I have a liking for rather plain sweets and I knew from the product description that Kouji Soba Bolo would perfectly suit my taste. The cookies are very crisp, melt in one's mouth, and their mild, malty sweetness is offset by the hearty mineral notes of the soba flour. ...(more)

I've had my eye on this yuzamashi for YEARS, ever since I first became a Hibiki-an customer. I always put off buying it and, wanting one, checked other vendors as well. None pleased me as much as this one, so I finally bit the bullet and couldn't be more delighted. The ...(more)

My first experience with Japanese confection of this type and everything the description promises--lovely to behold and exceptionally smooth. While undoubtedly an excellent complement to usucha (I'm looking forward to cha-do classes soon), a single piece is also a nice ...(more)

I'm a fan of konacha (and other "by-product" teas) who has been a Hibiki-an customer for quite a few years. The availability of their konacha offerings escaped my notice in 2013 but caught my eye and piqued my interest this year. For those who've not sampled ...(more)

I'm delighted that Hibiki-an decided to offer tencha this year, both as Shincha Gyokuro and now this Super Premium. The dry leaves yield an intense, flowery fragrance that accurately fulfills its promise of an exceptional tea experience. I always brew tea for a bit les...(more)

I had the good fortune--courtesy of my dear friend, Amy--to compare this matcha with another Uji matcha that is considered among the best available. While both teas were sublime and although the other tea produced a slightly better froth (both had been sifted), Matcha P...(more)

I'm very partial to fukamushi, which can present something of a problem--I haven't found much out there that meets my satisfaction. I love Hibiki-an's Super Premium Fukamushi, so I've been meaning to try this (I missed it last year). Shincha Fukamushi is superb. It's s...(more)

Excellent! The best houjicha I've ever had--sweet and nutty, it's especially comforting now that the weather is getting cooler (try adding just a sliver of fresh ginger for another dimension of enjoyment). I get three nice infusions brewing at the minimum time--don't fo...(more)

Kuradashi Gyokuro Super Premium is sublime, period. Everyone to whom I've served it has been blown away and at least one friend will be ordering his own this season. It's intensely rich, savory, and sweet--very autumnal in flavor and spirit. It's unique and in a class o...(more)

I've enjoyed (and reviewed) Sencha Pinnacle and, as good as it is, I think this runs rings around it. Amazingly, this really does taste like a complex blend of gyokuro and sencha and succeeds in achieving the best of both worlds (at least to this relative rookie--I've o...(more)