The holidays are fast approaching! Let Ikkyu guide you through our top suggestions for gifts this holiday season. Looking for a stocking stuffer or a stunning centerpiece? Our guide has it all. If you are still undecided, why not browse our all year round Gift Ideas page ? You will find anything a tea beginner or a fine connoisseur could wish.
Gyokuro Box
Brand new for 2024 is the IKKYU GYOKURO BOX, representing the best of the best that ikkyu has to offer.
This collection of three Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro is a veritable treasurebox for the discerning gyokuro fan. It samples from across the Yame region, with two different producers represented. This is box is a available on a limited stock.
YOHEI, a Yabukita competition gyokuro from Oku Yame, has a rare floral fragrance that sets it apart from its sisters.
MIYAKO is an elegant, sweet Sae-Midori gyokuro from Koga Chagyo that boasts several national awards and is a returning customer favorite.
MAIKO, the crown jewel of this already resplendent set, is a limited-time single cultivar, single-origin dento hon gyokuro from Hoshino Village. Made by a three-time national award winner, MAIKO is a once-in-a-lifetime taste.
Suitable for: connoisseurs, daring tasters, beloved collectors, elegant acquaintances
Mirakugama Cups
One can never have too many teacups. The KUJU RENZAN collection from Mirakugama in Fukuoka offers a range of cups for sencha or gyokuro. Each is crafted using the clay at the kiln itself, which has been coveted for its quality for over a century. The glazes are handmade by the Kamei family themselves, resulting in a rich, naturally spontaneous variety that reflects the Kyushu landscape.
These paper-thin stoneware cups are named after six peaks of the Kuju mountain range, the ruddy earthen slopes that make up “the roof of Kyushu.” Take a trip across the varied hills and vales of our home island.
Mix and match to make a gift set, or choose one for a stand-alone gift.
Suitable for: too-much-tea friends, afternoon tea fans, Japan enthusiasts
OUR MATCHA CORNER
Matcha Gift Box
Give the gift of excellent matcha. There’s been a boom in matcha-everything this year, and for anyone curious about high quality matcha but lost trying to decipher which “ceremonial” grade is best for them, this four-bag gift box will satisfy and set the bar for future drinks.
ICHIKO, AYAME, MATSUKO and MIYUKI take you around Kyushu in a four-stop tour of up-and coming as well as famous matcha areas. As a bonus, all four matcha have in-depth tasting reviews from our tea sommelier, allowing the recipient to taste along with an expert for a full sensorial experience.
Suitable for: matcha lovers, home baristas, recent matcha converts
A Delight to Hold
A striking teacup is the perfect enhancement to a cup of tea. For a sophisticated touch of local clay, the white MADARA TEACUP captures a an early, snowy morning with the hint of a dark pine forest in the background. For a matcha cup that captures the colours of the season, the KEMARI CRANE BOWL delivers a traditional striped ball design edged in gold.
Suitable for: too-much-tea friends, afternoon tea fans, Japan enthusiasts
KAORU CUPS
Part collector’s item, part everyday teaware, the KAORU CUP from master potter Onimaru Hekizan II is a versatile, beautiful teacup. This is a gorgeous example of of Takatori ware, paper-thin and dipped in an earthy, traditional glaze perfected by centuries of experts. Tradition meets excellence in a vessel crafted by the latest in a long line of Fukuoka potters.
Shaped specifically to enhance the aroma of green tea, this cup will improve any tea experience and stand the test of time as a heirloom piece. Pretty enough to display, and strong enough to use for tea, coffee, or even wine.
Suitable for: ceramic collectors, discerning drinkers, newlyweds
CURATED SINGLE GIFTS
Cozy Delights
Our top-selling teas that will delight both longtime fans and those just dipping their toes into the world of tea. Order them washi-wrapped for a one-stop holiday treat that you can tuck into a gift basket or hand over to a loved one as-is.
IKKI:
Fruity, sensational shiraore from Nagasaki that is beloved by all. Sells out repeatedly, sure to tempt anyone.
MASAMI:
Wholesome and comforting Yame genmaicha with roasted notes that soothe and satisfy.
KIRI:
An award-winning Tamaryokucha that is both complex and sweet.
KIMI:
Miyazaki kamairicha mixed with foraged cinnamon bark to make a holiday masterpiece. Tastes like Christmas.
REI:
Bright, refreshing Chiran sencha. Perfect brew every time.
NAOMI:
Powerful deep-steamed sencha. Organic, rich, strong enough to serve as your morning eye-opener.
CHIYO:
An organic Yame Okumidori sencha with an amazing mouthfeel and lingering umami
TOMOHA:
Get the hojicha lover in your life a touch above the usual with this sophisticated Oolong variant.