Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
★★★★☆
Komakage
A rare Uji shade cultivar — gentle, sweet umami prized for refined matcha.
Species
var. sinensis
Lineage
Modern selection
Country
Japan
Year
1953
Leaf size
Medium
Cup quality
4/5
Komakage (駒影) is a traditional Uji cultivar from the same mid-20th-century selection of Uji landrace material that produced Samidori, Asahi and Gokou. It is now relatively rare.
Shade-grown for tencha and gyokuro, Komakage is prized for a gentle, sweet, refined umami rather than sheer intensity — a softer, elegant profile that single-cultivar Uji matcha makers seek out. Its rarity makes it a connoisseur's cultivar within the Uji family.
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 Komakage grows
Brands likely carrying Komakage
Direct-sourcing operations with focus areas that align with this cultivar's typical growing regions.