The 2026 First-Flush Budding Declaration

Our family has cultivated tea in Uji since the early Edo period. Today, Yamamasa Koyamaen continues that tradition at our own tea gardens, growing tencha -- the leaf used to produce matcha -- under shade coverings to achieve the quality expected of premium Uji matcha.

Each spring, the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Research Institute (located in Uji) monitors new bud development and officially announces the start of the harvest season -- a declaration known as the hōga announcement. In 2026, this declaration was made on April 3rd, one day earlier than the historical average.

Full-scale harvesting will begin around Hachijūhachiya -- the 88th night after the start of spring -- which falls on approximately May 2nd.

What is hōga? In spring, new shoots emerge from small protective leaves called hōyō. The moment the tip of the shoot reaches approximately twice the length of those protective leaves marks what the Tea Research Institute defines as hōga-- the budding point.

The Secret Behind Our Hand-Picked Garden

The photographs show our hand-picked tencha garden in mid-April. The tea trees under the shade coverings have quietly begun to bud.

Tencha is shaded before harvest using black mesh screens called kanreisha. This process draws out umami and deepens the vivid green color of the leaves. We have completed the first layer of shading and will gradually increase coverage as the buds continue to develop.

In our hand-picked garden, we do not prune the tea trees. They are allowed to grow freely in their natural form. Trees that grow without restriction develop strong root systems, drawing nutrients steadily and deeply from the soil -- and that strength becomes the flavor in the leaf. Because the branches spread in every direction, only hand-picking can reach them.

This is where this year's matcha begins. That green will find its way to you. Thank you for your patience -- it will be worth the wait.