process
Matcha (抹茶)
Stone-ground powder of shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves consumed whole in water.
Matcha is produced by shading tea bushes for roughly three to four weeks before harvest, steaming and drying the leaves into tencha, removing stems and veins, then milling the leaf flesh into a fine powder. Unlike steeped tea, the entire leaf is whisked into water and consumed, which is why leaf quality and milling fineness drive the final flavor. The Global Japanese Tea Association and producers such as Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen describe matcha as a category defined by this shade-grown, stone-milled production rather than by a single flavor profile.
process
Tencha (碾茶)
Shade-grown, steamed, and dried leaf that is stone-milled into matcha.
Tencha is the unmilled raw material for matcha. After shading and steaming, the leaves are dried flat without rolling, then stems and veins are removed so only the soft leaf tissue remains. Producers such as Marukyu Koyamaen and Ippodo grade their matcha based on the cultivar, region, and quality of the tencha used.
recipe-style
Usucha (薄茶)
Thin matcha preparation whisked to a frothy, drinkable consistency.
Usucha is the everyday style of matcha used in most cafes and home preparation. A common ratio is around 2 grams of matcha to 60 to 70 milliliters of water near 70 to 75 degrees Celsius, whisked briskly with a chasen until a fine foam forms. Ippodo and the Urasenke tradition both describe usucha as the lighter, more approachable counterpart to koicha.
recipe-style
Koicha (濃茶)
Thick matcha preparation kneaded slowly with very little water.
Koicha uses roughly twice the powder and half the water of usucha, often around 4 grams of matcha to 30 to 40 milliliters of water at 70 degrees Celsius. The whisk is moved in slow folding motions rather than a fast W, producing a glossy, paint-like liquid with no foam. Koicha is the central preparation of formal chanoyu and is generally made only with high grade matcha from producers such as Marukyu Koyamaen or Ippodo, since lower grades turn bitter at this concentration.
grade
Ceremonial grade
Marketing term with no legal definition in Japan or elsewhere.
Ceremonial grade is an English-language marketing label, not a regulated category. Japan has no legal grading system for matcha, and Japanese producers typically sell tea by named blends, cultivar, or harvest rather than by a ceremonial tier. Hugo Tea, Mizuba, and Jade Leaf have all written publicly that the real quality markers are vibrant jade green color, fine particle size around 5 to 10 microns, an umami-forward taste with low astringency, and clear sourcing from a single reputable region or producer.
grade
Premium grade
Informal label for daily-drinking matcha a step below top tier.
Premium grade is another unregulated retail term, generally used for matcha that drinks well as usucha but is not reserved for koicha. In practice it usually means a later first-harvest or early second-harvest leaf with good color and moderate umami. Jade Leaf and Mizuba both note that the line between premium and ceremonial is set by the brand, not by an outside standard.
grade
Culinary grade
Stronger, more astringent matcha intended for baking and cooking.
Culinary grade matcha is typically made from later harvests or coarser tencha and is formulated to hold its color and flavor when mixed with sugar, dairy, or heat. It tends to taste sharper and more vegetal than drinking grades and is not meant to be whisked plain. Mizuba and Hugo Tea both recommend it specifically for ice cream, baked goods, and sauces rather than for straight usucha.
grade
Latte grade
Mid-tier matcha balanced to read clearly through milk.
Latte grade sits between drinking and culinary grades. It is usually a second-harvest leaf chosen for a flavor that survives steamed or cold milk without going flat. Brands such as Jade Leaf and Naoki sell explicit latte blends, while traditional Japanese producers like Ippodo simply suggest a sturdier blend such as Sayaka or Kan no Shiro for milk drinks.
tool
Chasen (茶筅)
Bamboo whisk carved from a single piece into many fine tines.
A chasen is hand-carved from a single node of bamboo, with tine counts that commonly range from 70 to 120. More tines generally produce a finer foam in usucha, while fewer, thicker tines suit koicha. Takayama in Nara is the most established source, and most chasen sold by Ippodo or Marukyu Koyamaen are made there.
tool
Chashaku (茶杓)
Slim bamboo scoop used to portion matcha from its container.
