Limited-Edition Koeda <Awase Matcha> Uji × Nishio Review
Tasting the Golden Blend of Japan’s Two Great Matcha Regions
Introduction
This article reviews Koeda <Awase Matcha> Uji × Nishio and explains its flavor, texture, ingredients, and allergen information based on the product sold in Japan.
This product is a limited-edition item and may no longer be available once stock runs out.
Hello, matcha lovers! This time, I am reviewing Koeda <Awase Matcha> Uji × Nishio, released by Morinaga on January 27, 2026. Morinaga officially describes it as a limited-edition Koeda made with both Uji matcha and Nishio matcha, designed to bring out a deeper and more layered matcha aroma and flavor.
When people in Japan hear the name Koeda, many immediately picture that long-loved chocolate snack with its thin, cute, twig-like shape. It is one of those familiar classics that has stayed popular for years. And every time a seasonal flavor appears in the lineup, fans tend to pay attention. This time, I want to focus on the Awase Matcha version.
The name “Uji × Nishio” definitely catches the eye, doesn’t it? It sounds like a flavor made specifically for serious matcha fans. And honestly, that is part of what makes this release interesting. It is not just “matcha flavor.” It is a matcha flavor built around two famous producing regions. Morinaga says the product combines the fresh aroma and refined sweetness and umami of Uji matcha with the stronger sweetness and richer depth of Nishio matcha, giving the final flavor more aroma and more depth.
Packaging
The moment I picked up the box, the first thing that caught my eye was the deep, vivid green.
It is a very matcha-like shade, calm but bright enough to feel exciting. The names Uji and Nishio are clearly written on the package, and that alone gives a reassuring sense that this is meant to be a proper matcha product, not just a green-colored sweet.
Inside, the box contains 11 small packs with 4 pieces each, for a total of 44 pieces. Morinaga’s official product page confirms the 44-piece format, and your package details specify the inner pack structure as 4 pieces × 11 packs.
Being able to eat it one small pack at a time is one of the nicest things about Koeda. It is perfect for keeping in a desk drawer and opening when you want a little break.
And honestly, I like the fact that it is 11 bags instead of 10. There is something about that number that gives me a small sense of bonus value.
The package itself is also very giftable. Like many matcha snacks, it uses a green-based design that easily brings Japan to mind, and that makes it feel like something that would still look nice as a small present or souvenir.
Appearance
When I gently open one of the small packs, a fresh matcha aroma rises right away.
There is sweetness in the smell, but there is also a proper green, grassy note underneath it, and that is the first moment where I felt, yes, this is real matcha. Morinaga’s own release says the product was designed so the combined Uji and Nishio matcha would make the aroma stand out more strongly, and that matches this first impression very well.
For snacks built around flavors like matcha, tea, or coffee, I honestly think that first aroma matters a lot. The moment you open the bag, you want to know immediately what it is supposed to be. That first smell often decides whether a product feels worth repeating or not. Here, Koeda feels like it understands that point properly. It seems to be using the character of two different matchas well to make the fragrance more expressive.
The Koeda pieces themselves keep the familiar thin, smart stick-like shape. They are coated in a pale green chocolate, and when the light hits them, the color looks surprisingly elegant. The chocolate surface is smooth, and even though each piece is very small, they still look carefully made.
Each stick is tiny, but that smallness is part of the charm. It makes them feel cute, and it also makes it very easy to reach for another one. The size really does match the name Koeda, meaning “small branch,” and I think that is one of the reasons this snack has stayed loved for so long.
Taste & Texture
The moment one piece goes into my mouth, the first thing I notice is, of course, matcha.
That may sound obvious, but in Japan, once a snack puts the word matcha on the package, the standard immediately rises. People here are used to matcha sweets and matcha-flavored foods, so just giving something a vague green tea taste is not enough to impress the more serious fans.
Still, Koeda <Awase Matcha> Uji × Nishio manages to feel satisfying without feeling cheap, even though it is still an affordable snack. The aftertaste is mild and easy to enjoy, which makes it very approachable.
The sweetness comes from a mellow white-chocolate-like base, but it never becomes heavy. Very soon after that sweetness arrives, the fresh fragrance of Uji matcha begins to move gently through the nose.
And then there is the texture, which is really nicely done.
The crispness from the puff pieces packed inside the chocolate creates that light but very real bite that Koeda is known for. What surprised me when I actually ate it was how evenly those puffs seemed to be distributed. From the very first bite to the very end, the crisp saku-saku feeling continues without becoming uneven or empty.
Once Koeda gets this detailed about a single little stick, of course people are going to eat two, then three.
And I think anyone who has eaten Koeda before probably already knows that moment: one small pack disappears almost instantly, and then you stand there wondering whether you should open the next pack or not.
Then comes the most distinctive part of this series: the taste of Awase Matcha itself.
Based on the product details you provided, the blend uses a 2:1 ratio of Uji matcha and Nishio matcha, and honestly, it feels very well considered. Uji matcha brings a fresh, refined aroma. Nishio matcha, from Aichi Prefecture, brings stronger sweetness and a richer, fuller body. When those two are combined, the taste begins soft and mellow, then gradually lets bitterness and depth catch up as you chew.
That layered movement is what makes it interesting.
The kind of reaction people have posted online, saying it starts with sweetness and then the bitterness follows later in a more authentic way, feels very believable. Morinaga itself says the product was designed to create more aroma and more depth by combining the two matchas, and that is exactly the kind of progression I felt while eating it.
After finishing one piece, a gentle matcha aftertaste stays in the mouth, and that lingering note is pleasant enough that before I noticed it, I was already reaching for the second and third pieces.
When I eat Koeda, I usually make a rule for myself: only one small pack at a time.
This time, I ate two.
Complete defeat.
And honestly, this is something I feel about Morinaga’s matcha sweets in general this year:
Why is the quality this high?
If you get the chance, please try this one.
Quick Review
Product Information
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 29 kcal
Protein: 0.2 g
Fat: 1.6 g
Carbohydrate: 3.4 g
Salt Equivalent: 0.008 g
Ingredients
Ingredients (Summary from Package)
Sugar (made overseas and in Japan), vegetable oils and fats, lactose, dextrin, cocoa butter, wheat puff, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, biscuit, matcha, butter oil, green tea extract / emulsifier (soy-derived), flavoring, leavening agent, safflower yellow color, gardenia blue color
Dietary Info (Reference only)
Gelatin: Not listed
Emulsifier:Origin: Soybean-derived
Alcohol/Liquor: Not listed
Lard/Shortening）: Not listed
Allergens
Contains:
Wheat
Milk
Soy
Manufactured on shared equipment with products containing:
Egg
Product Classification
Manufacturer: Morinaga & Co., Ltd.
Product Name: Koeda <Awase Matcha> Uji × Nishio
Net Weight: 44 pieces (4 pieces × 11 packs)
Country of Origin: Japan
Storage Instructions
Store below 28°C away from direct sunlight.
Handling Notes
Consume as soon as possible after opening.
When chocolate becomes hot, the fat may melt and later turn white as it cools and solidifies. It is still safe to eat, but the flavor may be reduced.
Purchase Location
It can be purchased at mass retailers, convenience stores, and other retail stores nationwide, but please note that it is a limited-time product.
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