The short answer
Matcha is Japanese green tea: shade-grown leaves, stone-milled into a fine powder. You drink the whole leaf rather than an infusion, so it is richer in color and flavor than steeped green tea.
History
A short history of matcha
Powdered green tea arrived in Japan from China more than 800 years ago. Zen monks valued it through long hours of meditation, and samurai drank it before battle. Over the centuries, Japanese tea masters refined both the growing of the tea and the way it is served, and chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony, grew around a single bowl of whisked matcha.
Today matcha is enjoyed all over the world, whisked the traditional way, poured into lattes and blended into recipes. The best of it still comes from Japan.
Field to first sip
How matcha is made
What is matcha made of? It takes five steps.
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Grown in the shade
For the last 3–4 weeks before harvest, the tea fields rest under nets or straw screens that hold back 80–90% of the sun. Reaching for light, the leaves deepen to jade green and gather L-theanine, for more umami, less bitterness.
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Only the top leaves
The finest matcha is hand-picked, just the youngest top leaves and buds. For culinary grades, a two-person shear glides over the rows, skimming the tender new growth.
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Steamed same day
Leaves race to the factory the same day and are steamed for 20–40 seconds to stop oxidation and hold their green. Dried, then stripped of stems and veins, they become tencha.
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Slow granite stones
Tencha flakes are fed into slow-turning granite stones and ground fine as they travel to the rim. Each mill makes just 30–40 grams an hour, so the leaf stays cool and the sifted powder silky.
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Sealed in nitrogen
Fresh from the mill, matcha is nitrogen-flushed and sealed in foil-lined tins that shut out oxygen, light and moisture.
Grades
Understanding our matcha grading system.
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Master
Master Grade
Best for drinking straight. Hand-picked from the first harvest flush: deep umami and a velvety finish.
Shop Master Grade -
Ritual
Ritual Grade
Versatile for bowls and lattes. Home to most of our best sellers, smooth on its own or with milk.
Shop Ritual Grade -
Everyday
Everyday Grade
Made for lattes and recipes. Bold enough to stand up to milk, with no guilt over a spilled scoop.
Shop Everyday Grade
Why we are slowly moving away from the term ceremonial.
“Ceremonial grade” has no legal definition. No Japanese ministry, tea association or food agency sets a standard for it, so it can appear on matcha of any quality. In Japan, tea is judged on where it was grown, which harvest, the cultivar, how long it was shaded and how it was made. Our grades follow that lead. Master, Ritual and Everyday are named for how you’ll drink them, and each is chosen on those same markers, not a label.
Where it’s grown
Japan’s matcha regions
Matcha grows in a band from Kyushu up through central Honshu. Uji, in Kyoto, is the historic heartland, known for refined, sweet umami. Kagoshima, home of all our USDA organic matcha, gives a bold, full-bodied cup, while Nishio, Yame, Shizuoka and Mie each bring a character of their own.
The traditional mist valley
The historic heart of Japanese tea. Steep hillsides and hand-shading give a refined, delicate, sweet umami.
- Hot summers, cold winters and sharp day-to-night swings slow the plants’ growth, while morning mist off the Uji and Kizu rivers softens the light.
- Lean, well-drained riverbed sediment of clay and gravel sends roots deep in search of minerals.
- Refined, sweet umami with very low bitterness and subtle floral, nutty notes.
The subtropical volcanic giant
Home of all our USDA organic matcha. Volcanic soil and an early harvest give a bold, full-bodied cup.
- Warmed by the Kuroshio current and nearly frost-free, Kagoshima brings in Japan’s earliest spring harvest and several flushes a year.
- Porous volcanic ash called shirasu, shaped by Sakurajima, drains freely and is rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium.
- Bold, smooth and full-bodied, with natural sweetness, deep jade color and a creamy finish.
The fertile river plains
Nishio sits on the alluvial plains of the Yahagi River basin, a tencha specialist known for the Samidori cultivar.
- A mild, warm and remarkably stable maritime climate with balanced rainfall.
- Fertile, nutrient-rich alluvial soil.
- Deep, full-bodied vegetal umami with a clean finish.
The misty mountain valleys
Yame nestles in a mountainous inland river basin in Kyushu, prized for shaded teas.
- Cool and humid, with sharp day-to-night swings and dense river fog that veils the valleys from harsh sun.
- Heavy, rich soils, high in potassium and phosphorus.
- Concentrated, creamy sweetness, a delicate floral aroma and a long, velvety finish.
The sunlit mountain slopes
Japan’s green tea capital, best known for sencha.
- Crisp mountain air and long hours of direct sun.
- Porous, free-draining soils, leaner in organic matter than Uji or Nishio.
- Bright, crisp and grassy, with a refreshing edge made for daily drinking and the kitchen.
The shading capital
Mie is renowned for kabusecha, shaded green tea, with generations of canopy-shading craft.
- A wind-sheltered pocket between the Suzuka mountains and the humid air of Ise Bay.
- Dense, mineral-rich Kobiwako clay that slows the plant’s growth.
- Bold, well structured and easy to love.
The ancient highlands
Nara’s Yamato and Shiga’s Omi regions flank Kyoto and share Uji’s geological history.
- High mountain plateaus with frosty winters, morning mist and steep day-to-night drops.
- Rocky mountain earth mixed with ancient lake-bed sediment.
- Earthy, fragrant and complex, with a crisp, clean aftertaste.
Why is matcha often blended?
In Japan, blending matcha from different farms, regions and cultivars isn’t a shortcut. It’s a respected craft called gougumi (合組). Tea masters, or chashi, taste each season’s harvest and adjust the blend so your matcha tastes the same tin after tin, whatever the weather. Each cultivar brings its own strength, from brilliant color to deep umami to a clean finish, and a master balances them for a depth no single farm can give. Blending also tailors matcha to how you’ll drink it, whether whisked with water or poured into a latte. Our Master’s Blend brings together two Uji farms in just this way.
Shop matchaQuick answers
Matcha basics
Is matcha a tea, like green tea?
Yes. Matcha and steeped green tea come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. With steeped green tea you drink an infusion and discard the leaves. With matcha you drink the whole leaf, ground to a powder, so the flavor is fuller and the color more vivid.
How much caffeine is in matcha?
Matcha naturally contains caffeine, and the amount varies by grade and harvest. Each product page lists the caffeine measured in that product’s lab report. For less caffeine, try Organic Decaf Matcha, with most of its caffeine removed by a chemical-free process.
What does matcha taste like?
Good matcha is smooth and gently sweet with savory umami and a clean, fresh finish. Bitterness usually means lower-grade tea, water that is too hot, or too much powder.
Which matcha should I start with?
For lattes, start with an Everyday Grade like Summer Reserve. To drink it plain, try First Harvest or Organic Superior. Or ask Taro to match you in under a minute.
