{"title":"Sets","description":"\u003cp\u003eEverything needed to begin, chosen together. Each set is built from the same tools sold singly, so nothing in it is a lesser version.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-complete-tea-set-everything-to-begin-chosen-by-hand","title":"The Complete Tea Set — everything to begin, chosen by hand","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe sifter now comes in glossy black, in the same size and shape. New photographs are on the way.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe caddy now comes in the Kodaiji design: gold and red paulownia and chrysanthemum crests on black. New photographs are on the way.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEverything to begin a quiet ritual, in one box — the tools I would hand a friend who wanted to start and did not know where to look.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInside: a real Takayama \u003cem\u003echasen\u003c\/em\u003e (the 100-tine whisk that makes or breaks a bowl), an ink-black Mino-yaki bowl with a pour spout, a white-bamboo scoop, a black tin sifter, and a maki-e style caddy. No painful whisk that snaps in a week; no guessing which grade is real; no gap you discover halfway through. Just honest tools, each chosen by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is the same set you would spend a fortnight assembling yourself, priced a little under buying the pieces one by one. Everything ships from Japan. Shipping is calculated by weight at checkout. For the United States, import duties are paid by us before the parcel leaves Tokyo — there is nothing to pay on delivery. Ceramics are double-boxed by hand; anything damaged in transit, I replace.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOf the five pieces, four are effectively permanent. The bowl, the scoop, the sifter and the caddy will outlast your interest in them. The whisk is the one consumable, and with daily use it wants replacing after a few months. So the cost of this set is almost entirely one-off, and what follows it is the price of a whisk — worth knowing before you weigh it against a cheaper box that will need replacing whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou do not need to know the tea ceremony to use it. A few minutes, a bowl, and your attention. Begin wherever you are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat it costs bought separately\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tomari-table-wrap\" style=\"overflow-x:auto;margin:28px 0;\"\u003e\u003ctable style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:15px;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003ccaption style=\"caption-side:top;text-align:left;font-size:13px;color:#8A817A;font-style:italic;padding-bottom:10px;\"\u003eThe five pieces, priced as they are sold separately. The set saves $47. The sifter is the piece most people leave out and then wish they had not.\u003c\/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eWhat is in it\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eBought on its own\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eIn the set\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/takayama-bamboo-whisk-chasen-100-prong\"\u003eTakayama chasen, 100-prong\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$89\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mino-yaki-tea-bowl-chawan\"\u003eMino-yaki bowl with pour spout\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$57\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/bamboo-tea-scoop-chashaku\"\u003eBamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$23\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eTin sifter (furui)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$30\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/tea-caddy-natsume\"\u003eTea caddy (natsume)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$44\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFive pieces\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$243\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$196\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48750320746686,"sku":"TOM-SET-COMPLETE","price":196.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/complete-tea-set-main.jpg?v=1790299781"},{"product_id":"starter-set-whisk-bowl-scoop","title":"Starter Set — whisk, bowl, scoop","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe three tools that actually matter, to begin without overthinking: a real Takayama whisk, an ink-black Mino-yaki bowl, and a bamboo scoop. Enough to make a genuinely good bowl of matcha at home from your first morning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThree pieces and no fourth, because only one of them cannot be improvised. A spoon will measure matcha and any bowl will hold it, but nothing in a Western kitchen whisks thin tea properly — a fork drags, a milk frother beats in air, and either way the powder settles at the bottom. So I built this around a real Takayama \u003cem\u003echasen\u003c\/em\u003e rather than around a price.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat is also how I would judge the cheap bundles. A twenty-dollar starter set is usually a way to sell a six-dollar whisk with a bowl attached. It splays within a fortnight, the tea stays lumpy, and the conclusion most people draw is that they do not like matcha. It is a shame, and it is avoidable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis suits someone starting from nothing who would rather buy once. The bowl and the scoop will last for years. The whisk is the single piece you will replace, and you replace it on its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdd the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003esifter\u003c\/a\u003e and a \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tea-caddy-natsume\"\u003ecaddy\u003c\/a\u003e when you're ready, or step up to the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-complete-tea-set-everything-to-begin-chosen-by-hand\"\u003ecomplete set\u003c\/a\u003e. Ships from Japan. Shipping is calculated by weight at checkout. For the United States, import duties are paid by us before the parcel leaves Tokyo — there is nothing to pay on delivery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat it costs bought separately\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tomari-table-wrap\" style=\"overflow-x:auto;margin:28px 0;\"\u003e\u003ctable style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:15px;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003ccaption style=\"caption-side:top;text-align:left;font-size:13px;color:#8A817A;font-style:italic;padding-bottom:10px;\"\u003eThe three pieces, priced as they are sold separately. The set saves $19, which is not the reason to buy it — the reason is that these three were chosen to work together.