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Matcha

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the person, see

. For the drink, see

Matcha

Type

Other names

,"fine powder tea"

Origin

(powdered tea)

(modern)

Quick

description

Japanese stone-ground

powder green tea

Regional names

Matcha

" in

Chinese name

末茶

抹茶

Transcriptions

mǒchá

mut3-caa4

Korean name

말차

抹茶

Transcriptions

malcha

malch'a

Alternative Korean name

가루차

Transcriptions

garucha

karuch'a

Japanese name

抹茶

まっちゃ

Transcriptions

matcha

Matcha

(

;

抹茶

) is a finely ground

powder of

specially processed from shade-grown tea leaves.

Shade growing gives matcha its characteristic bright green color and strong

flavor.

Matcha is typically consumed suspended in hot water.

Matcha originated through cultural exchanges between China and Japan in the

premodern period, developing from earlier powdered tea practices in China that

were transmitted to Japan by

monks. During the

, tea

leaves were ground into a fine powder and whisked with hot water. This method

was introduced to Japan by the monk

around 1191, where it continued to

develop even as such practices declined in China.

During the

in the sixteenth century, Japanese tea farmers

developed shading techniques to produce

(

碾茶

)

, the tea leaves used for

grinding into matcha.

This innovation contributed to the development of

modern matcha, characterized by its vivid green color and rich umami flavor,

the latter derived from

, distinguishing it from earlier forms of

powdered tea. It also contributed to the development in Japan of new tea

styles such as

and

Traditionally, matcha was produced

almost exclusively in Japan,

although it is now also produced in other

countries such as China and

. In the twenty-first century, to meet

the rising global demand for matcha, China invited Japanese specialists for

technical guidance, introduced the necessary equipment, and has promoted mass

production in

since 2018.

While Japan still produces the

finest matcha, the quality of Chinese matcha has been improving rapidly enough

to be used in the food processing industry at more competitive prices.

The traditional

, typically known as

chanoyu

(

茶の湯

)

sadō/chadō

(

茶道

)

, centers on the preparation, serving and drinking of matcha

as hot tea, and embodies a meditative and spiritual practice.

[

]

Matcha is also used to flavor and dye foods such as

and

noodles,

, and a variety of Japanese

confectionery. For this purpose, matcha made green by

instead

of expensive shade-grown matcha is often used.

Definition

Strict definitions of matcha are given by the

ISO 20715:2023 "Tea — Classification of tea types", and

the Japanese food labeling standard

defined by

Japan Tea Central Public

Interest Incorporated Association

(

日本茶業中央会

)

Both definitions require that matcha must be:

made from

var.

sinensis

(Chinese, small-leaf tea)

grown in the shade

steamed and dried without being rolled

ground to a fine powder

The Japanese food labeling standard requires the tea leaves to be shaded for

2–3 weeks before harvesting using covering materials such as

yoshizu

komo

Tea leaves after processing the first three steps

are called

tencha

(

碾茶

)

in this standard.

ISO 20715:2023 allows matcha to

be made from tender leaves,

, or

but Japanese food labeling

standard allows it to be made only from leaves.

Inexpensive green tea,

(

粉末茶

)

, made by crushing non-shade grown

tea leaves, is sometimes sold under the name of "matcha"

although it does

not satisfy the above definitions. The cheaper alternative is used to flavor and dye foods.

History

China

Powdered and compressed teas

Various types of compressed teas

Powdered tea originated in China during the

(618–907) where tea leaves

were pounded and then milled into fine powder before being shaped into "cakes".

, written by Chinese tea master

roughly between 760 to 762 CE,

had documented the practise of steeping powdered tea in hot water. This involved

first roasting compressed tea over a fire and then grinding it in a wooden grinder

called a

niǎn

(

碾

), boiling water in a pot, adding salt once it

comes to a boil, then adding the tea powder to the boiling water and boiling it

until it began to foam.

The tea was also sometimes mixed with green onions,

ginger,

, mandarin orange peels,

, and mint.

It wasn't until the

(960–1279) when whisks, bowls, and other tools

first appeared in China that was used to froth up a drink called "mo cha", which translates to "powdered tea", and was

made from steamed and dried tea leaves. According to Katharine P. Burnett, a tea scholar at the

, it was also during this era when Zen Buddhist monks from Japan began to visit China to attain books

and sutras from Chinese scholars, and Japanese Buddhist monks will often encounter mo cha and its style of preparation

in the Chinese temples.

The beverage was prepared by whipping the tea powder with hot water in a bowl.

Although

the term "matcha" (

抹茶

) was not yet used, the practice of preparing powdered tea with a tea whisk is believed to have

originated in China no later than the 11th century.

