History of the farm and its location
The Sakata Matabei farm has deep roots in Japanese tea culture. Its farm is located in Kumiyama Town (Kuse District, Kyoto Prefecture) – the historical Yamashiro region in southern Kyoto. This area, known as the Hamadai coastal plain along the Kizu River, was recognized as ideal for tea cultivation over 350 years ago.
Even in the early Edo period (17th century), tea plantations were established here, and the lords of Yodo Castle honored the best of them with honorary names. According to family chronicles, an ancestor named Sakata Matabei was a village elder and supplied tea to Yodo Castle. Since then, the Matabei farm has been passed down from generation to generation: modern-style tencha (tea leaves for matcha) production began here as early as the Meiji era (late 19th century) and is now continued by the fifth generation of the family.
Every year, the Matabei farm symbolically donates the first tea harvest to the Shinto shrines of Kitano Tenmangu and Iwashimizu Hachimangu in Kyoto. After winning top national awards, its owners were honored to present their matcha even at the Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo during the imperial Niiname-sai harvest festival. Today, the farm is managed by the fifth-generation representative, Hiroki Sakata, along with his son (the sixth generation). They continue the family business on ancestral land, striving to preserve the traditions of tea farming for future generations.
Tea growing conditions and traditions
The farm's location on the Hamadai floodplain provides special natural conditions, ideal for tea bushes. The soil here is rich in organic matter and sand, ensuring good drainage, and temperature fluctuations between day and night promote flavor concentration in the leaves. Even in hot summer, the moderate moisture content of the Hamadai soil provides enough water for the plants.
It is also important that these lands have historically never used chemicals, preserving traditional farming approaches. This makes Hamadai one of the unique "micro-terroirs" of Uji, where tea is grown in the old way, without agrochemicals.
Asahi cultivar: Sakata Matabei's approach
The Asahi cultivar (朝日) – a rare variety of tea bush originating from Kyoto – brought special fame to the Sakata Matabei farm. The name "Asahi" translates to "morning sun," and this variety was selected by breeder Hirano Jinnojo in Uji and tested in 1953 at the Kyoto Tea Research Station.
Asahi is not specifically registered, but its properties have made it legendary among matcha producers. Asahi is considered one of the best cultivars for premium matcha, although it is extremely difficult to grow. This variety perfectly meets the requirements for high-quality tencha: delicate thin leaves that can withstand strong shading while remaining soft and bright green.
At the Matabei farm, the Asahi cultivar receives paramount attention. This variety is the pride of the farm, as it has repeatedly produced national award-winning matcha of the highest quality. Despite the difficulty of cultivation, Sakata Matabei continues to cultivate Asahi using traditional methods, because its taste and aroma are unsurpassed. Matcha from pure Asahi cultivar is distinguished by a rich umami, a fresh "green" aroma of young shoots, and a long, sweet aftertaste.
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Sakata Matabei is an example of a farm that combines centuries-old tradition and innovation for tea perfection. Its approach to cultivating the Asahi cultivar and other elite varieties shows how subtle the art of producing authentic Japanese matcha is. Thanks to such masters, Japanese tea culture is enriched, and a high standard of quality for green matcha tea is maintained worldwide.