\u003c\/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eWhat is in it\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eBought on its own\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:2px solid #23201B;font-weight:600;white-space:nowrap;\"\u003eIn the set\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/takayama-bamboo-whisk-chasen-100-prong\"\u003eTakayama chasen, 100-prong\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$89\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mino-yaki-tea-bowl-chawan\"\u003eMino-yaki bowl (chawan)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$57\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/bamboo-tea-scoop-chashaku\"\u003eBamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e$23\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003eincluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThree pieces\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$169\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"text-align:right;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #E3DED6;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$150\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48750321500350,"sku":"TOM-SET-STARTER","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/starterset_group_v3.jpg?v=1788397741"},{"product_id":"whisk-matcha-w","title":"The Whisk and the Tea — everything but the bowl","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA real Takayama whisk, a bamboo scoop, and the matcha to use them on. You already own something to drink out of.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe whisk is the one tool that decides whether matcha works at all, and it is where almost everyone goes wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cheap whisk has too few tines and badly cured bamboo, and it cannot beat enough air into the tea. What comes out is thin, flat and foamless, and then it snaps within a few weeks. People taste that bowl and conclude they do not like matcha. It was never them. It was eighty tines of green-cut bamboo from a factory that has never seen a tea room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is a chasen made in Takayama, Nara, the town that has made Japan's tea whisks for about five hundred years. A hundred fine bamboo tines with a spring that holds — which is the entire reason it can whip a dense, creamy foam in about fifteen seconds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith it, a white-bamboo scoop, which is the least fussed-over object in the set and rightly so. It holds roughly one measure. Two scoops is a bowl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the tea itself: a tin of ceremonial-grade matcha, sweet at the front, chosen for exactly this — a plain bowl of thin tea, made properly, on an ordinary weekday morning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no bowl in this box. That is deliberate. Almost everyone has something at home wide enough to whisk in, and I would rather you spent the difference on tea you will actually drink. If you find you want the proper thing, it is \u003ca href=\"\/products\/complete-set-w\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e, and it will still be here in a month.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on the word.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is how this tea is sold in English. Japan has no such grade — there is no board, no certificate, and no line in any regulation. The phrase has stayed because it points at something real: leaf grown under shade and meant for a bowl rather than for milk. That is what is in the tin. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eThe longer answer is here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTakayama chasen, 100 tines\u003c\/strong\u003e — bamboo, made in Takayama, Nara\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhite bamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhisk holder (kusenaoshi)\u003c\/strong\u003e — the whisk dries in its curve instead of splaying flat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial tin, 30g\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMethod card, and washi packing, by hand in Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCare\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRinse the whisk in warm water only — never soap — and never press it flat into the bottom of the bowl. Then set it on the holder in the box. That holder is not an accessory: a chasen left lying down dries with its tines splayed and closed in on themselves, and it molds where the bamboo stays damp. On the holder it dries through and keeps its curve. Treated well it lasts a few months. It is a consumable, like a good brush.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e, then usually 1–2 weeks in transit by Standard airmail (tracked), or 3–6 days by Express EMS (tracked and insured), chosen at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-B-w : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAbout\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eI practice tea in Tokyo, badly and every week. Tomari is the shop I wanted when I started and could not find: no mystique, no thousand-dollar bowls, and someone willing to tell you which of it you actually need.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523382462,"sku":"TOM-CAC-B-W","price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-whisk-matcha-w-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606992"},{"product_id":"whisk-matcha-p","title":"Matcha Kit — Whisk, Holder, Scoop \u0026 30g Ceremonial Matcha","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEverything you need to start, in one box — except the bowl, because you already have one. $115.