The Harney Matcha Library

Matcha Cultivars of Japan

Every Harney matcha is blended from named cultivars, individual varieties of the tea plant, each grown for what it brings to the bowl. This page is our library of all nine.

Start with the map. The higher a cultivar sits, the more theanine it carries, which you taste as umami and sweetness. The lower it sits, the more catechin, which you taste as briskness. Left is delicate and fresh, right is rich and full-bodied.

Hover or tap any dot for the short story, then read the full profiles below. Where a cultivar appears in one of our blends, its profile links to that tin, so when one catches your eye, you know exactly where to taste it.

See all nine cultivars (9)
High Theanine Umami · Sweetness High Catechin Brisk · Structured Delicate / Fresh Rich / Full-Bodied

  • Asahi

    Region grown
    Uji
    Harvest
    Handpicked
    Grade
    CeremonialMade to be whisked and sipped straight.

    The highest theanine of the ceremonial cultivars, and the backbone of Unjonotomo. Deep, sweet, full-bodied umami that defines koicha character.

    In a blend it adds: Ceremonial depth, concentrated sweetness, and the long umami finish that defines thick tea. Without it, a koicha blend loses its gravitas.

    Taste it in:UnjonotomoSenjunomukashi

  • Asatsuyu

    Grade
    RareGrown in small quantities. A little goes a long way.

    Genetically suppresses catechin synthesis without shading, which makes it the most theanine-rich cultivar. Weather-sensitive and rare.

    In a blend it adds: Deep sweetness without bitterness. A small addition delivers a brothy depth no other cultivar provides.

  • Gokou

    Region grown
    Uji
    Harvest
    Handpicked
    Grade
    CeremonialMade to be whisked and sipped straight.

    A traditional and rare Uji ceremonial cultivar. Shading suppresses its catechins almost completely, leaving a deep, rich umami felt immediately even in a small share of a blend.

    In a blend it adds: Ceremonial richness. A small addition with outsized impact that lifts a premium blend further.

    Taste it in:Senjunomukashi

  • Okumidori

    Region grown
    Uji
    Grade
    PremiumHigh-grade leaf that builds the body of a ceremonial blend.

    Late-budding, with high theanine and low bitterness. A reliable anchor in Uji blends, consistently smooth and deeply sweet across harvests.

    In a blend it adds: Smooth body and reliable harvest-to-harvest consistency. A steady hand for quality across seasons.

    Taste it in:Jobetsugi

  • Saemidori

    Region grown
    Uji / Kagoshima
    Grade
    PremiumHigh-grade leaf that builds the body of a ceremonial blend.

    A cross of Asatsuyu and Yabukita, with the brightest green liquor of any cultivar. High theanine, and a fresh, marine character that develops during steaming.

    In a blend it adds: Vivid color and fresh brightness. A small amount transforms the visual character of a blend.

    Taste it in:UnjonotomoJobetsugi

  • Samidori

    Region grown
    Uji
    Grade
    PremiumHigh-grade leaf that builds the body of a ceremonial blend.

    High theanine, smooth and rounded, and the dominant cultivar in Senjunomukashi. Distinct from Saemidori, deeper and richer, a true Uji cultivar.

    In a blend it adds: Smooth premium depth and rounded sweetness. Where it leads a blend, everything else is refinement.

    Taste it in:UnjonotomoSenjunomukashiJobetsugi

  • Tsuyuhikari

    Region grown
    Uji
    Grade
    AromaChosen for the fragrance it lends a blend.

    Natural gyokuro tendencies without full shading. Moderate-high theanine, with a distinctive floral aroma.

    In a blend it adds: Floral fragrance and rounded mid-palate sweetness. It softens sharp edges and lifts the aromatic register without adding bitterness.

  • Ujihikari

    Region grown
    Uji
    Harvest
    Handpicked
    Grade
    PremiumHigh-grade leaf that builds the body of a ceremonial blend.

    High theanine with a distinctive mineral clarity that brings structural definition and precision to ceremonial blends.

    In a blend it adds: Uji mineral clarity and structural precision, the frame around Asahi's depth. Definition without bitterness.

    Taste it in:UnjonotomoSenjunomukashi

  • Yabukita

    Region grown
    All Japan
    Harvest
    Machine harvested
    Grade
    FoundationThe dependable base most Japanese matcha is built on.

    Japan's dominant cultivar, around three-quarters of all production. Balanced theanine and catechins, and the reference point against which every other cultivar is measured.

    In a blend it adds: Structural consistency and the familiar matcha baseline. As the foundation of an everyday blend, it delivers a reliable, clean cup, time after time.

    Taste it in:Jobetsugi

Chosen with Tsuyoshi Sugimoto, whose family has blended Uji tea for eight generations.