Matcha Hatsu Mukashi
The entry-level matcha tea of the Horii Shichimei family, Hatsumukashi, enchants all tasters with its really light, pleasant taste and powerful, magical aroma.
A hint of astringency appears after the first sip, then its broader, richer tones offer a well-rounded, harmonious taste experience, gifting the consumer with a memorable experience. Really excellent, fantastic value for money Matcha tea, which was created to make usucha (thin tea).
In 30-gram and 100-gram packages, in an airtight metal box, refrigerated.
Our comprehensive article on Matcha tea can be read here.
A little history
Horii Shichimeien is a traditional tea-making company with a long history in Uji, near Kyoto and famous for matcha.
"Shichimeien" means "seven great tea gardens" that were recognized and highly valued by Shogun Ashikaga during the Muromachi period (1338-1573). Of these seven, only one remains in Uji's hinterland: the one called 'Okunoyama' - owned by the Horii family very close to the famous Byōdōin temple. The family's tea shop is located in front of the 'Agata' Shinto shrine and hides almost unnoticed in this street.
It is worth mentioning that the 3rd generation Horii Chojiro invented the so-called 'tencha ro', the tencha drying oven that he did not keep to himself, but spread it in Uji (and now almost all over Japan) - making the processing of tea leaves more efficient.
In 2019, it was a surprise for us that the tea garden discovered at the end of the street from our accommodation was so famous, from here on a further "series of coincidences" led us to personal acquaintance and a joint collaboration. One of our most defining experiences was visiting their matcha grinding site, where quite a few traditional granite stone mills grind quietly in the dark...
For 600 years, the family has been carrying out the entire process of tea production, from cultivation to picking to processing, drying and grinding, which is a rarity.
Thanks to the high quality and small-scale production, their matches are refined and rich, with a sweet, long aftertaste.
Store airtight and in the refrigerator.
Before making it, it is good if the tea powder warms up to room temperature, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before consumption.
The freshest flavors emerge from the tea within 1-2 months after opening the box, so it is worth consuming it during this time.
Use water with a low mineral content for preparation, mineral content below 100 mg/l. Avoid tap water. If you can, visit a spring near Budapest whose water has a low mineral content. Such is the source of Lajos, above Szentendre.
Commercially available water that is good for making matcha: Norda, Volvic
Shichimeien family tea with a balance of sweet and sour flavors:
Usucha (薄茶), i.e. preparation of thin tea:
Amount of tea powder: 2 gr (≈ 2 kk) 2 chashaku(matcha spoon) quantity
Amount of water - temperature: 60 - 90 ml, 80 - 90°C
Mix and froth matcha brush (chasen) with the help of
A few photos of the Shichimeien family on our Facebook page.
Our detailed informative article about matcha tea can be read here. What is matcha?
In the video, Balázs shows the steps of making matcha.
