Matcha Uji-no-Mukashi is a 30g canned matcha from Nakamura Tokichi Honten in Uji, Kyoto, made for whisking as koicha, the thick preparation that uses more powder and less water than everyday usucha. The powder shows a bright, vivid green, and the taste is described as elegant, with no sharp edges, holding a pleasant bitterness and a sweetness that sit together rather than competing.
What makes Uji-no-Mukashi a koicha matcha
Koicha asks more of a powder than a light bowl does. At a thicker ratio, any harshness gets amplified, so a matcha meant for it needs balance at full strength. Uji-no-Mukashi is recommended for exactly that use, and its profile is built around smooth texture and a rounded balance of bitterness and sweetness rather than a single dominant note. Umami is listed among its characteristics. If koicha is new to you, the same powder still works whisked thinner, though the koicha recommendation is what this tin is chosen for.
How the flavor reads in the bowl
Expect a taste with edges taken off: bitterness present but pleasant, sweetness alongside it, and a smooth body carrying both. Nakamura Tokichi Honten places it as a singular-grade matcha. The color is a useful first check, since a bright green powder is what this one is described as having. Prepared traditionally, it is whisked with a bamboo chasen, which is the method shown for the tea.
Can size, freshness window, and allergens
The practical details matter for a matcha that keeps only briefly once dated, so plan your buying around the numbers rather than stocking up.
- 30g can, a size that covers roughly a few weeks of regular bowls depending on how much you scoop per serving
- 3-month expiration date, so buy what you will drink in that window instead of holding a reserve
- No allergens listed for the product
- Recommended use is koicha, thick tea
Who this tin suits
Choose Uji-no-Mukashi if you want a matcha aimed at thick tea and prefer a balanced cup over a sharply bitter or aggressively sweet one, and if you already have a chasen and bowl or plan to get them. The short freshness window and the 30g format make it a better fit for someone drinking matcha steadily than for occasional use. Anyone shopping mainly for lattes or baking should weigh whether a koicha-recommended powder is the right match for those uses.