Matcha Narino

Special powdered green tea made of pure Narino tea cultivar without blending

Competitive Grade Tea.
Beyond the time of 600 years.

As Ashikaga Shogunate acknowledged the good quality of Uji Tea in the Muromachi Period (1338–1573), he designated seven tea gardens in Uji which were later called Uji Shichimeien (meaning “seven distinguished tea gardens of Uji”). Most of these gardens disappeared with urbanization and now only the “Okunoyama” tea garden (owned by Horii Shichimeien) remains.

This garden used to grow more than 1500 indigenous tea plants that can be considered as the roots of Uji Tea. In 1981, however, as they did a replanting of the whole garden, they selected the tea plants that are best suited for Uji Tea to be passed down to the next generation. 53 kinds were selected first and after years of testing and research on the quality (the flavor, the fragrance, and the color of tea leaves and made tea) and the strength and the yield, they were narrowed down to 2 kinds in 1994. They then had 6 years of experimentation period in cultivation until they were sure they had the finest Uji Tea they can be proud of in the future. They applied for registration in the Registry of Plant Varieties in 2000 and Uji Tea was registered in November 2002.

20 years after the replanting in 1981, they finally came up with the 2 kinds of tea that are truly suited for tencha. One of them was named “Narino.” Narino received the Minister’s Award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2010. It means Narino was recognized as the number one matcha in Japan for its rich fragrance and tasty flavor without bitterness. It is Horii Shichimeien’s original, non-blended, single-breed matcha.

Its exquisite fragrance instantly captivates, exuding fantastic freshness and a special intangible beauty and boasts a unique, sweet, creamy flavour. A lighter and far sweeter tea than Mumon, its innate beauty and brilliant flavour will send your senses soaring.

Reviews:

4.8 out of 5 stars (16)

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Item code: HSM001

Maker: Horii Shichimeien

Origin: Kyoto Pref., JAPAN

Ingredients: green tea powder

Best before: SEP / 2023

Dimensions: ø 7.5 cm, H: 3 cm

Ship to:: Worldwide (List of Countries)
Delivery service:: DHL, FedEx, Yamato Transport, Yu-Pack (See conditions)
Delivery time after posting:: 3-5 business days
Payments:: • PayPal • Bank card payment • Bank transfer • Cash on delivery (Learn more here)
Returns:: 14 days money back (See conditions)

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Goods will be dispatched within 5 business days after confirming the inventory of the product quantity you have ordered.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us

How to prepare

As Usucha:
STEP 1) Put 2g (0.4 US tsp, 1 teaspoon or 2 chashaku scoop) matcha powder into a suitable tea bowl.
STEP 2) Pour 70 ml (2.4 fl oz) 80℃ (176°F) water over the matcha powder.
STEP 3) Whisk with a chasen (tea whisk) until foamy.

As Koicha:
STEP 1) Put 4g (0.8 US tsp, 2 teaspoon or 4 chashaku scoop) matcha powder into a suitable tea bowl.
STEP 2) Pour 30 ml (1 fl oz) 80℃ (176°F) water over the matcha powder.
STEP 3) Gently knead with a chasen (tea whisk) until all lumps are gone.

❖ Before Step 1, Warm your tea bowl. Pour hot water in it, then discard all the water and wipe the bowl dry with a cloth. During whisking a cold tea bowl might cool the water down too quickly, which could turn the matcha bitter. (Optional)
❖ Sift your matcha powder. Matcha clots easily in water. To prevent this, sift the powder through a fine strainer. (Strongly recommended)
❖ When your matcha is ready, drink it immediately, because as it cools down it might turn bitter. (Recommended)
❖ Matcha is best fresh. Consume it within a month after opening. (Strongly recommended)

Latest Product Reviews

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Jo******, 2022-11-15 04:37 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Narino, how do I begin to describe this joy of a matcha? A splendid wave of aromatic marine kelp greets you with every opening of the tin. The first taste that I register is a strong salutation of deep oceanic umami, followed by the undeniable natural sweetness of fresh summer corn. There is a very pleasant finish that my palate reads as creamy and almost dairy-like. Narino is truly the crown jewel of Okunoyama Tea Garden.

