nekohama.co Reviews 4

I tried Nekohama Matcha’s product and didn’t like it. Armie Hammer helped start the company, and his close‑friend co‑founders are still involved. Public opinion of Hammer is overwhelmingly negative, driven by widely reported allegations of cannibalism and accusations of abuse. Warning: If you care about your reputation, avoid collaborating with Nekohama. As a consumer, spend your money elsewhere.

I bought their matcha, thinking it had to be good since Sanne Vloet & Max Ando Hirsh are influencers hyping up their brand so much. Boy, was I wrong! I let myself be influenced by a duo that just wants to sell their stuff.

The matcha was ridiculously expensive and honestly, it tasted BAD! I can’t believe I fell for the hype. I don’t trust them ever again; they come off as scammy salespeople. Save your money and skip this one!

Don’t be fooled by Nekohama. They claim to source matcha from their 'family farm,' but it’s just some random farm they label that way—super sketchy. They also insist matcha shouldn’t be bitter and that it’s not popular in Japan, which is absurd since matcha is everywhere in Japan, especially in the big cities, and bitter matcha is totally normal. I just got back from Japan, and I even tasted non-bitter matcha that was excellent. Their whole pitch feels like a scam. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this company—nothing they say adds up!

I recently purchased Nekohama Matcha, and I have to say, I am thoroughly disappointed. The hype surrounding this product is completely unwarranted. For the price I paid, I expected something exceptional, but what I received was far from it. First off, the flavor is lackluster compared to other matcha powders I've tried. I've sampled various brands from reputable regions in Japan, and honestly, they far surpass Nekohama in both taste and quality. The claims that this is the "best" matcha are simply not true.

Additionally, the price is outrageous for what you get. It feels like a rip-off, especially when there are so many other options available that deliver a much better experience at a fraction of the cost. I urge everyone to do their research and explore matcha powders from trusted sources.

Don't fall for the marketing gimmicks of Nekohama; they are clearly more focused on profit than providing a quality product. Save your money and invest in something that truly lives up to the hype!

I didn't enjoy this Matcha from Nekohama by Max Ando Hirsh and Sanne Vloet, and I encourage others to explore the many other options available. Try searching for 'Region + Matcha' on Google to find plenty of alternatives:

1 - UJI MATCHA
Uji is a region in Kyoto Prefecture, and it's considered to be the birthplace of Matcha. There's a long history of Green tea production here, which has led to Uji producing some of the best Matcha green tea.

Tea from Uji is quite sought after, meaning it can often cost a lot. It's often thought of as high-grade tea. Uji ceremonial grade Matcha powder is often used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony called chadô or sadô in Japanese. The terroir (microclimate) of Uji is great for Green tea growing.

UJI MATCHA FLAVOR PROFILE

Matcha from the Uji region is seen as the pinnacle of Matcha green tea. It has a distinctive bright grassy note, umami (savory note), with a light creaminess.

2 - FUKUOKA MATCHA

Fukuoka prefecture is located in Kyushu, which is an island on the southwest end of Japan. Though not the birthplace of Matcha, Fukuoka was actually the first place where tea was grown in Japan.

Yame is its most famous growing location (which is in the North of Fukuoka). While there is some Matcha grown there, this area is more widely recognized for its loose-leaf green teas such as Sencha (煎茶) or Gyokuro (玉露).

FUKUOKA MATCHA FLAVOR PROFILE

Matcha from the Fukuoka region is usually processed slightly differently than in Uji, so there's a focus on deeper, toastier flavors. These are balanced with the expected umami (savory) and sweet notes.

3 - KAGOSHIMA MATCHA
Kagoshima is on the southwest tip of Kyushu. This terroir has rich volcanic soil, which is why Kagoshima is great for growing tea. Most of the tea grown in Kagoshima is loose leaf Green tea like Sencha (煎茶) and Gyokuro (玉露), but there is some Matcha produced there too.

KAGOSHIMA MATCHA FLAVOR PROFILE

Matcha from the Kagoshima region is usually vegetal, bitter, sweet, and umami.

4- AICHI MATCHA
Within Aichi prefecture, Nishio is the top growing location. The climate is created for tea growing and the soil is incredibly fertile. Nishio Matcha is quite sought after as well. It's high quality and often pretty expensive.

AICHI MATCHA FLAVOR PROFILE

Matcha from the Aichi region is usually vegetal, sweet, and savory (umami)
Date of experience: September 20, 2024