Sakamoto, Nio Teas partner tea farmer in Shibushi, Japan
Organic tea, built from the soil up.

Farmer: Sakamoto

The Sakamoto brothers grow shaded teas in Shibushi, Kagoshima. Their work centres on nurturing strong tea plants with a house-made organic fertiliser. Long known for gyokuro, they also make ceremonial matcha, bringing the same attention to soil, shading and cultivar character to each harvest.
Region

Shibushi · Kagoshima

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Altitude

Approx. 190 m

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Culture

Organic cultivation since 1985; JAS and EU organic

Specialty

Gyokuro and ceremonial matcha

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Cultivars at Nio

Yabukita, Saemidori, Okumidori, Seimei, Haruto 34

Collaboration
Since 2019

7 products

Kagoshima Matcha Sae Sakamoto
Kagoshima Matcha Sae Sakamoto
Price:From £22.00 Unit price: £73.33 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
Kagoshima Matcha Sae Sakamoto
Mellow sweetness leads into a strong savoury core, finishing on a subtle grassy hint.
PREMIUM GRADE
Gyokuro Karigane
Gyokuro Karigane
Price:From £26.00 Unit price: £26.00 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Gyokuro Karigane
Warm sweetness turns bright and mineral, with melon undertones and a cucumber finish.
Karigane
Gyokuro Kiwami Sakamoto
Gyokuro Kiwami Sakamoto
Price:From £36.00 Unit price: £72.00 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.9 out of 5
Gyokuro Kiwami Sakamoto
Gentle licorice sweetness turns soft and fruity, finishing mild with no dryness.
Gyokuro
Gyokuro Sou Sakamoto
Gyokuro Sou Sakamoto
Price:From £39.00 Unit price: £130.00 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.4 out of 5
Gyokuro Sou Sakamoto
Cotton candy and creamed corn over sweet umami and florals, with a lingering finish.
Gyokuro
Gyokuro Zen Sakamoto
Gyokuro Zen Sakamoto
Price:From £48.00 Unit price: £160.00 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Gyokuro Zen Sakamoto
Syrupy umami opens into cantaloupe and light florals, with a long, delicate finish.
Gyokuro
Matcha Kiwami Sakamoto
Matcha Kiwami Sakamoto
Price:On Sale from £37.00 Unit price: £123.33 GBP/100g
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Matcha Kiwami Sakamoto
Intense umami deepens quickly, finishing smooth and starchy with hika and cocoa.
On Sale SUPERIOR GRADE
Matcha Zen Sakamoto
Matcha Zen Sakamoto
Price:On Sale from £56.00 Unit price: £186.67 GBP/100g
Rating: 5.0 out of 5
Matcha Zen Sakamoto
Buttery florals and white chocolate, thick and clean with almost no vegetal character.
On Sale SUPERIOR GRADE
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Sakamoto's Terroir

From field to cup

Region

Shibushi · Kagoshima
altitude icon

Altitude

Approx. 190 m
soil icon

Culture

Organic cultivation since 1985; JAS and EU organic

Specialty

Gyokuro and ceremonial matcha
cultivar icon

Cultivars at Nio

Yabukita, Saemidori, Okumidori, Seimei, Haruto 34

Collaboration

Since 2019
A legacy rooted in living soil

For the Sakamoto brothers, the work behind a remarkable gyokuro begins long before the first spring leaf. In Shibushi, they nurture their tea plants with their own organic fertiliser, building the soil that sustains each harvest. Their shaded teas bring that patient work into the cup: a family craft expressed through rich umami, careful cultivar selection and an enduring commitment to organic growing.

Sakamoto, Nio Teas partner tea farmer in Shibushi, Japan

“It is an extremely arduous process to produce high-quality gyokuro through organic cultivation.”

Shuichiro Sakamoto
The Organic Gyokuro Legend

Why Buy Your Tea from Nio Teas

No middlemen, no pesticides, no risk.
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Try it with confidence. If it isn’t right for you, contact us within 30 days.
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100% Pesticide-Free Matcha

Every matcha is grown without pesticides, then personally tasted and selected by our team.
We're matcha lovers just like you!

Cultivating an appreciation
for Japanese Tea

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4 out of 5 stars 4.6

Excellent

Loved by Matcha Drinkers Around the World

Our customers rate us 4.6/5 on Trustpilot, with countless reviews praising our tea, quality and service.

5 out of 5 stars 5/5
Ugne
Nio teas has been my favourite place to purchase good quality teas for a while now, and still they never disappoint me. Their teas are excellent quality, however, I’d like to give more attention to customer service - Nio team has been very kind and helpful each time I had any sort of problem. Their customer service never disappoints, they are very attentive and quick in responding to any queries, hence why I’ve been a loyal customer for a while now.

Apr 1, 2026

5 out of 5 stars 5/5
Sean
My favorite vendor for Japanese organic loose leaf green teas. They are sourcing some of the best organic teas out of Japan and supporting family farmers and the growing organic tea industry as a whole. I have ordered from every vendor for years and Nio consistently has the best prices and selection overall. They provide top notch customer service and fast shipping as well. Highly recommended 🍃

Feb 3, 2026

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FAQ

Before you order

Shipping is free once your order passes the threshold for your country — USD 54.99 · EUR 54.99 · GBP 44.99 · CHF 49.99 · CAD 74.99 · DKK 399 · SEK 599 · PLN 229 · CZK 1,290. Everywhere else it's the equivalent of USD 54.99, converted automatically. Below the threshold a flat rate applies, always shown at checkout before you pay.

We ship from warehouses in the US, the EU and Japan — whichever is closest to you. US and EU orders arrive in 4–12 business days; the handful of countries served from Japan take around 10. Business days count from dispatch rather than from when you order, and exclude weekends and public holidays. You'll get a tracking number by email the moment your parcel leaves the warehouse.

We only buy from fields grown without pesticides or chemicals. We ask each farmer directly how they manage their land, visit the plantation and processing facility ourselves, taste every harvest before committing, and check that the biodiversity around the fields is alive. Small family farms don't always carry paperwork — so we verify it in person instead.

Japanese green tea covers an enormous range, and choosing online isn't easy. If you've tried yours and it isn't for you, email info@nioteas.com within 30 days with your order number and a line on what you didn't enjoy. We'll send a different tea of equal or lower value, free. Nothing to post back — keep it, share it, or try brewing it cooler. Once per order.

Email info@nioteas.com within 30 days with your order number and a photo. We'll approve it, cover the return postage with a prepaid label or a reimbursement, and refund you — no restocking fee. Refunds go to your original payment method within 2 business days of the return reaching us; your bank may take another 5–20 to show it.

Unopened items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days. Tea is sealed for hygiene, so opened packs can't come back — but the swap above covers exactly that situation. Return postage is yours unless the item arrived damaged, defective or incorrect.

Orders to the US and EU ship domestically from our local warehouse, so there's no customs charge and no duty. A small number of destinations are served from our Japan warehouse, where your own customs authority may apply import duty, VAT or a carrier handling fee on delivery. Those are set by your country, not by us. Ask before you order and we'll help you check.

info@nioteas.com or +41 79 751 83 88. We reply within 2 business days, usually much sooner, in English.

Two men standing outdoors in a tea plantation holding matcha pouches, with a large white warehouse building and blue sky in the background.