Tencha

Tencha is the leaf tea that becomes matcha. After harvest, the leaves are steamed, dried without being rolled, and refined by removing or sorting parts such as stems and veins before the leaf is milled into powder. In other words, matcha is made from tencha; it is not a powder that grows in the field as-is.

How tencha differs from matcha

The main difference is form. Tencha is the dried leaf before milling, while matcha is the fine powder made from that leaf. Once powdered, the tea can disperse in water or milk, be whisked with a chasen, or be blended into sweets and drinks.

Tencha is commonly made from tea leaves grown under shade for a period before harvest. Shading affects the balance of bitterness, umami, and aroma. The leaves are then steamed to halt oxidation and dried without rolling, so they do not take on the long, needle-like shape associated with sencha. For a broader overview, see how matcha is made.

Related terms include aracha, meaning roughly processed tea, and finished tea, which has been sorted and refined. Tencha is best understood by its purpose and processing method: it is the leaf tea prepared specifically to be milled into matcha.

Stone milling is a general traditional term for grinding tencha with a stone mill. Modern matcha may also be made with machinery designed to create a consistent fine powder. ICHIZEN matcha is selected and refined by Wakimoto Jokoen using Kyoto Uji tea, then machine-milled into an ultra-fine, uniform powder.

For shoppers, the practical point is simple: if you see the word tencha, it refers to the leaf material before it becomes matcha. Most home users handle the finished powder rather than tencha itself. After opening matcha, keep it sealed away from moisture, light, and heat, and use it while the aroma and color are still fresh.