Matcha & Hojicha Powder, Packed in Newark, CA
Lạc Coffee packs two Japanese powders we chose the slow way — through months of tasting, not a supplier catalog: Yama no Asakiri, a single-origin first-harvest ceremonial matcha, and a dark-roasted premium hojicha. Both are open for preorder now.
We weren't looking for a matcha and a hojicha that tasted like everyone else's — we wanted something that felt like ours, worth the wait, and worth sharing. These are the two that earned a place in our own kitchen — a bowl, a whisk, a few quiet minutes — before we ever thought to sell them, and we hope they bring you the same quiet joy they bring us.
Yama no Asakiri — Single-Origin Okumidori
30 g pouch · $65
Yama no Asakiri Matcha is a single origin cultivar, Okumidori. It was carefully shaded and hand-picked by Kurihara-san which give this matcha its uniqueness just for Lac Matcha. Yama no Asakiri was hand-picked and being first harvest matcha, it has a deep vibrant hue and the creaminess texture.
Tastes like toasted almonds, nori, and a fresh summer tea garden.
Preorder the Yama no Asakiri
Where the Yama no Asakiri comes from
Okumidori is a Japanese tea cultivar prized for a deep, rounded sweetness. The bushes for this matcha were shaded before picking, a step that slows photosynthesis and pushes the leaves toward more chlorophyll and amino acids — the source of matcha's vivid color and umami-forward flavor rather than bitterness.
Kurihara-san hand-picked this particular lot for Lạc, and it was taken as first harvest — ichibancha, the earliest spring picking, when the shaded leaves are at their most tender. First-harvest matcha is generally considered the most delicate of the year's pickings, which is part of why it's treated differently from later, coarser harvests.
Because it comes from one farm and one cultivar rather than a blend of several, this powder carries a specific place and season in every bowl — closer to a single-origin coffee than a house blend.
Premium Hojicha Powder
50 g pouch · $35
Dark roasted and high-umami hojicha powder. This hojicha has a deep roasted aroma and full-bodied richness.
Hojicha is roasted rather than steamed like matcha, which gives it a naturally lower caffeine content — roasted, warm, and gentler for anyone who wants something easier on the nerves.
Preorder the hojicha
Sealed in a Pouch, Packed by Hand
Both powders come sealed in a pouch, then packed into a canister wrapped in watercolor art of a different Japanese season — so what's on the outside keeps changing even when what's inside doesn't.
How to whisk it at home
Sift a scoop of matcha into a chawan, or any wide bowl, to break up clumps before water touches it. Heat water just off the boil — around 175°F is close enough — and pour in a small amount first.
Work the chasen in a brisk W or zigzag motion, wrist loose, until the surface turns pale and frothy. It's the same ninety seconds of quiet we build into every cup behind the counter, just in your own kitchen.
Hojicha whisks the same way, or stir it straight into hot milk for a simpler cup — there's no wrong way to take it slow.
How preorder works
Preordering reserves yours now. Place your preorder and we'll have it ready for you once the batch lands — small-batch, single-origin matcha moves on its own timeline, not ours.
Order onlineSee the full menu →Matcha cart catering →What is ceremonial matcha? →Matcha vs hojicha →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ceremonial grade matcha mean?
Ceremonial grade means matcha good enough to drink on its own, whisked with water only — no milk or sweetener needed. The Yama no Asakiri qualifies: a first-harvest Okumidori matcha, hand-picked and shade-grown by Kurihara-san, with a naturally sweet, umami-forward flavor instead of the bitterness common in lower-grade culinary powders.
What does single-origin, first-harvest matcha mean?
Single-origin means this matcha comes from one farm and one cultivar — here, Okumidori — rather than a blend from multiple farms. First harvest refers to the earliest spring picking, when shaded tea bushes yield their most tender leaves. Together they're why this pouch has a distinct, traceable flavor: toasted almonds, nori, and the freshness of a summer tea garden.
How many bowls do I get from a 30g pouch?
A typical bowl uses roughly 1–2 grams, so a 30g pouch generally works out to somewhere around 15–30 servings, depending on how strong you like it and whether you're whisking a thin bowl or a latte.
How is this different from the House Blend matcha powder on your menu?
The House Blend is our everyday pouch. The Yama no Asakiri is a single-origin, first-harvest Okumidori matcha hand-picked and shaded specifically for Lạc by Kurihara-san — more labor-intensive to produce, with a more specific place and season in the cup.
What is hojicha powder?
Hojicha is roasted green tea. Where matcha is vivid green and high in caffeine, hojicha is roasted until reddish-brown, trading matcha's grassy profile for a deep, toasty aroma and naturally lower caffeine. Ours is dark roasted for high umami and full-bodied richness — whisk it into a latte or drink it straight, hot or iced.
What does preorder mean here?
Preorder means this batch isn't in hand yet — placing an order now reserves your pouch, and we'll have it ready once the batch lands. It's common for small-batch, single-origin matcha, where harvest timing controls availability.