A GUIDE TO JAPAN, ONE CUP AT A TIME

Come, have some tea.
Then decide what's worth buying.

Kissako means "go, have some tea" — a Zen answer to the question of what to do next. We taste, source, and explain Japanese tea before we ever recommend it, so you can shop like someone who already knows the country.

CURATED, NOT AUTO-GENERATED

Chosen by someone who genuinely loves tea

Every recommendation here comes from real research and a real interest in the tea itself.

AS SPECIFIC AS THE INFORMATION ALLOWS

Named, not just categorized

Where we can find it, we share the prefecture, the farm, and the harvest — Uji isn't a flavor category, it's a place.

BEGINNER-FRIENDLY, NOT BEGINNER-ONLY

Made for a first cup, useful for a hundredth

Approachable enough to start with zero background knowledge — detailed enough that people who already know Japanese tea well still find something worth reading.

Start by taste

Five tea families, sorted by how they actually taste in the cup — not by price.

SENCHA

Grassy, a little sweet. The everyday cup of Japan.

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MATCHA

Whole leaf, whisked. Rich, ceremonial, occasionally bitter.

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HOJICHA

Roasted, low in caffeine. Tastes like a quiet evening.

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GYOKURO

Shade-grown, umami-heavy. The one worth saving for.

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