This little pilgrim has quite the travel adventure to tell...from its earliest days as a young bud to its maturity as one of the world’s finest Matcha teas ever created. Lovingly raised by a multi-generational sage tea farmer in the legendary tea hills of Uji, Kyoto. If tea had a Champagne region, this is it. No climate on this planet is better suited to the creation of Grand Cru Matcha. As soon as Spring announces its arrival in these misty slopes, this very leaf was singled out amongst the millions of other leaves and gently plucked from its shaded home amongst these legendary tea hills. Upon maturing through the many proprietary techniques of SAMU, this leaf was then artisanally blended with other such treasured leaves and buds by our master tea curator Mr Mizoguchi. With 400 years of tea lineage behind him, there is no better teaist to assume the responsibility of this once in a lifetime tea experience. This very special Matcha then rests undisturbed as Tencha (leaf tea), perfectly preserved in special refrigeration until your order is placed. Only once your order is received, the Tencha is then slowly stone milled to finest Matcha grade to ensure an unrivalled experience of freshness. Immediately upon milling it is suspended in a special oxygen free environment and preserved inside a traditional Hantai (tea envelope) bearing the proud mark of the Mizoguchi family seal. The tea is then ready for its final presentation. The hantai is delicately placed inside the Chatsubo upon which it is traditionally packed with loose leaf Tencha. The Chatsubo is then painstakingly hand-sealed in the formal fashion by our tea maker and stamped with his family crest. When completed the Chatsubo wrapped in an art cloth and placed securely inside a Paulownia wooden Kiribako box. The Kiribako was of course created specifically, by hand, for the sole purpose of delivering this art piece safely into your hands. It is then immediately air freighted across the world, direct to you. As we said, quite the journey for a little tea bud from Kyoto. THE GRAND CHATSUBO TEA PROCESSION "the tea jar's coming: quick! shut the door and hide, when it's passed, phew! take a breath” Emperor approved shipping. The long lost art of tea pilgrimage. Our Sensei, Teamaster Somo provides some historical context of the importance of the journey of the Chatsabo. “The Chatsabo or Tea Jar were originally multi-purpose jars for storing and brewing sauces, liquors, ferments and seasonings. They are still used in various forms across Asia, particularly in Buddhist temples to make Temple Food. During the Edo Period, each year new harvest tea was transported from Uji in Kyoto to the capital Edo (modern day Tokyo) in tea jars (chatsubo). This delivery of tea was conducted in a grand procession called the "o-cha tsubo dō chū" (Tea Jar Procession). The procession consisted of a supervisor in chief, head tea master, two deputy tea masters, several attendants and a small army of samurai guards. Over time the number of tea jars increased and so too the number of guards. The whole procession eventually amounted to over 400 people making it the largest of the Edo Period. Being a shogunal procession, the Tea Jar Procession was second only in authority behind those for the imperial family. This meant that the procession for any daimyo (feudal lord) of one of the domains would have to clear the road and wait for the Tea Jar Procession to pass through should they meet it along the highways. As the Tea Jar Procession would pass the attendants in the procession would shout "Shita nii, shita nii" (Heads down! Heads down!) to those along the road including townspeople as it passed through villages. Should anyone raise their head to view the procession or show any disrespectful behaviour, they were punished without mercy. As Japan was unified under the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo Period with no civil war, many samurai returned to farming. As the Tea Jar Procession occurred at the same time every year as harvest time, the samurai families that were ordered to help with the procession were said to have known no greater hardship than dealing with their crops and the demands of the shogunate to provide horses and men for the Tea Jar Procession. The significance of the Tea Jar Procession can be seen in its appearance nursery rhymes: "the tea jar's coming: quick! shut the door and hide, when it's passed, phew! take a breath” The highways were repaired in preparation for the tea jar procession and farmers had to stop rice cultivation. Children were banned from playing outside, rock weights were removed from roofs, all cooking fires were put out, and funerals were banned at the time the tea jar passed through. Not only did life virtually stop when the tea jar came through town, it would have also been a very fearful time for people. The extravagance of the Tea Jar Procession began its decline with reform measures brought in by the 8th Tokugawa Shogun, Yoshimune. The number of tea jars from Uji to Tokyo was limited to three as one of the means for the bakufu to curb expenditure. Then with the demise of the Edo Bakufu in 1867, the Tea Jar Procession came to an end after running unbroken for 235 years.” This Chatsubo was designed exclusively for SAMU by Onomichi artist Mr Kano-san in collaboration with painter Matt Bax.