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An******, 2022-11-15 01:01 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Incredibly smooth even at a lower temperature. Not the cheapest but a true treat that always impresses. Good as koicha but perhaps my favorite for usucha. Always grab a can when I reorder. A great matcha that is definitely worth a try!!

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Qu******, 2022-05-11 04:30 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Narino cultivar is truly unlike any other matcha, at any price. The depth of umami is incredible and way above its pay grade. It holds up wonderfully as either koicha or usucha, which is rare. It definitely tastes of the sea. In a good way, like an ocean breeze with a hint of fish, seaweed, and salt. I adore it, but it also might not be for those who prefer a lighter matcha.

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Ch******, 2022-03-20 01:38 JST, THAILAND

One of my favourite, the taste was very fresh light and balancing with both no milk and milk.

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Mo******, 2021-11-13 01:22 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This is a very light matcha in scent and flavor. Even when I tried to make it stronger (more matcha less water) it was quite light. I prefer the Mumon and the Asahi cultivar. This one is nice but not the one for me. The one thing I really liked about it is that there was no bitterness at all...which is a big +

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Ma******, 2021-10-06 02:13 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Wow, I had tried Matcha Aorashi, Isuzu, and Wako all prior to this one, which are all good by the way, but this one just blew me away with the smoothness. It has a pleasant, slightly creamy and sweet flavor. It’s certainly more expensive, but in this case you get what you pay for. I will never order matcha anywhere else.

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Co******, 2021-05-07 01:04 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

So good! I decided to treat myself to some more high-end matcha and I was not disappointed. Very nice as koicha, the flavor profile is vegetal and full-bodied with no bitterness or astringency. It has a pleasant grassy aftertaste that makes you want to sip slowly to savor the flavor. Mellow yet energetic! I couldn't recommend this matcha more.

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Ga******, 2021-02-07 00:34 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Superb matcha indeed. I totally get what another another reviewer was saying: this blows away any medium-high end Marukyu Koyamaen. I think I have found my daily default after months of searching, thank you Sazen!

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Fe******, 2020-12-21 00:33 JST, RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Well, here it is again: I am easily satisfied with the best. Formidable as koicha! The aroma! The taste! An hour-long aftertaste. Excellent matcha.

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ha******, 2020-12-12 04:45 JST, CANADA

SUPER round (if to use geometric shape to describe taste, this one is a full circle, you poke it at any angle and it bounces back smoothly). Its level of balance beats all the medium-high range Marukyu Koyamaen I tried so far (though serious competition Tenju is up next)

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Ky******, 2020-10-05 04:09 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This is my favorite matcha. I continuously search for the most premium matcha available to me in the United States, and have had many that were exceptional... Reading the info on this matcha gave me the confidence to start with a 100g tin -- i'm so glad I did. I was truly blow away by the color and rich, intoxicating savory aroma when I first opened it.. I continued to open the can to marvel at the smell all throughout the day! It's smooth, balanced, rich yet creamy. It's so good that it's almost ineffable to describe. I had matcha before this that I considered to be my favorite, but this one is like the pinnacle of matcha.. Just perfect in every way. It's one of the least bitter matchas I've had as koicha, not overpowering at all, simply pure green tea essence umami in a cup -- and as usucha the flavors are still rich! It's absolutely wonderful.

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Me******, 2019-07-01 22:26 JST, FRANCE

It is one of my favorite... the umami flavor is really amazing. when someone really loves matcha someone must test this one ... and thanks to sazen !! thanks to you european tea lovers can taste it

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Sh******, 2018-10-14 23:18 JST, SINGAPORE

Absolutely amazing. Smooth clean and clear umami mouthfeel.

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G******, 2018-01-16 07:00 JST, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This matcha is very special. The scentwas reminded me of smelling something creamy. This matcha truly delighted my senses form the scent to the taste when made as Koicha. An excellent matcha!

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At******, 2017-07-02 20:05 JST, SINGAPORE

An excellent matcha for koicha. Has a sweet taste no matter the temperature of the water. Will buy again.

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Be******, 2016-10-06 16:15 JST, UNITED KINGDOM

Absolutely delicious! I was excited to hear that Sazen Tea were bringing a new supplier on board. They don't disappoint. Lovely flavorful non blend Matcha. I'm ordering some more!

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