we've been loving listening to 80s Japanese City Pop.

We really hope something from this list catches your eye and helps you find your new favorite flavor.

a review of the most delicious matcha we've been enjoying over the last three months!

Inspired by the music and the aesthetic of the passing season, the Matchamatea team decided to create a little bonus for you.

Introducing our summer

Right now, the perfect soundtrack for this mood is on absolute repeat — 杏里 (Anri) – Remember Summer Days

It's hard to let go of summer - the beauty of the endless blue sky and lush greenery

That’s why we were drawn to this special matcha release by Maruyasu, with the poetic name Unsui, meaning  "clouds and water."

Summer is a state of mind, pure nostalgia for those carefree days.

In Zen Buddhism, the word Unsui refers to a wandering monk and means "drifting like clouds, flowing like water" (行雲流水). It is a beautiful symbol of ultimate freedom, lightness, and detachment.

To be honest, the matchamatea team are huge fans of Kyoto matcha, but  matcha from Shiga Prefecture was completely unknown territory for us.

The texture of the matcha is light, silky, and incredibly delicate  -  just like grand summer clouds.

Unsui matcha is produced in Kōka City. Sheltered by the Suzuka Mountains, it’s a region where the fierce legacy of the ninja intertwines with the quiet poetry of tea plantations located 400 meters above sea level.

Thanks to this slow dance of the mists, the tea leaves accumulate essential nutrients. The harsh, grassy bitterness fades away, leaving only a deep, enveloping umami flavor

And you can actually taste that carefree lightness in the matcha itself, thanks to its sweet, enveloping vanilla-nut aroma that reminds you of a rich dessert.

Every summer, the valleys of Kōka are flooded by a thick, milky-white mist rising from the Yasu River. It acts as a natural veil, protecting the tea bushes from the scorching sun.

It’s truly a journey deep into history, all within a single tin.

It carries a timeless feel that naturally brings to mind that endless, sunny feeling of an eternal summer.

The name Ikuyo-no-mukashi (幾世の昔) translates poetically to "Countless Ages from Ancient Times."

A Kyoto classic, Ikuyo-no-mukashi is easily one of the most popular and versatile matchas in the Ippodo collection. Based in Kyoto, Ippodo Tea is a legendary house that has been crafting high-quality Japanese green tea for over 300 years.

Ikuyo-no-mukashi is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a clean, balanced cup

and wants to taste the true, untouched spirit of old Kyoto in every sip.

Instead, it offers pure clarity, lightness, and complete harmony - where every note balances effortlessly with the next.

Unlike heavier, richly dense ceremonial blends, this matcha skips the weight.

The taste of matcha can be described as a soft, creamy-milky sweetness with a clean, refreshing character, and a very refined, delicate astringency with subtle nutty notes

The tea was named in the early Meiji period by Gengensai, the renowned grandmaster of the Urasenke school, as a tribute to the Kanbayashi family’s exceptional craftsmanship.

And our final recommendation is Ryo no Kage matcha, straight from the historical heart of Japanese tea making- the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture.

The Kanbayashi Shunsho Honten tea house has been crafting tea for over 450 years, and for centuries, the Kanbayashi family served as tea purveyors to Japan’s shoguns and the Imperial Court.

Ryo no Kage (龍の影) translates to "Shadow of the Dragon." It’s a poetic name that brings to mind a sense of noble calm, gentle strength, and the welcome, refreshing coolness by a mountain stream on a hot summer day.