Why Traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro Is Becoming Increasingly Rare
Over the past few years, Matcha has become a global phenomenon.
From cafés and specialty tea shops to luxury hotels and wellness destinations, demand for Matcha continues to grow at an unprecedented pace. While this has introduced Japanese tea to millions of people around the world, it has also created an unexpected challenge for one of Japan’s rarest teas: traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro (the highest grade of authentic Japanese Gyokuro, cultivated using traditional shelf-shading methods and harvested entirely by hand).
The Hidden Impact of the Matcha Boom
Many people assume that Matcha and Gyokuro come from completely different tea fields.
In reality, both are produced from carefully shaded tea plants. The difference lies in how the leaves are processed after harvest. Tencha is processed into Matcha, while Gyokuro is carefully finished as a whole-leaf tea.
As global demand for Matcha continues to rise, producing Tencha has become increasingly attractive for tea farmers. Consequently, many tea gardens that once specialised in Gyokuro are now converting part or all of their production to Tencha.
However, the transformation goes much further than many people realise.
In regions such as Kyoto and Kyushu, even Sencha growers who had never previously practised shaded cultivation are now investing in Tencha production to meet the growing international demand for Matcha.
Perhaps even more significantly, some tea farmers in regions that have traditionally specialised in authentic Hon-Gyokuro are also beginning to dedicate part of their shaded tea gardens to Tencha.
In other words, some of the very tea gardens that have produced traditional Hon-Gyokuro for generations are now contributing to the world’s growing demand for Matcha.
A Structural Change in Japan’s Tea Industry
This is more than a temporary market trend.
It represents a structural shift in Japan’s tea industry.
As more shaded tea gardens are dedicated to Tencha production, the supply of traditional Hon-Gyokuro continues to decline.
The impact is felt most strongly at the highest end of the market.
Authentic Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro cannot simply be produced in larger quantities. Every leaf is picked by hand, requiring exceptional craftsmanship, experience and time. Annual production is naturally extremely limited, and increasing output is simply not possible without compromising quality.
As fewer producers continue this centuries-old tradition, authentic Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro becomes increasingly difficult to obtain.
A Perspective from Shizuoka
Interestingly, this transition does not appear to be happening at the same pace across Japan.
Compared with some areas of Kyoto and Kyushu, Shizuoka still appears to be preserving a larger proportion of its traditional Hon-Gyokuro production. Based on my conversations with tea farmers and industry professionals, the shift towards Tencha production currently seems to be more gradual. While the reasons undoubtedly vary, the region’s long-standing commitment to traditional tea cultivation may be one contributing factor.
Even so, the availability of traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro is becoming increasingly limited.
When I visited our exclusive Single Tea Farmer and the local agricultural cooperative in Okabe (Asahina), Shizuoka, at the end of April 2026, I was told that the entire production of that year’s traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro had already been sold out. Thanks to our long-standing partnership and early reservation, Kanoa Tea was able to secure its allocation before the harvest was fully committed.
This was well before the teas would reach their ideal drinking maturity.
For me, this conversation perfectly illustrated how scarce authentic Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro has become.
Rising Prices Reflect a Changing Reality
As availability continues to decline, prices inevitably follow.
For the 2026 harvest, the price of the highest-grade Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro is expected to increase by up to 40%.
However, the real story is not simply about higher prices.
It is about the gradual disappearance of one of Japan’s most demanding tea traditions.
Once a producer stops making traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro, the specialised knowledge, craftsmanship and generations of experience behind it become increasingly difficult to preserve. Every tea garden that transitions away from traditional Hon-Gyokuro makes this remarkable tea a little rarer than before.
Preserving a Living Tradition
At Kanoa Tea, we work directly with our exclusive Single Tea Farmer in Shizuoka, to secure limited quantities of traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro each year.
Our mission goes beyond sourcing exceptional tea.
We believe that preserving traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro also means supporting the tea farmers who continue to dedicate themselves to one of Japan’s most demanding and time-honoured crafts.
The global success of Matcha is undoubtedly a wonderful development for Japanese tea.
At the same time, it is quietly reshaping Japan’s tea landscape in ways that few people outside the industry are aware of.
By continuing to share authentic Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro with the world, we hope not only to introduce one of Japan’s finest teas, but also to help preserve the craftsmanship, heritage and cultural legacy behind it for future generations.
Explore Kanoa Tea’s exclusive collection of traditional Handpicked Hon-Gyokuro, carefully sourced from our Single Tea Farmer in Okabe (Asahina), Shizuoka.