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe whisk is the part that matters.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 100-tine Takayama chasen makes dense microfoam in about 15 seconds. A cheap 80-tine whisk cannot, and it splits within weeks. This is the single biggest difference between matcha you like and matcha you give up on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy no bowl?\u003c\/strong\u003e Any wide mug or small cereal bowl works — the whisk needs room to move, not a specific object. Skipping it saves you $57 and a kilogram of shipping weight. If you decide you want a proper Mino-yaki chawan later, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/complete-set-p\"\u003eit is here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn 90 seconds, from opening the box:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSift or spoon 2g of matcha into a wide bowl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdd 60ml of water just off the boil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhisk fast in a W motion, 15 seconds, until a fine foam sits on top\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrink it while the foam is still there\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the term.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is the American name for it, not a Japanese standard — no official grade exists in Japan. I use the phrase because it is the one you searched for, and because it does describe a real difference: shade-grown and made to be drunk on its own rather than through milk. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eWhat the label actually means\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTakayama chasen, 100 tines\u003c\/strong\u003e — made in Takayama, Nara, which has made whisks for about 500 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/strong\u003e — one scoop is about 1g, two scoops is one bowl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhisk holder (kusenaoshi)\u003c\/strong\u003e — the thing that decides whether your whisk lasts months or weeks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial-grade matcha, 30g tin\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMethod card · hand-packed in Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy the holder is in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA chasen left lying in a drawer dries with its tines splayed and closed in on themselves, and it molds where the bamboo stays damp. On the holder it dries through and keeps its curve. A good whisk lasts a few months that way, and weeks without. It costs us little to include, so it is in the box rather than sold to you later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e, then usually 1–2 weeks in transit by Standard airmail (tracked), or 3–6 days by Express EMS (tracked and insured), chosen at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-B-p : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523415230,"sku":"TOM-CAC-B-P","price":115.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-whisk-matcha-p-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606969"},{"product_id":"complete-set-w","title":"The Whole Setting — bowl, whisk, holder, scoop, and the tea","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe season, in a single bowl. Everything for a proper one, including the bowl it is meant to be made in.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA bowl is where people overthink and overspend, and also where they under-think entirely and use a mug.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou need less than you imagine and more than a mug gives you. Enough width that the whisk can move — a mug’s straight sides trap the tines and the foam never forms. Enough depth that the tea does not slop over the rim when you whisk fast. And enough weight that the bowl stays put under your hand instead of skating across the counter. That is the whole specification. Everything past it is preference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is Mino-yaki, from Japan’s oldest and largest pottery region, in a matte ink-black glaze that reads quiet next to the green of the tea. Around 375 g, wide enough to whisk in comfortably, with a pour spout — a sensible modern addition if you make lattes or pour over ice, and no hindrance at all for a plain bowl of thin tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith it, the two tools that decide whether any of it works: a Takayama chasen of a hundred bamboo tines, and a white-bamboo scoop. And a tin of shade-grown matcha, sweet at the front, to fill them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the full setting — the same one you would spend a fortnight assembling from four different shops. At checkout you choose how it travels: Standard airmail, tracked, usually one to two weeks, or Express EMS, tracked and insured, usually three to six days once it leaves Tokyo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCeramics are the one fragile thing I ship. Each bowl is double-boxed and cushioned by hand. If yours arrives damaged, send a photo — I replace it, and you do not post anything back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on the word.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is how this tea is sold in English. Japan has no such grade — there is no board, no certificate, and no line in any regulation. The phrase has stayed because it points at something real: leaf grown under shade and meant for a bowl rather than for milk. That is what is in the tin. