Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
★★★★★
Asahi
Also known as: Asahi (Uji)
Luminous colour, intense umami and an almost bitterness-free, silken texture. Top-tier Uji matcha.
Species
var. sinensis
Lineage
Modern selection
Country
Japan
Year
1953
Leaf size
Medium
Cup quality
5/5
Asahi (朝日, "morning sun") is a Uji cultivar, selected from Uji landrace material and registered in 1953, regarded as one of the finest cultivars in Japan for top-grade ceremonial matcha. It is demanding to grow and low-yielding, which keeps it rare and expensive.
Made as tencha and stone-ground, Asahi gives a luminous green colour, intense yet clean umami and an extraordinarily smooth, almost bitterness-free texture — the profile sought for the highest koicha. Single-cultivar Asahi matcha is a benchmark of Uji quality.
Modern selection
Selected from heirloom material in the 20th century. Developed 1953. Parent material: Uji Zairai.
Lineage data & sources
Clonal / landrace selection — selected from its regional population, so a specific mother and father plant are not individually documented.
Sources: ujimatchatea.com
Teas produced
MatchaGyokuro
Flavor signature
Growing regions
- Japan (Kyoto/Uji)
Origins where Asahi grows
Brands likely carrying Asahi
Direct-sourcing operations with focus areas that align with this cultivar's typical growing regions.