Niǎn(茶碾子)

, Tea Grind in tea

set preserved in Famen Temple

Crypt, Xi'an, China. Xizong Era of

Tang Dynasty, 9th Century.

The most famous references to powdered tea are

(1049–

1053) and

(1107), both written during the

(960–1279).

These documents describe the preparation of high-grade

compressed tea, such as

Lóngfèng Tuánchá

(

龍鳳團茶

Dragon and Phoenix Lump

Tea

). The tea was ground into powder using a metal

niǎn

, then sifted. The powder

was poured into a tea bowl, hot water was added, and the mixture was whisked.

According to the

, the finer the sieve, the more the tea would float;

the coarser the sieve, the more it would sink. This suggests that the powder

particles were larger than those of modern matcha. Tea ceremonies at

Kyoto and

in Kamakura are thought to preserve traditions from the

The lump tea presented to the emperor was mixed with

, a strongly aromatic substance, and coated with oily

flavorings to give it a glossy surface—so much so that the tea's original aroma was lost.

criticized such

processing.

In addition, the ideal color of tea was considered to be white, rather than green or brown. However, since tea powder

could not usually be made white, various processing methods had to be employed to whiten it. For example, tea buds

were plucked just after sprouting, repeatedly squeezed, and water was added repeatedly during grinding. A type of white

tea called "water buds" (

水芽

) was also made, in which the leafy part of the sprout was removed, leaving only the

veins as raw material.

Declining usage of compressed tea

The complex manufacturing process of lump tea during the

required significant labor and expense, and even

the slightest error could result in failure. As a result, it was costly and inaccessible to the common people. During

the

, "bitter when sipped and sweet when swallowed" (

The Classic of Tea

) was regarded as the ideal taste

of tea. However, in the

, this ideal was deliberately replaced with four desirable qualities: "aroma,

sweetness, richness, and smoothness" (

Treatise on Tea

This shift represented an attempt to eliminate the natural

bitterness of tea. As a result, lump tea became an expensive and complicated product, and some scholars suggest this

contributed to its rapid decline after the

In the

, the founding emperor

issued a ban on the production of compressed tea in 1391. This

decree led to the abandonment of compressed tea in China. Instead, a new method—similar to modern tea preparation—in

which

is steeped in hot water and extracted, became the mainstream practice.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang in his old

age,

1397

Wanli ye huo bian

("Unofficial Gleanings of the

Era",

萬厲野獲

編

), it is recorded:

At the beginning of the Ming dynasty, teas from all over China were offered to

the emperor, among which

tea and Yángxiàn tea were the most highly

valued. At that time, the Song dynasty production method was still in use, and all the tea offered was ground and

kneaded with a medicine grinder into shapes known as

lóngtuán

(

龍團

lit.

lump of dragon

), both large and small.

However, in September of the 24th year of Hongwu, the emperor discontinued the production of

lóngtuán

due to the

heavy burden it placed on the people. Instead, he ordered that only tea buds be plucked and offered to the

court.

With the prohibition of compressed tea, the powdered tea associated with it also fell into disuse in China.

In Japan, however, a tradition of powdered tea preparation was preserved. Through innovations such as shade cultivation

of tea leaves (

覆下栽培

) and stone-milling, Japan eventually developed what is now known as

matcha

, which over time

was deeply shaped by

and cultural principles.

Some historians have pointed out that, as the

emphasized agriculture and held a strong military ethos—and

since the

himself had risen from the lowest social strata—he may have viewed the elaborate and refined

nature of compressed tea with disdain.

Japan

Yagen

(

藥研

)

, meaning "Medicine

Grindstone"

The earliest documented reference to tea in Japan appears in the 9th century, in an

entry in the

concerning the

Eichū

(

永忠

)

, who is believed

to have brought tea back from China. According to the entry, Eichū personally

prepared and served

sencha

(

煎茶

)

during an imperial excursion to

(in present-day

) in 815.

This

sencha

is believed to

have been Chinese compressed tea, rather than the modern form of

sencha

in which tea leaves are steeped in hot water

for infusion.

In 816, by imperial order, tea plantations were established in the

region. However, public interest in tea soon

declined.

Powdered tea first arrived in Japan around the 12th century. It can be traced back to Tang dynasty China, where

Chinese Zen (Chan) monks were the first to grind bricks of tea into fine powder with a pestle and mortar. Japanese

monk

travelled to China around the late 1180s, and encountered a drink at the temples there that the

Chinese called as "mo cha", which involved pouring hot water over powdered tea and whisking it with a bamboo whisk.

Eisai was credited to have brought back this

style of tea preparation to Japan. In China, this practise

of mo cha however faded over the next centuries

during the

, but it continued in Japan, and become a key

part of Japanese Zen Buddhist culture.