A chashaku is a long, curved bamboo spoon used to lift matcha out of the natsume or tin and into the chawan. Two level scoops hold roughly 1 gram, so usucha typically uses about four scoops and koicha about six to eight. It is a measuring and serving tool rather than a stirring tool.
tool
Chawan (茶碗)
Wide ceramic bowl shaped for whisking and drinking matcha.
A chawan has a flat, broad base that gives the chasen room to move and a slightly inward-curving rim that contains splashes. Summer chawan are wider and shallower to release heat, while winter shapes are taller and narrower to retain it. Styles such as Raku, Hagi, and Karatsu are tied to specific kilns and have been used in chanoyu for centuries.
tool
Furui (篩)
Fine sieve used to break clumps before whisking matcha.
A furui is a small mesh sieve, often paired with a wooden stick or spatula, used to push matcha through fine screen and remove clumps that form during storage. Sifting before whisking is one of the most consistent quality habits recommended by Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen because clumped powder will not fully hydrate, leaving grit and dull color in the bowl.
origin
Uji (宇治)
Region in Kyoto Prefecture historically tied to high-grade matcha.
Uji has produced tea since the twelfth century and is the home region of long-established makers such as Marukyu Koyamaen and Ippodo. Its climate, river fog, and refined cultivar selection have shaped the umami-forward profile most associated with traditional matcha. True Uji-cha is regulated under Kyoto Prefecture origin rules, which require a defined share of leaf grown in Kyoto and surrounding prefectures.
origin
Yame (八女)
Fukuoka region known for rich, full-bodied matcha and gyokuro.
Yame, in Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu, is a smaller producing area that is especially respected for shaded teas. Its matcha tends toward a deep, savory profile with strong umami and lower bitterness. Yame producers are well represented in specialty shops, and the region is one of the most cited sources of premium gyokuro alongside Uji.
origin
Nishio (西尾)
Aichi area that produces a large share of Japan's tencha.
Nishio in Aichi Prefecture has been growing tencha for matcha since the thirteenth century and now accounts for a meaningful portion of Japan's total matcha output. Its matcha is often described as smooth and balanced, and the regional name Nishio Matcha is protected as a Geographical Indication by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
origin
Kagoshima (鹿児島)
Southern prefecture producing modern, often machine-harvested matcha.
Kagoshima sits on the southern tip of Kyushu and benefits from a long growing season and earlier harvests than Uji. Its tea industry is comparatively young and highly mechanized, which keeps prices accessible while still yielding clean, bright matcha. Kagoshima leaf is increasingly common in single-origin tins from brands such as Mizuba and Naoki.
origin
Shizuoka (静岡)
Largest tea-producing prefecture in Japan, with growing matcha output.
Shizuoka grows roughly 40 percent of Japan's tea by volume, mostly sencha, but matcha production from the region has expanded as demand has risen. Its matcha tends to be brisker and slightly more astringent than Uji's, with a clean finish. The prefectural government publishes annual production data that researchers and brands such as Hugo Tea reference when discussing supply.
chemistry
L-theanine
Amino acid in shaded tea that contributes to matcha's umami taste.
L-theanine is the amino acid most responsible for the savory, brothy quality of high grade matcha. Shading raises L-theanine in the leaf because it slows conversion of the amino acid into catechins. A typical 2 gram serving of a good usucha grade matcha contains roughly 40 to 60 milligrams of L-theanine, with figures around 50 milligrams commonly cited by Ippodo and academic surveys of Japanese green tea.
chemistry
Caffeine in matcha
Roughly 30 to 40 milligrams of caffeine per gram of matcha powder.
Because the whole leaf is consumed, matcha delivers more caffeine per gram than steeped green tea. Published assays and producer disclosures from Ippodo and Mizuba converge on roughly 30 to 40 milligrams of caffeine per gram of matcha powder, with about 34 milligrams per gram as a common reference point. A standard 2 gram usucha therefore lands near 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine, comparable to a small cup of drip coffee.
process
Ichibancha (一番茶)
First spring harvest, generally yielding the highest grade matcha.
