About us
One tea, one origin, no compromise.
RINHANA — 凛花, “dignified blossom” — grew out of a simple observation: most matcha sold in Europe is a blend of unknown origin. We wanted the opposite: one region, one producer, one batch.
Why Yame and not Uji
Uji near Kyoto is Japan's best-known matcha region. In this case well known also means: most in demand, most industrialised, and most often used as a statement of origin when only part of the contents actually comes from there.
Yame lies some 900 kilometres to the south-west, in a river valley in Fukuoka prefecture. What sets it apart is the climate: dense morning mist off the Yabe river shades the tea plants naturally, before any netting is used at all. That additional natural shading slows the conversion of L-theanine into catechins — the amino acid stays in the leaf and the bitterness never develops.
Yame accounts for less than four percent of Japan's matcha crop, yet wins disproportionately often at the national tea competitions. For gyokuro, tencha's closest relative, Yame has held the top position for decades.
We buy from a third-generation family estate whose gardens we have visited, and import directly to Dortmund. Nobody stands between the field and your bowl except us — which is why we can disclose the batch, the harvest year and the milling date.
Certification
Tested, not claimed
We hold a lab report for our matcha: every pesticide tested for is below the limit of quantification. That is why we write “residue tested” and not “pesticide free” — what was measured is what was tested, and that is exactly what we say.
The processing facility in Japan is certified to FSSC 22000, an internationally recognised food safety standard; it processes tea exclusively.
We do not currently carry an organic label. “Organic” is a protected term under EU Regulation 2018/848 and requires a valid certification including a control body number — for our own repacking as well. Until that is in place, the word does not appear here.
We fill the tea into 30-gram pouches in Dortmund and heat-seal them. Each filling receives its own batch number, through which the delivery can be traced back to the producer in Yame.
As a food business operator within the meaning of EU Regulation 1169/2011 we are answerable for labelling and traceability — you will find both in full on the respective product page, not only on the packaging.
Taste the difference
Yame Imperial Matcha, in the 30-gram pouch.