The Samidori Cultivar: Japan's Early-Spring Matcha

Samidori, which translates as early spring green, is one of the most characterful cultivars in Japanese matcha production. It is an early-budding variety, which means it is among the first to develop in spring, and it produces a matcha with a flavour profile that is notably different from later-developing cultivars like Okumidori.

Early Budding and What It Means

In matcha production, the timing of the bud development within the spring season has a measurable effect on the character of the leaf. Early-budding cultivars like Samidori develop while temperatures are still cool and before the plant has been exposed to significant spring sunlight. This produces leaves that are lighter in structure, with a higher ratio of certain amino acids and a more delicate flavour profile.

Combined with the three to four weeks of shading that precede all ceremonial matcha harvests, early-budding cultivars produce matcha with a fresh, clean quality that distinguishes them from the richer, deeper profile of slower-developing varieties.

The Character of Samidori

Samidori is known for producing matcha with a silky texture, natural sweetness, and a finish that is smooth rather than assertive. It is less forceful than Okumidori, more approachable, and particularly well suited to drinkers who prefer a lighter, more delicate cup. The umami is present but refined, and the sweetness is genuine rather than a masking of bitterness.

The name itself reflects this character. Samidori, early spring green, speaks to the freshness that defines the cultivar's expression in the cup.

Our Samidori

Our Samidori Ceremonial Matcha is grown in Wazuka, Kyoto, and harvested from the 2025 spring first flush. It is A-Grade, single-cultivar, and carries the full origin, harvest, and grade specification on every tin. Prepared as usucha at 75°C, it produces a smooth, bright cup that needs nothing added to it.