According to the

published by the Government of

Japan, they wrote;

During the Kamakura period, a new method of tea drinking—matcha (tencha)—was introduced by Chinese merchants

visiting for trade or by monks who had studied in China...

During this period, matcha was served by having

guests hold a tenmoku bowl filled with powdered tea (matcha). Servants carrying a jōhei (tōbin) and a chasen

(tea whisk) would circulate, pour hot water, and stir the mixture. This method of preparing tea was documented

in Song Dynasty tea texts, such as Emperor Huizong's Grand Treatise on Tea, confirming it was existed during

the Song Dynasty. The "Four-Head Tea Ceremony" performed at ancient Zen temples like Kennō-ji and Kennin-ji

actually preserves this ancient form.

Eisai authored the

Kissa Yōjōki

(

喫茶養生記

;

Book of Drinking Tea for Health

)

and presented it to

, the third

of the

, in 1214. At the time, tea was regarded as a form of medicine.

The

Kissa Yōjōki

describes the methods of tea preparation Eisai observed during his time in the Song dynasty.

According to the text, tea leaves were plucked in the morning, steamed immediately, and then placed on a roasting

rack to be left overnight.

This method is believed to have been introduced to Japan at that time. However, a

major difference is that modern matcha production omits the long roasting process, apart from drying for

approximately 30 minutes. At the time, the tea was a brownish-black lump, rather than the bright green powder of

modern matcha.

It is thought that this lump tea was ground into powder and consumed in a manner similar to modern

matcha.

Characters for

matcha

(

抹茶

)

the Japanese dictionary

Unpo Iroha

Shū

(1548)

In Japan, illustrations of "

matcha jars

" (

抹茶壺

, in this case referring to

) appear in the

(

君台観左右帳記

, literally "Record of

Appraising Objects for the Lord’s Viewing Stand"), a

manual on

art connoisseurship and interior decoration compiled by the art connoisseurs

and

for the shogun

. The "Nōami-bon" (1476)

and "Sōami-

bon" (1511)

314

versions of this text both include such illustrations,

indicating that the term matcha (

抹茶

) was already in use in the late 15th century. Furthermore, in the oldest

surviving manuscript of the Sōami-bon, the "

manuscript" (dated to 1559, the second year of

the characters

抹茶

are glossed with the phonetic reading "Surichatsubo" (

スリチヤツホ

), indicating that the word may

originally have been pronounced suricha rather than matcha.

The characters for matcha (

抹茶

) also appear in the Japanese dictionary

(1548), compiled during the

Muromachi period.

The

Book of Agriculture

(1313) by

(

fl.

1290–1333) of the Yuan dynasty includes the

terms

mòchá

(

末茶

) and

mòzichá

(

末子茶

). One theory suggests that these words were adopted and transformed into the

term "matcha" in Japan.

However, as this book was published about a century after Eisai, no documentary evidence

confirms whether these terms were introduced to Japan or evolved into "matcha" by the 16th century.

Moreover, whether read as matcha or suricha, the term

抹茶

literally means "tea that has been ground". In contrast,

the terms

末茶

(mòchá) and

末子茶

(mòzichá) mean "tea reduced to powder," and thus differ not only in characters and

pronunciation, but also in meaning.

[

]

's disciple, the monk

(1173–1232), received a tea urn containing seeds from Eisai and established a tea

plantation in Togano'o,

, by sowing them there. During the

(1185–1333), Togano'o tea was known as

honcha

(

本茶

;

real tea

)

, while teas from other regions were referred to as

hicha

(

非茶

;

non-tea

)

Togano'o tea gained the highest reputation at the time. Myōe also established tea plantations in

, Kyoto, which

subsequently became Japan's foremost tea-producing region.

Popularization and refinement of matcha

In Japan, matcha became an important item at Zen monasteries and was highly valued by the upper classes from the 14th

to the 16th centuries. Until the 13th century, matcha was made by grinding tea leaves with a grinder called a

(

薬研

)

, but the particles were rough and coarse in texture. In the 14th century, however, a stone mill specialized for

tea appeared, producing finer powder and improving the quality of matcha.

During the

(1336–1573), tea spread among the general public. Among the elite, it became fashionable

to drink tea using expensive Chinese ceramics known as

karamono

(

唐物

;

Tang Dynasty things

)

. In the 16th

century, however, tea masters such as

and

emphasized simplicity, giving rise to the

. This practice prioritized introspection over ostentation and came to favor simple utensils. The

aesthetic, which finds beauty in modesty, simplicity, and imperfection, became closely associated with the tea

ceremony.

