Ember

A True Yame Gōgumi Matcha — Built from Farm to Elevation

Hello everyone, Shojiro here from Yame.

This week, I’m introducing something special—a farmer-built Gōgumi (合組) matcha, created across elevation, climate, and cultivar within Yame. One of our latest matcha collections, EMBER.

Not blended for convenience. Built with intention.

Hajime-san, thank you for guiding me to the roots of authentic Yame Matcha. Because of you and the incredible farmers you’ ve introduced, Rebel Bunny has found its soul. I’ m so grateful for your mentorship and even more excited for our future together.

Spring in Yame — Two Seasons at Once

In Yame, when winter and spring overlap, soft rain drifts between sunlight and clouds.

When the time cherry blossoms are in full bloom, in the Toyofuku flatlands, tea fields are just beginning to wake up.

The first flush slowly emerges.

But just 400 meters higher, in Hoshino Village—spring hasn’t arrived yet.

Cooler air delays growth. Same region. Different timing.

Cherry blossoms at their peak in Joyo, Yame—taken by me back in early April

Yame, Defined by Elevation

Yame stretches 36 km east to west, 22 km north to south, with tea fields ranging from sea level to 1,229 meters.

Within this single region:

1. Flatlands grow earlier in warmer conditions

2. Mountain fields develop slowly under cool air and mist

Diﬀerent elevation.

Diﬀerent soil.

Diﬀerent farming.

One origin—multiple expression.

What EMBER Actually Is

EMBER is not a typical blend.

It is a structured Gōgumi, built within a single region.

Many traditional tea merchants in Japan blend tea from multiple regions—using experience, technique, and cost balance to create consistent matcha at scale.

EMBER takes a diﬀerent approach.

Everything comes from within a 50 km radius in Yame.

You can trace:

1. who grew it

2. where it was grown

3. how it was processed

Before a dam was built upstream on the Yabe River in 1962, there were no real roads connecting Yame’ s mountains to its flatlands. Instead, the rivers carried everything. At places like this, small ports once stood —linking valleys through water. From here, tea was moved by tea farmers and tea merchants, drifting quietly downstream. Today, that role has long faded. All that remains is a quiet shrine— holding the memory of a diﬀerent time.

The Structure — Two Cultivars

Yabukita — The Benchmark

Yabukita forms the base of EMBER.

With proper shading, it delivers:

1. structured umami

2. strong body

3. clean astringency

4. a direct, unfiltered expression of tea

In Yame, there’s a saying: “Yabukita reveals everything.”

Taste Yabukita, and you understand the farm.

Compare it across regions—or even within Yame—and craftsmanship becomes obvious.

If a farmer can master Yabukita, they can master any cultivar.

Each farmer blends their own fertilizers, carefully crafted for their fields. This unseen work is the quiet secret behind the depth of flavor and aroma.

Okumidori — Mountain Depth Yame Hoshino

The defining layer of EMBER comes from Okumidori grown in Hoshino.

Steep mountain fields, cooler air, and careful soil work produce:

1. vivid green color

2. deep umami with natural sweetness

3. signature Yame nuttiness

4. layered, dense aromatics

This is where EMBER gains weight, intensity, and character.

Final Expression

The Architecture of EMBER is:

1. Foundation: Yabukita from the Flatlands — Structure, depth, and the soul of Japanese tea.

2. Elevation: Okumidori from the Mountains — Vivid color, nutty richness, and intense umami. Refined through traditional tencha processing, the result is a nutty, full-bodied Yame matcha with precision and balance.