Uji Matcha

Uji matcha refers to matcha made within the production and finishing framework used for Uji-cha. In practical terms, it is matcha made from tencha grown in Kyoto-centered producing areas, finished by tea businesses in Kyoto, and ground into powder. It does not simply mean tea picked only within Uji City.

Definition and difference from matcha

Matcha is finely ground tencha: tea leaves that are shade-grown, steamed, and dried without rolling. Uji matcha is a more specific expression. It adds regional and finishing-location context to the broader category name “matcha.”

A related term is Uji-cha, which can include teas such as sencha and gyokuro. Uji matcha is the powdered tea within that wider Uji-cha context, prepared for whisking or culinary use. When comparing products, it helps to read the tea type, origin wording, intended use, and milling description separately.

In cultivation, tea fields are shaded before harvest to shape the leaf’s flavor and aroma. In processing, the leaves are steamed, dried, sorted to remove stems and veins, and finished as tencha before being ground. Stone milling is a traditional general term in matcha production, but modern matcha may also be milled by machine for a fine, uniform powder.

ICHIZEN’s Uji matcha is selected and refined by Wakimoto Jokoen, a Kyoto green-tea wholesaler, and is machine-milled into an ultra-fine, uniform powder. Origin and finishing background can help you understand the tea, but flavor also changes with concentration, water temperature, and whisking method.

After opening, keep matcha sealed and away from light, heat, moisture, and strong odors, and use it while fresh. Uji matcha can be whisked with water, prepared as a latte, or used in sweets. For more context, see the Uji matcha column.