equivalent 0g. |
| Size | Tin: 5.9 × 5.9 × 6.8 cm; box: 7.2 × 7.2 × 7.6 cm |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dry place away from heat, humidity, and strong odors. |
Origin
Shirakawa, Uji, Kyoto, Japan. Cultivar: Asahi.
Recommended preparation
Best enjoyed as koicha (thick matcha).
How to prepare koicha
- Place 4 chashaku scoops (4 g) of matcha in a tea bowl.
- Add 40 ml of water at 80°C (176°F), a little at a time in several additions.
- Using a chasen (bamboo whisk), knead until smooth. If it is too thick, add a small amount of hot water.
Preparation notes
- Add the matcha and hot water, then whisk (or knead) thoroughly with a chasen.
- Matcha can form clumps. Before adding hot water, sift the powder or gently loosen any clumps with a dry chasen.
Flavor characteristics
The finest tencha is never shipped immediately after harvest. It is slowly matured at low temperature in dedicated storage for more than a year—sometimes as long as two. This patient process brings deep harmony to both aroma and flavor.
Bessei Hatsumukashi No. 1 is an exceptionally accomplished matcha whose appeal has been fully drawn out through time.
Flavor — Koicha
When prepared as koicha, it opens with a clear, pure sweetness without heaviness or stickiness. Bitterness and astringency are almost absent, followed by a deep, long-lasting umami finish that unfolds quietly.
Aroma
Asahi’s floral brightness is layered with the nori-like depth created by shaded cultivation, then finished with the fragrant toasted note known as roka, developed during drying.
Color
An extraordinarily vivid green with both absorbing clarity and profound depth.
Flavor profile
