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We work with a single tea estate that practices traditional tencha shading and hand-harvesting."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between Uji matcha and other Japanese matcha?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Uji's climate โ cool spring temperatures, high humidity, and mineral-rich soil fed by the Uji River โ produces tea with exceptional L-theanine and chlorophyll content. Nishio (Aichi) is a comparable high-quality region. Matcha labeled simply 'Japanese matcha' often blends multiple origins or uses mechanically harvested leaves, which reduces quality noticeably."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does direct import benefit the product?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Eliminating intermediary distributors has two effects: fresher product (shorter supply chain, faster transit) and better price-to-quality ratio. Most matcha sold in Europe passes through 2โ3 distributors, each adding margin and transit time. We ship directly from the estate in temperature-controlled, nitrogen-sealed packaging."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Satsuki's matcha organic?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Our Organic Matcha is JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) certified organic โ the equivalent of EU organic certification for Japan. Our Everyday Matcha is ceremonial-grade but not organically certified; the estate uses integrated pest management with minimal chemical inputs but does not hold organic certification."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"When is matcha harvested?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The first harvest (ichibancha) takes place in late April to early May, after 25โ30 days of shading. This is the only harvest used in ceremonial and premium matcha. Second and third flushes (nibancha, sanbancha) occur in summer and produce more astringent, lower-amino-acid leaves used for culinary grades."}}]}e:Tfcf,
Satsuki imports ceremonial matcha directly from a single estate in Uji, Kyoto โ first-flush, stone-milled, nitrogen-sealed, and shipped without intermediaries. This is why our matcha tastes different from what most Europeans encounter.
The Uji region, 15km south of Kyoto, has been producing high-grade tea since the 13th century. The Kizugawa and Uji Rivers create a natural morning mist that serves the same function as artificial shading โ protecting the tea leaves from direct sunlight before harvest.
This is not a marketing narrative. The terroir difference is measurable: Uji teas consistently show higher L-theanine and chlorophyll concentrations than matcha from other Japanese regions, due to the unique combination of temperature, soil pH, and humidity.
The Muromachi shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established official tea gardens in Uji in 1364. For the next 400 years, Uji matcha was reserved exclusively for the imperial court and senior Buddhist temples.
The technique of tana shading โ covering tea plants with bamboo frames and reed screens for weeks before harvest โ was developed in Uji specifically to maximize umami production. Our estate still uses traditional tana structures alongside modern net shading, maintaining the technique with modern consistency.
Shading (25โ30 days): The estate covers plants with darkened screens that block 85โ90% of sunlight. This causes the plant to produce more chlorophyll (deep green color) and convert less L-theanine to catechins (less bitterness, more sweetness).
Harvest (late April โ early May): Only the top two leaves and the bud of new growth are harvested, by hand. These are the youngest, highest-amino-acid parts of the plant.
Steaming (20โ40 seconds): Leaves are immediately steamed to halt oxidation and fix the bright green color. Japanese green tea processing uses steam; Chinese uses pan-firing. The difference is significant in flavor: steam produces fresh, marine notes; pan-firing produces nuttier, grassy notes.
Tencha production: Steamed leaves are dried without rolling โ a process unique to matcha production. The resulting flat, dried leaf is called tencha. Stems and veins are removed before milling.
Stone-milling: Tencha is milled between granite millstones rotating at 60โ80 rpm. The slow rotation prevents heat buildup that would degrade flavor compounds. One millstone produces approximately 30โ40g per hour โ the reason high-quality matcha is expensive.
Nitrogen sealing: Finished matcha is packed immediately in airtight, nitrogen-flushed packaging. Oxygen and UV light are the primary causes of matcha degradation. Nitrogen sealing extends peak freshness from 2โ3 months to 12+ months.
Most matcha arrives in Europe via Japanese wholesale exporters, then European importers, then distributors. By the time it reaches a retailer, it may be 12โ18 months old.
Satsuki ships directly from the estate in temperature-controlled containers and distributes within 60 days of packaging. The flavor difference between fresh and oxidized matcha is dramatic โ vegetal and sweet versus flat and slightly bitter.
This is the practical meaning of "direct import." Not a marketing claim โ a logistics commitment that requires building a direct relationship with the producer.
When you open a Satsuki tin, you should find matcha that smells unmistakably fresh and green โ something between fresh-cut grass, seaweed, and a spring forest. That aroma disappears quickly in low-quality or old matcha.
If it smells hay-like, brown, or faintly musty, it is oxidized. That is the standard against which all imported European matcha should be measured.