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eThe longer answer is here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMino-yaki chawan\u003c\/strong\u003e — matte ink-black, pour spout, about 375 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTakayama chasen, 100 tines\u003c\/strong\u003e — made in Takayama, Nara\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhite bamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhisk holder (kusenaoshi)\u003c\/strong\u003e — the whisk dries in its curve instead of splaying flat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial tin, 30g\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMethod card · double-boxed and packed by hand in Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e. In transit, choose Standard airmail (tracked, usually \u003cstrong\u003e1–2 weeks\u003c\/strong\u003e) or Express EMS (tracked and insured, usually \u003cstrong\u003e3–6 days\u003c\/strong\u003e) at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-C-w : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAbout\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eI practice tea in Tokyo, badly and every week. Tomari is the shop I wanted when I started and could not find: no mystique, no thousand-dollar bowls, and someone willing to tell you which of it you actually need.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523447998,"sku":"TOM-CAC-C-W","price":147.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-complete-set-w-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606996"},{"product_id":"complete-set-p","title":"Complete Matcha Set — Bowl, Whisk, Holder, Scoop, Matcha","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEverything you need to start, in one box. Nothing else to buy. Standard or Express shipping, chosen at checkout. $147.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFive things, one box, no research.\u003c\/strong\u003e Assembling this yourself means five shops, five shipments, and a fortnight of reading about which whisk is real. This is the same set, chosen by someone who makes matcha every morning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy the bowl is not optional after all.\u003c\/strong\u003e A mug has straight sides. The whisk cannot move sideways, so it cannot beat air in, so there is no foam. A chawan is wide and shallow for exactly this reason — it is geometry, not decoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou choose the speed.\u003c\/strong\u003e At checkout, pick Standard airmail (tracked, usually 1–2 weeks) or Express EMS (tracked and insured, usually 3–6 days once it leaves Tokyo). If yours arrives broken, send a photo and I replace it. You keep the pieces; nothing to post back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the term.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is the American name for it, not a Japanese standard — no official grade exists in Japan. I use the phrase because it is the one you searched for, and because it does describe a real difference: shade-grown and made to be drunk on its own rather than through milk. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eWhat the label actually means\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMino-yaki tea bowl (chawan)\u003c\/strong\u003e — matte black, pour spout for lattes and iced, about 375 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTakayama chasen, 100 tines\u003c\/strong\u003e — bamboo, made in Takayama, Nara\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBamboo scoop (chashaku)\u003c\/strong\u003e — two scoops is one bowl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhisk holder (kusenaoshi)\u003c\/strong\u003e — the whisk dries in its curve instead of splaying flat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial-grade matcha, 30g\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMethod card · double-boxed by hand\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBought separately\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBowl $57 + whisk $89 + scoop $23 + matcha about $30 = \u003cstrong\u003e$199\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the whisk holder on top of that. This set: \u003cstrong\u003e$147\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e. In transit, choose Standard airmail (tracked, usually \u003cstrong\u003e1–2 weeks\u003c\/strong\u003e) or Express EMS (tracked and insured, usually \u003cstrong\u003e3–6 days\u003c\/strong\u003e) at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-C-p : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523480766,"sku":"TOM-CAC-C-P","price":147.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-complete-set-p-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606958"},{"product_id":"matcha-sweets-w","title":"The Sweet Comes First — matcha and the season’s confection","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe season, in a single bowl. Matcha is not meant to be drunk alone — and almost nobody outside Japan has been told.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatcha is bitter on purpose. That is the part that gets lost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Japan you eat the sweet first, and then you drink the tea. The sugar coats the palate, and the bitterness that follows lands as something else entirely — round, savory, almost like broth. It is the same bowl of tea. It is a different drink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why so many people abroad add sugar and milk. They were handed the tea without the other half of it, found it harsh, and fixed it the only way they knew. Nobody told them the fix already existed, and that it is four hundred years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo this box is the pair, not the tea alone. A tin of ceremonial-grade matcha for the bowl. Seasonal Japanese sweets — what is inside changes with the season, as it should. And plain kaishi paper, the folded white sheets that a sweet is set on and eaten from, which is how it is done and which saves you a plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sweets in this box at the moment are a crystallized sugar confection: crisp on the outside, still soft in the middle, and they catch the light like broken glass. In another month it will be something else. That is rather the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEat one. Then whisk, and drink while the foam is still there. It takes four minutes and it is not a ceremony — it is just the right order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on the word.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is how this tea is sold in English. Japan has no such grade — there is no board, no certificate, and no line in any regulation. The phrase has stayed because it points at something real: leaf grown under shade and meant for a bowl rather than for milk. That is what is in the tin. