IKKYU Tea
IKKYU Tea presentation
IKKYU Tea bridges continents by connecting tea enthusiasts worldwide with the dedicated farmers of Japan’s renowned tea regions. Based in Fukuoka and working directly with producers across Kyushu, this brand brings authentic Japanese green tea experiences to your cup while maintaining complete transparency about where every leaf originates.
Direct from Farmer to Your Table
IKKYU Tea eliminates intermediaries by sourcing premium matcha and green teas straight from Japanese tea farms. Fresh stock arrives monthly from Fukuoka, ensuring you receive teas at their peak flavor and nutritional value. This direct relationship allows the brand to share the stories and voices of the artisans behind each harvest, transforming every purchase into a connection with centuries-old tea traditions.
Certified tea instructors provide in-depth reviews for each offering, giving you expert guidance on flavor profiles, brewing methods, and optimal preparation techniques. These detailed assessments help you understand exactly what makes each tea distinctive before you buy.
What Sets IKKYU Apart
The brand’s commitment to transparency and traceability means you know precisely where your tea comes from and who produced it. Beyond standard offerings, IKKYU Tea features exclusive blends created specifically for their collection, unavailable anywhere else.
- Complete origin transparency for every tea in their catalog
- Monthly fresh stock replenishment directly from Japanese farms
- Expert reviews from certified tea instructors
- Exclusive blends and special selections
- Sustainability initiatives supporting producers and environmental conservation
Beyond the Tea Leaves
IKKYU Tea offers more than exceptional matcha and green tea varieties. Their curated selection includes traditional Japanese teaware from historic pottery regions like Takatori, Karatsu, and Arita, allowing you to experience tea preparation as it was intended. The brand also supports producers through environmental initiatives including tree planting programs and plastic bottle rescue efforts.
Whether you’re exploring gyokuro, sencha, or their specialty matcha selections, each product comes with tea-specific brewing instructions designed to help you achieve the perfect cup every time.
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Matcha produced by IKKYU Tea
IKKYU Tea’s matcha collection represents the pinnacle of Japanese tea craftsmanship, with each variety carefully sourced from Kirishima in southern Kyushu and stone-milled in Uji using traditional granite mills. The company sources tencha (pre-matcha leaves) directly from a respected organic farm in Kirishima, selecting only the finest leaves from the first harvest to ensure optimal nutrient retention and exceptional flavor development.
Premium Matcha Collection
- AYAME Premium Matcha (40g) – A ceremonial-grade matcha featuring intense umami flavor and luxuriously creamy texture, perfectly balanced for traditional tea ceremonies. This aromatic premium matcha delivers an unforgettable full-bodied experience ideal for chanoyu (tea ceremony) practice.
- ITARU Competition Matcha (20g, €62.00) – An exceptional competition-grade matcha prized for its extraordinary sweetness and captivating fragrance. This rare matcha offers rich umami depth with high levels of caffeine and theanine, making it a true sensory delight for connoisseurs.
- TSUYOSHI Premium Matcha (20g, €57.00) – An outstanding premium matcha packed with caffeine and theanine for maximum focus and energy. This organic-certified variety presents a sweet and fragrant profile with a sophisticated touch of bitterness, perfect for daily ceremonial use.
- MIZUHO Premium Sencha & Matcha Blend (50g, from €15.00) – A refreshing organic blend combining premium sencha from the first harvest with organic matcha. This vibrant summer beverage offers harmonious flavor balance and brilliant green color, ideal for both hot and cold preparation.
Quality Grades and Characteristics
IKKYU’s matcha varieties span three distinct quality levels: Ceremonial Grade features the highest quality with vibrant green color and smooth texture from the youngest tea leaves; Premium Grade offers balanced flavor with carefully selected first harvest leaves; and Competition Grade represents exceptional sweetness and umami richness crafted through expert artisanship. Each grade undergoes the traditional granite stone milling process in Uji, ensuring optimal texture, creaminess, and full aroma development.
The company’s commitment to quality extends to their shading techniques, which elevate L-theanine and antioxidant concentrations in the leaves, resulting in matcha with uniquely smooth flavor profiles and enhanced nutritional benefits. Learn more about IKKYU’s matcha sourcing.
History of IKKYU Tea
IKKYU Tea’s story begins in the verdant landscapes of Kyushu, Japan, a region celebrated for its rich tea-growing heritage spanning over five centuries. During the Edo period (17th century), Lord Omura’s strategic organization of tea cultivation laid the groundwork for Kyushu’s prominence in the tea world.
The company draws inspiration from Oura Kei, a visionary female merchant from Nagasaki in the mid-19th century, whose pioneering efforts in exporting tea connected Kyushu’s hidden treasures to the global stage. Today, IKKYU Tea carries this torch, delivering the highest quality Japanese tea to discerning palates worldwide while championing local tea producers.
Partnerships with Master Artisans
IKKYU’s dedication extends to Yame, a mountainous region in Fukuoka, where they collaborate with passionate artisans like Harashima san, renowned for his organic koucha (Japanese black tea), and Takaki san, a forward-thinking voice among Yame’s young tea innovators. In 2008, Harashima san transitioned to organic and EU-compliant farming, while Irie san pioneered organic tea production, cultivating 100% chemical- and pesticide-free green tea.
