About Ujiha

Ujiha — Uji (the place), Ha (the leaves).

We exist to bring the leaves of Uji to Australia — carefully, seasonally, and without compromise.

Uji is the birthplace of Japan’s most respected matcha tradition. Its soil, climate, and centuries of cultivation knowledge create a character that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

We work directly with traditional producers in Uji, Kyoto, and are building a long-term partnership with a dedicated organic tea farm focused on cultivar integrity, proper shading, and slow stone-milling.

We release only small seasonal allocations. When a harvest ends, it does not return.

Our Roots

Our story starts in the mountains of the Philippines.

Our family name, Tanobey, is as rare as it comes. In fact, if you search for it today, you’ll likely find only us.

Both our parents are Igorots, the Indigenous people of the Cordillera highlands. For centuries, Igorots have carved rice terraces into mountainsides, living in deep rhythm with the land. Farming is more than survival. It’s identity, heritage, and pride.

Our grandfather carried that spirit when, during the Japanese occupation in WW2, he became close with Japanese workers. They called him something that sounded like “Tanobe.” When it came time to register a family name, something many Igorots had never done, he chose Tanobey.

Later we discovered the origin: Tanabe, once pronounced Tanobe, means “side of the rice paddy.” In ancient Japan it referred to the guilds who cared for the emperor’s fields. Cultivation. Care. Stewardship.

So while we don’t grow the tea ourselves, our path has always been tied to the farmers who do. Ujiha is our way of honoring them, and of carrying forward a name that has always meant cultivation and care. From the terraces of the Cordillera to the tea fields of Uji.

The Harvest

Matcha is not static.

Weather shapes sweetness.
Soil adds depth.
Shading refines smoothness.
Harvest timing defines aroma.

Each season carries its own character.

We import only what we receive.
No mass warehousing.
No year-old stock rotations.

Properly stored.
Properly handled.

Why Ujiha

We do not chase trends.
We do not chase volume.
We do not distribute through global marketplaces.

Our producers serve their local communities in Japan.

Ujiha exists to bring their leaves here – in their season.

Leaves of Uji.

Stewards of Ujiha

Ujiha is a family-run operation based in Sydney.

We handle sourcing, storage, and distribution with care – ensuring that what leaves Uji arrives fresh and properly preserved.

Our role is simple:

To protect the integrity of the harvest from farm to cup.

Why We Exist

To bring Japan’s finest matcha farmers closer to your cup.
To preserve a craft that’s been handed down for centuries.
To make sure no one settles for fake matcha again.
That’s Ujiha.
Real matcha.
Custard clouds, dark chocolate bowls, and pure green brilliance.
Straight from Japan’s fields to your table.

Good taste and aromatic. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it. It smelled so good. Like a creamer or something.

Sky
Kalgoorlie, WA
Wow matcha so gud would definitely buy again.

Matthew Nightingale
Raby, NSW