Ichibancha is picked in early to mid May from new shoots that have grown over the winter dormancy. These leaves carry the highest concentrations of L-theanine and the gentlest astringency, which is why the top tencha for koicha is almost always first harvest. Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen reserve their flagship blends for ichibancha leaf.
process
Nibancha (二番茶)
Second harvest, picked roughly 45 days after ichibancha.
Nibancha is picked in late June or early July, when warmer weather has driven faster growth. The resulting leaves contain more catechins and less L-theanine, which makes nibancha matcha brisker, more astringent, and better suited to lattes, cooking, or daily-drinking blends than to koicha. Many latte and culinary grade tins are built primarily on nibancha leaf.
process
Tezumi (手摘み)
Hand-picked leaf, used for the most carefully selected matcha.
Tezumi means hand-plucked and refers to harvesting only the top one or two leaves and the bud from each shoot. It produces a more uniform, undamaged leaf than mechanical harvesting and is used almost exclusively for top tier koicha tencha. Most everyday matcha, including most premium and latte tins, is machine-harvested for cost and consistency.
process
Shading (覆下栽培)
Covering tea bushes before harvest to raise L-theanine and chlorophyll.
Tencha bushes are shaded for roughly 20 to 30 days before harvest, with light reduced in stages until very little reaches the leaves. This stress slows photosynthesis and pushes the plant to keep more L-theanine and chlorophyll, which produces the deep green color and umami flavor of good matcha. Oishita refers to fully shaded tencha and gyokuro fields, while kabuse describes lighter, shorter shading often used for kabusecha.
process
Stone milling (石臼)
Slow grinding of tencha between granite stones into fine matcha powder.
Traditional matcha is milled on a granite ishiusu, a paired stone wheel that turns at roughly 30 to 60 rotations per minute and produces only about 30 to 40 grams of powder per hour. The slow speed keeps the leaf cool, which preserves color and aroma. Producers such as Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen still use stone mills for top blends, while higher-volume tins are sometimes finished on ceramic or air-jet mills.
chemistry
Umami (うまみ)
Savory, brothy taste driven by amino acids such as L-theanine and glutamate.
Umami is the fifth basic taste, characterized as savory or brothy and identified with glutamate and related amino acids. In matcha it comes mainly from L-theanine and glutamic acid concentrated by shading. Producers and writers from Ippodo to Hugo Tea use umami as the central marker that separates fresh, well-shaded matcha from older or sun-grown leaf.
chemistry
Astringency
Drying, puckering sensation from catechins binding to mouth proteins.
Astringency in matcha comes from catechins, especially EGCG, which bind to proteins in saliva and produce a drying mouthfeel. Sun-grown, late-harvest, or scorched matcha tends to taste more astringent because catechin levels are higher relative to amino acids. Lower water temperature, finer particle size, and fresher powder all reduce perceived astringency.
culture
Hojicha (焙じ茶)
Roasted Japanese green tea, brown in color and very low in caffeine.
Hojicha is made by pan or drum roasting bancha, sencha, or kukicha until the leaves turn reddish brown. Roasting drives off most of the caffeine and softens astringency, leaving a toasty, caramel-like flavor. Hojicha can be sold in leaf form for steeping or as hojicha powder for lattes, but it is unrelated to matcha in cultivar handling and shading.
culture
Genmaicha (玄米茶)
Green tea blended with roasted brown rice for a toasty, mild cup.
Genmaicha combines bancha or sencha leaves with roasted and sometimes popped brown rice, which gives the brewed tea a nutty, popcorn-like aroma. Some blends, often labeled matcha-iri genmaicha, add a small amount of matcha powder for color and body. It is a steeped tea, not a powdered tea, and is served plain rather than whisked.
culture
Wabi-sabi (侘寂)
Aesthetic that values quietness, imperfection, and the marks of time.
Wabi-sabi is the aesthetic framework most often associated with the Japanese tea tradition. Wabi points to a stripped-back, humble simplicity, and sabi to the beauty that emerges as objects age. In chanoyu it shapes the preference for asymmetric chawan, weathered tools, and quiet rooms, and it is the sensibility most modern matcha brands draw on when they describe a calmer way of drinking tea.
culture
Chanoyu (茶の湯)
Japanese tea ceremony built around the preparation of matcha.
