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

GYOKURO GIFTS BOX - Competition Gyokuro

Price

Description

Experience the ultimate indulgence in green tea with our IKKYU Gyokuro Gift Box.

Hand-picked during the first harvest and shaded by rice straw mats and curated by the tea masters of Koga cha gyo and Koga seicha, MIYAKO, MAIKO and YOHEI are three precious dento hon gyokuro teas packed with umami, sweetness and energy-boosting caffeine.

Three award-winning gyokuro masters in Hoshino and Yame have carefully crafted the teas brought together in this exceptional gift set, perfect for the most demanding green tea connoisseurs. Discover the superior quality and complex flavors of dento hon gyokuro, also known as "the king of green tea", in this limited-edition gift box.

Treat yourself or delight the tea lovers in your life with an unforgettable tasting experience!

Contents weight: 2 x 50g, 1 x 100g

For more product information:

MAIKO (50g)

YOHEI (100g)

MIYAKO (50g)

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

MIRAKUGAMA

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

MATCHA Gift Box

Price

Description

This elegant gift box brings together four ceremonial-grade matcha wrapped in transparent washi paper.

With ICHIKO premium matcha from Sonogi, stone-milled AYAME matcha from Yame, and all-time favorite organic MATSUKO and MIYUKI grown in Kagoshima, matcha lovers around you will discover the incredible taste and quality of Kyushu-grown matcha.

This is also the prefect gift to introduce newcomers to the matcha universe. Indulge in the smooth, delicate flavour of Kyushu-grown matcha - a treat that will take your tastebuds on a journey of discovery and delight.

IKKYU MATCHA GIFT BOX is the perfect way to share this special experience with matcha aficionados and novices alike.

Contents weight: 4 x 40g

For more product information:

- MATSUKO and MIYUKI organic matcha: Koga san
- ICHIKO: Nakayama san
- AYAME: Mizota san

MIYUKI - Premium Organic Matcha

Price

Description

Organic matcha is rare in Japan in general, and in Kyushu in particular. Selected by the highly skilled team of Koga Cha Gyo in Yame, the leaves of this competition-grade organic matcha come from Kagoshima.

Hand-picked during the first harvest of the year, this ceremonial matcha is a true gem that will win the hearts of the most demanding matcha lovers. Its deep emerald color will impress you, along with its sweetness, perfumed notes and savory umami.

With its light touch of astringency and creamy aftertaste, this matcha offers you a refined experience.

Food pairing recommendations

You may enjoy this tea by itself or pair it with a wagashi, a piece of chocolate, or a dark chocolate truffle. This matcha may also be paired with light seafood dishes or with a semi-soft cheese like smoked gouda or havarti, or sifted onto a salad with spring greens and fresh fruit, like strawberries.

For even more information and guidance on MIYUKI, you can enjoy the complete review by Alex Ahearn in our tasting corner.

Package

Aluminum can 40 GR (1.41 OZ)

Plain bag 40 GR (1.41 OZ)

250g bag (15% off)

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ITARU- Competition Grade Matcha

Price

Description

A rare and exceptional competition-grade, stone-milled matcha from Yame, creamy, extra sweet and with a remarkable fragrance, and just the right amount of bitter notes.

The vibrant emerald green of its fine powder is beautiful. Its rich umami leaves a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel. Its high levels of caffeines and theanine help your body and mind stay focused and packed with energy. A extraordinary treat for the most demanding matcha connoisseurs.

Here is what Yuka san, our tea instructor, says about ITARU: “ITARU is a matcha that tastes like happiness. It contains a lot of umami, it is sweet and subtly astringent. This matcha has vegetal and nutty notes while being superbly smooth. It has a pronounced full-bodied aftertaste that distinguishes it from other matcha. It stays in the mouth for a long time and makes you want to go back to it.

Good for making usucha (light matcha) and koicha (strong matcha). As koicha, its flavors are rich and splendid! I find it delicious no matter how you drink it.”

Like with all matcha, please store ITARU in your fridge and keep it away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

Food pairing recommendations

You may enjoy this tea by itself or pair it with a wagashi, a piece of chocolate, or a dark chocolate truffle.

For even more information and guidance on ITARU, you can enjoy the complete review by Alex Ahearn in our tasting corner.

KATAGUCHI - Matcha Bowl with spout

Price

Description

Made in Japan in a new material called 're-stone', this elegant matcha bowl has a nice white matte glaze and combines tradition and modernity. It can be used to whisk and pour one or two servings of thin matcha.

Its round bottom is suitable for whisking matcha directly inside it. Its narrow sprout makes it easy to hold the bowl and pour matcha, and at the same time, the liquid stays inside the bowl with no risk of spilling.

Size: 118mm x 135mm x 80mm
Content: 540cc
Material: Re-stone

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

MADARA CUP

Price

Description

A delicate and exquisite white tea cup in clay, made in accordance with the Madara Karatsu style (going back to the 16th century), also called “White Karatsu ware”. This cup was glazed with an opaque high silica, using rice straw ash, which melts and interacts with the iron in the clay body and the ash from the pinewood used in the kiln.

This creates a milky surface mottled with spots or areas of blue and black. An exceptional tea cup handmade at the kiln of the 14th generation Nakazato Tarouemon in Karatsu, under his direct supervision.

Sold in a wooden box decorated with hand calligraphy, for a special gift.

Dimensions

Height: 6.2 cm
Diameter: 6.8 cm
Capacity: 80ml

MIYAJI EIKO - Kemari Bowl

Price

Description

A delicate and premium matcha bowl (chawan) with a white crane representing good luck, from the acclaimed Miyaji Eiko kilns in Gifu.

Recommended for drinking matcha at home and tea ceremony lessons.

Miyaji Eiko is the name of a famous matcha-making brand in Kyoto and represents the hard work and skills of several bowl designers, potters and painters specialized in ceramics painting, all coming together to bring premium quality chawan at a reasonable price for everyday use. This 'division of labor' between specialists makes it possible to produce affordable high-quality bowls. Miyaji Eiko bowls are inspired by traditional and unique pieces.

Height: 7,5cm - 2.95 inches
Diameter: 12,5cm - 4.9 inches

To enjoy your matcha, it is recommended to use a bowl designed for its preparation as well as a chasen (bamboo whisk). A bamboo scoop will provide the exact quantity (2g). (Whisk and scoop sold separately).

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

Hekizan Onimaru II

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.