TREEE'S Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ukyo-ku, Kyoto; CEO: Shinsuke Kimura), which operates the luxury matcha confectionery brand "Tsurii Kyoto," has developed a sugar-free white chocolate made primarily from rice.
This original chocolate is combined with a ganache made from matcha sourced from Seichatsujiki, a tea master based in Uji Shirakawa, Kyoto, to create a new bonbon chocolat called "MASSIRO" (meaning "pure white").
The product will be available for a limited time from January 16 (Friday) to February 14 (Saturday), 2026, at the "2026 Amour du Chocolat" event held at JR Nagoya Takashimaya.
The Development Story Behind MASSIRO
A Matcha Chocolatier's Exploration of the Relationship Between Matcha and Rice
"MASSIRO" was born from the idea: "What if we could make white chocolate from rice?"
In his journey of creating sweets, matcha patissier Shinsuke Kimura focused on rice as an ingredient that enhances the aroma and umami of matcha. Matcha is a delicate ingredient with nuanced fragrance and lingering notes. Rather than layering too many flavors and aromas, combining matcha with an ingredient that supports its profile allows its charm to truly shine. One answer to this question was rice, a familiar staple for Japanese people.
Matcha and Rice Already Coexist in the Fields
High-quality tea cultivation has employed oishita saibai (shade cultivation) for over 400 years, a traditional Uji cultivation method that involves blocking sunlight. The shading techniques range from traditional methods using natural materials like rice straw to modern approaches.
Through exposure to the Japanese agricultural landscapes behind tea production, Kimura was struck by the sight of tencha (ground tea leaves for matcha) and rice straw coexisting in the fields. This led him to believe that matcha and rice share a natural compatibility, both culturally and gastronomically.
As a Japanese person and a matcha chocolatier, he wanted to express rice as the ingredient that bridges matcha and chocolate. This aspiration marked the beginning of the product's development in earnest.
The Challenge of Developing Rice-Based White Chocolate
The product uses "Milky Queen," a specially cultivated rice variety from Wani Farm in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. With a texture reminiscent of mochi rice and a pronounced natural sweetness, this variety was deemed highly compatible with matcha.
Additionally, in response to growing global demand for plant-based chocolate driven by health consciousness and environmental awareness, Kimura created a white chocolate using 100% rice and cacao butter.
How could the characteristics of rice as an ingredient be utilized while achieving harmony with cacao butter? The chocolate-making process was reconsidered from scratch, and after extensive trials and research over a long period, a sugar-free white chocolate made primarily from rice—without emulsifiers or added fragrances—was finally completed.
A Gentle Mouthfeel Reminiscent of Matcha Daifuku
The finished rice white chocolate is used to envelop an original ganache made with Seichatsujiki matcha, also based on the same chocolate. The result is a gentle mouthfeel reminiscent of matcha daifuku, with the mild sweetness of rice naturally harmonizing with the deep aroma of matcha.
About Seichatsujiki
Seichatsujiki is a premium tencha and matcha brand produced by Kiyoharu Tsuji, a fifth-generation tea farmer in Uji Shirakawa, Kyoto. While inheriting traditional Uji methods, the brand is characterized by deep flavors achieved through thorough shade cultivation (95% light blocking) and the use of organic fertilizers, which concentrate umami components. It has won numerous awards at domestic and international tea competitions.
Milky Queen from Wani Farm – A Top-Rated Rice Producer in Japan
The rice used in this product comes from Wani Farm, which is certified as organic JAS and practices pesticide-free and chemical fertilizer-free cultivation. The farm is renowned as one of Japan's top rice producers, having won the gold medal in the International Rice Taste Competition for six consecutive years.
About Shinsuke Kimura
Shinsuke Kimura / Matcha Patissier / Sommelier Excellence
Shinsuke Kimura has extensive experience in various food service sectors, including French restaurants, established hotels, and popular cafes, covering everything from management to product development, production, and sales.
In 2021, he founded "TREEE'S KYOTO," a sweets brand using organic Uji matcha. In 2023, he launched a new luxury matcha confectionery brand called "Tsurii Kyoto."
Leveraging his refined olfactory and gustatory analytical skills honed through earning the advanced wine qualification "Sommelier Excellence," he develops innovative matcha sweets that maximize the potential of matcha by accurately capturing the characteristics of aroma and flavor according to the origin and variety of tea leaves.
About the Brands
Tsurii Kyoto – A Luxury Matcha Confectionery Shop That Conveys the Culture and Aesthetics of Matcha Through Confections
With the concept of "memorable matcha confections," this luxury matcha confectionery shop engages with matcha, a symbol of Japanese food culture, conveying its depth and background through confectionery expressions that transcend Japanese and Western boundaries.
Using matcha from Seichatsujiki in Uji Shirakawa, Kyoto—a recipient of the Prime Minister's Award—the shop values not only ingredient selection and production methods but also the expression of matcha's historical significance, lingering notes, and aesthetic sensibilities. Through confections, it presents refined taste experiences and the worldview of matcha.
TREEE'S KYOTO – A Matcha Sweets Brand That Brings Out the Individuality of Matcha Through Design and Technique
With the concept "ENJOY THE GREEN," this organic matcha sweets brand is created by patissier Shinsuke Kimura, who holds the advanced qualification Sommelier Excellence.
By analyzing the characteristics—such as aroma, bitterness, and umami—of carefully selected domestic organic matcha, and using different types of matcha for chocolates, cookies, cakes, and other sweets, the brand works on design and production methods that bring out the individuality of matcha.
Developer Shinsuke Kimura's Comment
While continuing to create sweets as a matcha patissier, I began to wonder, "Could I express the appeal of matcha from a different angle?" To serve as an opportunity for more people to discover the deliciousness of matcha, I crafted this allergen-free (free from 28 specified allergens) plant-based matcha chocolat.
For "MASSIRO," which will be sold for a limited time at JR Nagoya Takashimaya, I focused on how to express the familiar relationship between matcha and rice for Japanese people through the form of bonbon chocolat. The rice and matcha used were carefully selected for their origin and quality with the cooperation of farmers.
Matcha is an ingredient with delicate and profound aroma and lingering notes. That's why I feel it pairs well with "subtractive" ingredients that don't add too much flavor or aroma. One answer was rice. To utilize the gentle sweetness and texture of rice as a base that supports the flavor of matcha, I worked on developing plant-based white chocolate made primarily from rice.
"MASSIRO" represents a new frontier in the pairing of matcha and rice. I would be delighted if you could experience the individuality and depth of each ingredient within a single piece.
Sales Information
Product Name: MASSIRO 3-piece box
Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa butter, rice (domestic)), koji amazake, wasanbon sugar, matcha, starch syrup, gold leaf
28 Specified Allergens: None
Sales Location: JR Nagoya Takashimaya "2026 Amour du Chocolat" 10th Floor (100 boxes per day / limited sales)
Sales Period: January 16 (Friday) to February 14 (Saturday), 2026
Price: ¥4,320 (tax included)
Product Website: https://amour.jr-takashimaya.co.jp/2026/dream/