An ancient post it-note to self: Know thyself! Polish your mirror, find --no ----self. The question of the self and how to improve our relationship with it has mystified the great thinkers of history and religion throughout the ages. “Know Thyself!” was a favoured maxim of the Seneca and other Stoics, so much so it adorned the entrance of Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The domain of the god of music, harmony, light, healing and the oracles. Zen Buddhism and much of any meditative, mindfulness practice worth its salt, contemplates and seeks to unseat the very idea of “a self”. Who and what is this concept of “self” that we cling to so desperately? Why do we hold in such high reverence? Can we cut through the delusions of our ego- attachments, the stories we tell ourselves, the image we try to project. In a the age of the selfie, how is your relationship with your-self? Can we get to know ourselves more honestly? Can we let go of who we are meant to and simply “just be”?

POETIC NAME : Mujōshin STYLE: KOICHA MATCHA CULTIVATION STYLE: Proprietary Matcha O Matcha LEAF : Samidori, Goko, Tenmyo BLENDER & CURATOR: Mr Yoshiki Mizoguchi San FARM LOCATION : Uji, Kyoto Prefecture SHADING METHOD: Canopy SHADING DURATION: 20 days HARVEST DATE: First Spring Harvest (Ichibancha), May 2020 HARVEST METHOD : Hand picked, one bud, 2 leaves MILLING: Mikage-ishi Granite Stone Ground MILLLING SPEED : 50gm per Hour PREPARATION TIPS: Exclusive video content FROM OUR TEA MASTER will be delivered with your tea. TERRIOR CLIMATE NOTES: Along the borders of Kyoto, where the river Uji descends from the mountains, the Uji region is perfectly situated for tea production. Foggy, misty mornings protect the leaves from frost, the enemy of the tea plant. In this ideal climate, the soil is well-drained and aerated. Hence, a real intense flavour, rounded sweetness and pleasant aroma are brought out in the tea. Uji is the Champagne region for Matcha. TERRIOR SOIL NOTES: The soil in Uji is usually rich and acidic, which is perfectly suited for the cultivation of green tea. Our tea fields are is rich in humus and in red clay. CULTIVAR NOTES: SAMIDORI - The samidori cultivar is a tencha specific cultivar, with a bright color and rich umami flavor perfect for matcha. It is probably the cultivar most commonly used for handpicked tencha since as a late flushing cultivar, the harvest period is longer GOKO - Another tea cultivar registered in 1953 in Kyoto, gokou is also known for its sweet, milky profile due to a high level of umami, and used for both tencha and gyokuro production. TENMYO: It was sown in 1975 , and after undergoing strain comparison tests and field adaptability tests, it was registered as a variety in 2006 . It is particularly excellent as Tencha (Matcha), and regardless of the covering conditions such as straw and black cloth, the complexion is bright and quality harvest robust and reliable. In addition to being mild, the rich flavour makes it an attractive contemporary cultivar option. HARVEST DIARY: “2021 was a very tough year for the Kyoto tea region. The temperature in April, when new shoots begin to appear, drops, and although it depends on the tea plantation, the optimal timing for picking tea is three days! !! As a result, the time of picking was significantly delayed this year, with the challenges of the weather and covid restrictions, yield of our finest teas were down 80% on the previous year. All this makes this fine experience of nature all the more rare and unique” TEA FINE PRINT POETIC NAME: 4’33” STYLE: TENCHA LEAF : Samidori, Gokou, Asahi BLENDER & CURATOR: Mr Yoshiki Mizoguchi San FARMER(S): 9 producers FARM LOCATION : Uji, Kyoto Prefecture CULTIVATION STYLE: Traditional SHADING METHOD: Straw Canopy SHADING DURATION: 20 days HARVEST DATE: First Spring Harvest (Ichibancha), May 2020 HARVEST METHOD : Hand picked, one bud, 2 leaves MILLING: Mikage-ishi Granite Stone Ground MILLING SPEED : 50gm per hour CULTIVAR NOTES: SAEMIDORI :Saemidori cultivar of Camellia Sinensis.Saemidori, meaning “clear green”, is a cultivar that produces a bright green liquor. A modern love child of the Asatsuyu and Yabukita breeds. Registered in 1990 as number 40 breed. Saemidori, being an early-budding cultivar, can be harvested 4 to 7 days earlier than Yabukita. It’s a delicate little leaf and demands plenty of love to help it survive the challenges of wild nature. The fact this is a certified organic tea of this precious variety is a reflection of the skill and passion of the farmers and blender that brought this tea to you. GOKOU : Gokou is popular for its fruity aroma, creamy texture, strong umami, and refreshing astringency. The shading process in preparation for matcha production works well to enhance its dark green color and strong aroma. Gokou is native to Uji, Kyoto. ASAHI: Asahi is generally considered the most high-end for tencha. It has a great round velvety mouthfeel and a delicate creamy umami. Well balanced with an inviting aroma of a Parisian Patisserie.