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eThe longer answer is here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial tin, 30g\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeasonal Japanese sweets\u003c\/strong\u003e — what is inside changes with the season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlain kaishi paper\u003c\/strong\u003e — the sheets a sweet is served on\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA card on the order of things · packed in washi by hand, Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe honest bit\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are no tools in this box. If you do not already have a whisk, this is the wrong box to start with — begin with the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/whisk-matcha-w\"\u003eWhisk \u0026amp; Matcha set\u003c\/a\u003e and come back for the sweets. I would rather say so.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e, then usually 1–2 weeks in transit by Standard airmail (tracked), or 3–6 days by Express EMS (tracked and insured), chosen at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-D-w : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAbout\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eI practice tea in Tokyo, badly and every week. Tomari is the shop I wanted when I started and could not find: no mystique, no thousand-dollar bowls, and someone willing to tell you which of it you actually need.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523513534,"sku":"TOM-CAC-D-W","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-matcha-sweets-w-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606985"},{"product_id":"matcha-sweets-p","title":"Matcha \u0026 Sweets Box — the pairing, in one box","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEverything you need for the way matcha is actually drunk in Japan: the tea, the sweet that goes before it, and the paper it is served on. $65.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatcha tastes different after something sweet.\u003c\/strong\u003e Not “better with dessert” — different. Sugar coats the palate, so the bitterness that follows reads as savory and round instead of sharp. This is why matcha is served with a confection in Japan, and why so many people abroad reach for sugar and oat milk instead: they were only ever given half of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFour minutes, four steps:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet a sweet on the kaishi paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEat it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhisk 2g of matcha with 60ml of water just off the boil, 15 seconds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrink while the foam holds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe sweets change every season, and each one is chosen to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/how-long-does-wagashi-last\"\u003ekeep well for the journey\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e Right now: a crystallized sugar confection, crisp outside and soft in the middle. Next month it will be something else — that is how the calendar works here, and it is why the box is worth having more than once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the term.\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ceremonial grade” is the American name for it, not a Japanese standard — no official grade exists in Japan. I use the phrase because it is the one you searched for, and because it does describe a real difference: shade-grown and made to be drunk on its own rather than through milk. \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/is-ceremonial-grade-matcha-real\"\u003eWhat the label actually means\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat’s inside\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCeremonial-grade matcha, 30g tin\u003c\/strong\u003e — about 15 bowls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeasonal Japanese sweets\u003c\/strong\u003e — contents change with the season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlain kaishi paper\u003c\/strong\u003e — traditional serving sheets, no plate needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePairing card · hand-packed in washi, Tokyo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAdd the sifter — $30\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatcha clumps in the tin, and those clumps never whisk out. Sifting takes two seconds and it changes more than it looks like it should. The least glamorous thing here and quietly the most useful. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/matcha-sifter-furui\"\u003eAdd the sifter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eShipping to the US is calculated by weight at checkout. Packed to order in Tokyo and dispatched within \u003cstrong\u003e5 business days\u003c\/strong\u003e, then usually 1–2 weeks in transit by Standard airmail (tracked), or 3–6 days by Express EMS (tracked and insured), chosen at checkout. Since the $800 de minimis exemption ended, every parcel into the United States is dutiable regardless of value. We declare every parcel accurately and pay that duty before it leaves Tokyo, so there is nothing for you to pay on delivery — \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/shipping-duties\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; duties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- KLAVIYO_WAITLIST_PLACEHOLDER source=waitlist-D-p : replace this comment with the Klaviyo embed div --\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMonthly Matcha Club — the season, delivered\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne tin and a seasonal sweet each month, chosen to the old Japanese calendar of twenty-four seasons. It is not open yet. Leave your email and you will hear before anyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomari","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48821523546302,"sku":"TOM-CAC-D-P","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/2871\/4942\/files\/tomari-matcha-sweets-p-1-tomari-tin.jpg?v=1789606962"}],"url":"https:\/\/shoptomari.com\/collections\/sets.oembed","provider":"Tomari","version":"1.0","type":"link"}