Chanoyu, also called sado or chado, is the formalized practice of preparing and serving matcha to guests. The Urasenke, Omotesenke, and Mushakojisenke schools, all descended from Sen no Rikyu, set the procedures still taught today. A full chaji can run several hours and includes a meal, koicha, and usucha, while a shorter chakai centers on usucha alone.
tool
Chasen kaeshi (茶筅返し)
Resting the chasen on the chawan rim after whisking to settle foam and check the tines.
Chasen kaeshi is the small gesture of lifting the whisk straight up out of the bowl and briefly resting or turning it against the rim of the chawan before placing it back on its stand. Schools such as Urasenke teach it as part of finishing a bowl of usucha, both as care for the whisk and as a quiet visual closure to the preparation. Any loose tines or trapped foam fall back into the bowl rather than dripping across the table. The motion is gentle and never used to scrape or wring the chasen.
tool
Kensui (建水)
Waste water bowl used in chanoyu to receive rinse water from the chawan.
The kensui is the vessel that holds the water poured out after rinsing the chawan and chasen during a temae. It is one of the humblest objects on the tea mat and sits to the host's left, often made of plain bronze, copper, or unglazed clay. Urasenke and Omotesenke texts treat the kensui as an everyday tool that should not draw attention away from the chawan or the guest. It is brought in and out of the room according to the procedure of the school.
tool
Hishaku (柄杓)
Bamboo ladle used to transfer hot or cold water during the tea procedure.
A hishaku is a long-handled bamboo dipper used to lift water from the kama or mizusashi and pour it into the chawan. The cup and handle are cut from a single piece of bamboo, with subtly different proportions for summer and winter use as taught by Urasenke and Omotesenke. The host's grip and the angle at which the hishaku is rested are part of the choreography of temae. It is a serving tool rather than a measuring one.
tool
Fukusa (袱紗)
Silk cloth used to symbolically purify utensils during chanoyu.
The fukusa is a small square of silk, typically around 27 centimeters per side, that the host folds and uses to wipe the natsume and chashaku before serving tea. The color is read as a marker of the host's school and rank, with Urasenke traditionally using red or vermilion for women and purple for men. The cloth is not meant to clean physical residue so much as to mark a transition into the formal preparation. A separate kobukusa is used by guests to handle the chawan during koicha.
recipe-style
Koicha shinaoshi (濃茶仕直し)
Loosening a bowl of koicha mid-drink with a small addition of hot water.
Koicha shinaoshi describes the practice of adding a small amount of hot water to thin out a bowl of koicha that has become too dense to share comfortably. In the Urasenke tradition the host may perform this when the consistency would otherwise make the bowl difficult to pass cleanly between guests. The added water is folded in slowly with the chasen, never whisked into foam, so the texture stays glossy. It is a corrective gesture rather than a separate preparation.
tool
Natsume (棗)
Lidded lacquer caddy used to hold matcha for usucha.
A natsume is a small turned wooden container, traditionally finished in black or red lacquer, named for its resemblance to the jujube fruit. It holds the powdered matcha brought to the tea room for usucha and is wiped with the fukusa before tea is scooped. Urasenke and Omotesenke both use the natsume as the standard caddy for thin tea, while koicha is presented from a ceramic chaire instead. The lid is shaped so that a measured tap settles the powder before scooping.
tool
Chaire (茶入)
Ceramic tea caddy used to hold matcha for koicha.
A chaire is a small ceramic jar, often with a carved ivory or wooden lid and a silk shifuku pouch, used to present koicha-grade matcha during chanoyu. Pieces from kilns such as Seto, Bizen, and the Korean-influenced Karatsu tradition are particularly prized and are passed down as named utensils. In the Urasenke and Omotesenke schools the chaire signals the more formal half of a chaji, in contrast to the natsume used for usucha. The host handles it with greater ceremony than any other caddy on the mat.
tool
Kama (釜)
Iron kettle that heats water for tea on a sunken hearth or portable brazier.
