Matcha

Matcha is a Japanese green tea made from shaded tea leaves that are steamed, dried without rolling, processed into tencha, and then milled into a fine powder after stems and veins are removed. Because the whole powdered leaf is whisked into water, matcha differs from steeped teas such as sencha in flavor, tools, and storage needs.

Matcha and tencha

Tencha is the unfinished leaf material used to make matcha. It remains in leaf form, while matcha is the powder made by grinding tencha. The broader term “powdered green tea” can also include teas made from sencha or other green teas, so it is not always the same as matcha.

In cultivation, young tea shoots are shaded to adjust sunlight exposure and shape the balance of umami, aroma, and bitterness. In processing, steaming stops oxidation, and drying without rolling is a key step in making tencha. Once milled into powder, the tea can be whisked with a chasen, mixed into lattes, or used in sweets and cooking.

“Stone-milled” is a general term for the traditional method of grinding tencha slowly with a stone mill. Modern matcha production may also use machine milling depending on the intended result. ICHIZEN’s Kyoto Uji matcha is selected and refined by Wakimoto Jokoen, a Kyoto green-tea wholesaler, and machine-milled into an ultra-fine, uniform powder.

When choosing matcha, look beyond color alone. Notice the aroma when hot water is added, the balance of umami and bitterness, and the length of the finish. Matcha suited to koicha, usucha, lattes, or cooking may have different preferred balances. For a broader introduction, see the beginner’s guide to matcha.

For practical use, keep matcha sealed and away from light, moisture, heat, and strong odors, and use it soon after opening. Sifting before whisking helps reduce clumps, and slightly cooler water can soften bitterness. A tea bowl, chasen, and chashaku are convenient, but at home a small bowl or milk frother can also be used.