Imagine the gentle scent of freshly opened matcha filling a quiet tea room in Kyoto.
Every November, tea masters in Japan celebrate Tsubokiri (壺切) — the opening of the aged tea jar — a ritual that welcomes the start of the new tea year with grace and gratitude.
🌿 What Is Tsubokiri?
After spring’s harvest, the finest tencha (tea leaves for matcha) is ground and sealed inside a ceramic jar, where it quietly rests through the summer heat.
This natural aging deepens the flavor, softens bitterness, and enriches umami — a process that turns matcha into something truly extraordinary.
When autumn fades into winter, the jar is finally opened. The moment the lid lifts, a wave of fragrance fills the room — the scent of time, patience, and craftsmanship.
Tradition and Renewal
The Tsubokiri ceremony coincides with Ro-biraki, the “opening of the winter hearth.” Together, they mark renewal — a fresh start for both the tea and the people who share it.
It’s a time to slow down, reconnect with nature’s rhythm, and savor tea with a calm, thankful heart.
🍃 The Taste of Time
Aged matcha such as Marukyu Koyamaen’s Tsubokiri Matcha offers a taste unlike any other:
deep umami, round sweetness, and an elegant aroma that only time can create.
Each bowl is a reminder that perfection takes patience — and that beauty often hides in quiet moments.
🕊️ A Tea Celebration of Gratitude
For those who love Japanese tea, Tsubokiri isn’t just a ceremony — it’s a celebration of mindfulness and renewal.
It invites us to appreciate how nature, time, and human hands come together to create harmony in a single bowl of tea.
Each Tsubokiri is a once-in-a-year encounter — and a new beginning in the story of matcha.