One of the earliest in Kyushu, in terms of matcha production, began in 1989. Hoshino Seichaen, located in the foggy mountain village of Yame, produces high-quality tea that preserves age-old traditions. Spanning over a mountainous area, Yame is situated in the southernmost part of Kyushu, that is in the Fukuoka Prefecture.
The tea comes from what was once a small village named Hoshino before it merged with neighboring villages to form the city of Yame. The land here is very fertile because of the Hoshino River that flows through it from East to West. It is also situated on a higher altitude, where the air is always moist and foggy, this contributes to the tea’s sweetness and its savory “umami” flavor whilst adding depth and complexity to it.
Upholding their mission to “deliver genuine and essential Yame Tea”, Hoshino Seichaen embraces a traditional manufacturing method. When the tea buds have grown to 2 to 3 centimeters around mid-April, a “Sumaki” made from woven straw is used to shade and cover the tea leaves for 25 days until the harvest is finished. The leaves are only picked once a year in order to produce better quality leaves.
Below are a few of Hoshino Seichaen’s matcha products that are supplied via Secai Marche.
Yame Matcha Yamabuki
Moderately bitter and recommended for barista, baking and culinary uses. Perfect for tea ceremony practice.
Hoshino Matcha Ikenoshiro
Fragrant with a hint of savory, high quality tea, perfect for simple and thinly brewed tea and tea ceremony preparations.
Hoshino Matcha Yamenohana
Made from the Okumidori cultivar, fragrant and has a strong flavor. Suitable for tea ceremony practice and high end confectionaries.
Hoshino Seichaen’s refined matcha are packaged with the aim of keeping them fresh right until consumption. Each packet or jar of matcha powders are packed with nitrogen and stored in the freezer at around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. The quality of the matcha is upheld and controlled with a special tea-testing process whereby human sensory evaluation and mechanical scientific evaluation are conducted.
With so many varieties of matcha powders catered for various uses, all that’s left is to unleash your creativity and inspiration when it comes to infusing matcha into your culinary ideas. If you are matcha-holic and would love to know more about what Secai Marche has to offer, head to our SECAI MARCHE Farm-Direct platform Buyer’s Page to browse our matcha selection. If you do not have a registered account with us, please drop us an email or a message, and one of our designated sales representatives will contact you promptly.