The kama is the iron kettle in which water is heated for the entire tea gathering. It sits on a ro hearth set into the floor in winter and on a furo brazier in warmer months, a seasonal switch observed by Urasenke and Omotesenke. The sound of water beginning to simmer in the kama, called matsukaze or wind in the pines, is itself part of the atmosphere of chanoyu. Most kama are cast in regions such as Ashiya and Tenmyo and are valued for both their tone and their patina.
culture
Temae (点前)
Structured procedures by which a host prepares and serves matcha in chanoyu.
Temae refers to the choreographed sequence of movements a host performs to prepare matcha, from carrying in utensils to whisking, serving, and cleaning each piece. Each school, including Urasenke, Omotesenke, and Mushakojisenke, teaches its own catalogue of temae for different seasons, utensils, and levels of formality. A single temae can take years to refine and is treated as a path of practice rather than a fixed recipe. The word literally points to what is done in front of the guest.
culture
Ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会)
Tea phrase meaning one time, one meeting, marking each gathering as unrepeatable.
Ichi-go ichi-e is most often translated as one time, one meeting and is associated with the tea master Ii Naosuke and earlier with disciples of Sen no Rikyu. In chanoyu it reminds host and guest that this exact gathering, with these people and this season, will not occur again. Urasenke teachings use it to frame the care given to every detail of a tea, from the choice of chawan to the timing of the kettle. The phrase has since spread well beyond the tea room into general Japanese aesthetics.
chemistry
Catechins
Polyphenols in tea, including EGCG, that drive astringency and color stability.
Catechins are a family of flavan-3-ol polyphenols that make up a large share of the dry weight of green tea leaf. Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, is the most abundant and the strongest contributor to astringency. Shading suppresses catechin formation in tencha, which is one reason high grade matcha tastes more umami and less bitter than sun-grown leaf. Published assays from Japanese tea research institutes consistently show lower catechin levels in shaded ichibancha than in later, unshaded harvests.
chemistry
Saponins
Natural surfactants in matcha responsible for the stable foam on usucha.
Saponins are amphiphilic plant compounds that lower the surface tension of water and stabilize air bubbles, which is why a properly whisked usucha holds a fine, even foam. Tea saponins are concentrated in the leaf and are released into the bowl as the chasen aerates the suspension. Studies of Camellia sinensis identify several teasaponin variants, and their presence is part of why matcha foams readily where steeped tea does not. The foam fades as saponin films break down, so usucha is meant to be drunk soon after whisking.
chemistry
Chlorophyll
Green pigment elevated by shading that gives high grade matcha its jade color.
Chlorophyll is the pigment plants use to capture light, and tea bushes raise its concentration in their leaves when sunlight is restricted. Shading tencha for roughly 20 to 30 days drives chlorophyll levels well above those of sun-grown sencha, producing the deep jade color associated with good matcha. Color fades as chlorophyll oxidizes after milling, which is why Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen recommend storing tins sealed, cold, and away from light. A dull or yellow-green powder is one of the clearest signs that matcha is past its prime.
process
Kabusecha (かぶせ茶)
Lightly shaded leaf tea grown under cover for about a week before harvest.
Kabusecha sits between sencha and gyokuro in the shading spectrum. Bushes are covered for roughly seven to ten days before plucking, less than the 20 to 30 days used for tencha and gyokuro, which gives a cup that is greener and more umami-forward than sencha but lighter than gyokuro. Producers such as Ippodo sell kabusecha as a steeped leaf tea rather than as a powder. It is unrelated to matcha in finishing, but the term is useful context for understanding the broader shaded-tea family.
tool
Mizusashi (水指)
Fresh water container that sits beside the host during chanoyu.
The mizusashi holds the cool fresh water used to top up the kama and to rinse the chawan during temae. It is typically a lidded ceramic or lacquer vessel placed to the host's right and is replenished before each gathering. Urasenke and Omotesenke both treat the mizusashi as a focal utensil whose material and shape are matched to the season, with cooler glazes used in summer and warmer clays in winter. Water is drawn from it with the hishaku rather than poured.