Premium Sourcing and Production
IKKYU sources its tencha (matcha) from a respected organic tencha farm in Kirishima, nestled in southern Kyushu. The company selects only the finest leaves from the first harvest, which are specially milled using time-honored granite stone mills in Uji, a region synonymous with matcha excellence. This meticulous milling process ensures optimal retention of nutrients as well as excellent texture, creaminess, and the development of the matcha’s full aroma.
Located in Fukuoka right next to their tea producers, IKKYU connects tea lovers from around the world with the people who devoted their life to making the best Japanese green tea. The company works with producers in Yame who harvest tea leaves at elevations ranging from 500 to 650 meters, contributing to the tea’s distinctive flavor profile.
4 events from IKKYU Tea's history
January 1600
Edo Period Tea Cultivation Foundation
Lord Omura strategically organized tea cultivation in Kyushu during the 17th century Edo period, establishing the foundational infrastructure that would make Kyushu a prominent tea-growing region for centuries to come.
January 1850
Oura Kei's Export Innovation
Visionary female merchant Oura Kei from Nagasaki pioneered tea export efforts in the mid-19th century, connecting Kyushu’s hidden tea treasures to international markets and establishing the region’s global tea trade legacy.
January 2008
Harashima San's Organic Transition
IKKYU partner Harashima san, a Yame tea producer, transitioned to organic and EU-compliant farming practices, representing the company’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible tea production methods.
January 2020
IKKYU Tea Company Establishment
IKKYU Tea was established in Fukuoka, positioning itself directly next to tea producers to create direct relationships with artisan farmers in Yame and other Kyushu regions, focusing on premium matcha and green tea sourcing.
Gallery and medias
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Frequent questions
Find below some answers to the most common questions about IKKYU Tea.
What's the difference between IKKYU's ITARU Competition Matcha at $62 and TSUYOSHI Premium Matcha at $57?
ITARU Competition Matcha represents IKKYU’s highest tier – a rare, competition-grade matcha with exceptional sweetness, captivating fragrance, and rich umami (savory taste). It contains high levels of both caffeine and theanine, making it perfect for special occasions and connoisseurs.
TSUYOSHI Premium Matcha is designed for maximum focus and energy, packed with caffeine and theanine but with a touch of bitterness alongside its sweet and fragrant profile. While both are premium quality, ITARU’s competition-grade status and extraordinary sweetness justify the $5 price difference.
Why does IKKYU source their tencha from Kirishima but mill it in Uji?
IKKYU combines the best of both regions for optimal quality. They source tencha (pre-ground matcha leaves) from a respected organic farm in Kirishima, southern Kyushu, known for producing exceptional first-harvest leaves. However, the milling happens in Uji using traditional granite stone mills – a region synonymous with matcha excellence and home to centuries-old milling expertise.
This approach ensures IKKYU gets the finest raw materials from Kirishima’s terroir while leveraging Uji’s unmatched milling craftsmanship for optimal nutrient retention, texture, and aroma development.
How does IKKYU's partnership with Yame producers like Harashima san and Takaki san impact their tea quality?
IKKYU’s direct partnerships with Yame artisans ensure access to exceptional teas from this 600-year-old tea region. Harashima san specializes in organic Koucha (Japanese black tea) and transitioned to EU-compliant organic farming in 2008, while Takaki san represents the innovative young generation of Yame tea makers.
- Direct relationships guarantee first access to premium harvests
- Collaboration with the DOKOCHA team ensures authentic storytelling
- Support for traditional methods like Shizen-jitate (natural cultivation)
- Tea sourced from optimal elevations of 500-650 meters
These partnerships allow IKKYU to offer teas that reflect both traditional Yame craftsmanship and modern innovation.
Is IKKYU's MIZUHO blend at $15 suitable for daily drinking compared to their ceremonial grades?
MIZUHO Premium Sencha & Matcha Blend is specifically designed as IKKYU’s refreshing daily option. This organic blend combines premium first-harvest sencha with organic matcha, creating a vibrant summer beverage that’s both energizing and approachable.
Unlike IKKYU’s ceremonial grades like AYAME ($27) or competition-grade ITARU ($62), MIZUHO offers a harmonious flavor profile perfect for regular consumption without the intensity of pure ceremonial matcha. At $15 for 50g, it provides excellent value for those wanting daily access to IKKYU’s quality standards.
What makes IKKYU's AYAME Premium Matcha ceremonial-grade at $27?
AYAME Premium Matcha achieves ceremonial grade through IKKYU’s meticulous sourcing and processing standards. Made from carefully shaded first-harvest leaves that increase L-theanine and antioxidant concentration, AYAME delivers the intense umami flavor and luxuriously creamy texture essential for traditional tea ceremonies.
The leaves undergo IKKYU’s signature process: sourced from their Kirishima organic tencha farm and milled using traditional granite stone mills in Uji. This combination creates AYAME’s perfectly balanced, aromatic profile with an unforgettable full-bodied character that justifies its ceremonial classification.
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