This matcha is about inspiring energy, volcanic yet grounded. It fills you from within with a gentle tingle of alertness and clarity, and with pure joy and the feeling that you can do anything.

Every OMMA tin holds a memory from the farm. It’s the story of one farmer, his craft and his love for the land.

This label shows carefree walks among the vast tea fields of Kagoshima, where Sakurajima, a mighty active volcano, can be seen from every corner. It erupts in small bursts almost every day, and its ash enriches the soil with minerals and helps it hold moisture. Here the volcano is not a threat but a part of life: every person in the region feels its energy, and every tea bush grows from it.

That memory, the volcano’s power and its presence in the life of Kagoshima, is what we kept on this label.

Yabukita is Japan’s best-known cultivar. It was bred in Shizuoka by Hikosaburo Sugiyama in the early 20th century, and today it grows on more than 60% of the country’s tea fields. Its taste is what the Japanese consider classic: fresh, grassy and lively, with a gentle briskness.

Samidori is a rare cultivar from Uji, covering only 0.7% of Japan’s tea land. It’s traditionally grown in the shade for tencha and gyokuro, prized for its softness, natural sweetness and deep umami, with almost no bitterness.

Together they complement each other: Yabukita brings freshness, character and the familiar taste of Japanese tea, while Samidori softens it with sweetness and depth. The result is a balanced, harmonious matcha, both classic and gentle.

Direct shading. 3–4 weeks before harvest, nets are laid directly over the bushes of both cultivars to shield them from the sun. The leaves become softer, vivid green and rich in umami.

Harvest. Before picking, the bushes are cleared by hand of dry leaves, insects, cobwebs and anything else that doesn’t belong. Then, from early to mid-May, only the youngest, most tender first-flush leaves are picked, using large Kawasaki machines.

Steaming. Right after picking, the leaves are steamed to stop oxidation and keep their colour and freshness.

Drying. The leaves are dried flat, without rolling as for sencha. This makes tencha, the base for matcha.

Refining. Smart sorting machines remove the stems and veins, leaving only the pure leaf.

Roasting. The leaves are then gently roasted. This is where the sweet, nutty notes typical of southern Japan are born.

“The tea sleeps”. The tencha is sealed in airtight bags and sent to a partner farm in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, where it rests in cold rooms for about 5 months. During this time its flavour matures, gaining depth and complexity.

Blending. After maturing, Yasuhiko-san tests recipes and blends the two tenchas in a precise ratio: 80% Yabukita and 20% Samidori.

Milling. The tencha is ground using a modern machine method that combines speed, efficiency and consistent quality.