Tea bowl, known as

Suehiro

studio of

The part of "Making tea" from

the

Picture Scroll of the Origin

of Kiyomizu-dera Temple

, 1517

It was long believed that the practice of growing

under shade by covering

them with straw or reeds began in Japan in the late 16th century. For example, the

Portuguese missionary

, who arrived in Japan in 1577, wrote

about shaded cultivation in his 1604 work,

History of the Japanese Church

(

Historia

da Igreja do Japão

). However, recent soil analyses of

plantations suggest

that the practice began in the first half of the 15th century at the latest.

This technique, originally intended to protect tea sprouts from frost damage, led to

the development of a unique Japanese matcha (

tencha

) that was bright green and had a

distinctive aroma and flavor. By limiting exposure to sunlight,

the leaves is inhibited, preventing the conversion of

—a component responsible for

—into

, which

cause bitterness and astringency. As a result, the tea leaves retain a higher umami content.

Shaded cultivation

also increases the concentration of

in the leaves, resulting in a vibrant green color.

Until then,

matcha introduced from China was brown in color—hence the Japanese word for "brown",

茶色

(

chairo

), literally means

"tea color".

Traditions

depicting tea picking in

Uji, Kyoto. The painting was made

(1842–1894).

Since the

, the term

tea master

(

茶師

chashi

)

referred to tea

manufacturers and sellers. During the

(1603–1867), it came to refer

specifically to the

official tea masters

(

御用茶師

goyō chashi

)

of Uji, Kyoto,

whose status was guaranteed by the

. Uji tea masters were divided

into three ranks:

gomotsu

tea masters

(

御物茶師

gomotsu chashi

)

ofukuro

tea

masters

(

御袋茶師

ofukuro chashi

)

, and

otōri

tea masters

(

御通茶師

otōri chashi

)

They were permitted to use

their family names and carry swords like samurai. They dealt exclusively with the

, the imperial court, and

feudal lords, and did not sell tea to commoners.

Shaded cultivation of tea was permitted only for Uji tea masters,

who held a monopoly on the production of high-grade matcha and

gyokuro

(premium sencha).

The oldest known brand of matcha is

Baba Mukashi

(

祖母昔

;

grandmother's old days

)

. "Grandmother" refers to

Myōshūni (

妙秀尼

, d. 1598), daughter of

, who married Kanbayashi Hisashige. She was affectionately

called "Baba" by

. Myōshūni was skilled in tea preparation, and Ieyasu often drank her tea. The matcha

made using her method was named

Baba Mukashi

and was later served to the shogun.

According to one theory, the name

Baba Mukashi

was bestowed by Ieyasu himself.

Other well-known brands included

Hatsu Mukashi

(

初昔

;

first old days

)

and

Ato Mukashi

(

後昔

;

later old

days

)

, both of which were also presented to the shogun.

Taka no Tsume

(

鷹の爪

;

hawk's claw

)

and

Shiro

(

白

;

white

)

were also well-known.

At the time, matcha was shipped in tea jars filled with

tencha

(unground leaf tea), which was later ground into powder

using a tea grinder. The event of transporting tea jars from Uji to Edo (now Tokyo) for presentation to the shogun was

called the

Ochatsubo Dōchū

(

御茶壺道中

;

tea jar journey

)

and even feudal lords were required to stand aside

when the procession passed. The tradition continued from 1633 until 1866, near the end of the Edo period.

Modern developments

Following the

in 1868, Japan underwent rapid modernization and political restructuring. As the feudal

system was abolished and the power of the

dissolved, the traditional clientele for matcha—including the

shogun, feudal lords, and imperial court nobles—disappeared. This led to a sharp decline in the cultural and economic

significance of matcha, which had long been a symbol of elite refinement and ceremonial practice.

Tea producers in Uji, who had enjoyed exclusive rights to shaded cultivation and the production of

tencha

, lost their

privileged position in the industry. Until then, only authorized Uji tea masters had been permitted to grow tea under

shade and supply the high-quality leaves used for matcha and

. With the end of these monopolistic privileges,

shaded cultivation techniques gradually spread to other regions of Japan, allowing tea farmers outside Uji to produce

tencha as well.

Despite this shift, the industry adapted through technological advancements and modernization. One notable development

was the invention of the

tencha

dryer

(

碾茶乾燥機

tencha kansōki

)

during the

(1912–1926) to early

(1926–

1989) periods. These machines used radiant heat to efficiently dry steamed tea leaves, significantly improving product

quality compared to the earlier

hoiro

(

焙炉

)

method, which used charcoal-fired hearths and paper supports to dry the

leaves by hand.

The establishment of research institutions, such as the

Kyoto Prefectural Tea Industry Research Institute

(

京都府茶業研

究所

)

, further contributed to the modernization and quality improvement of matcha production.

Throughout the 20th century, matcha remained central to the practice of the

, preserved by major

tea schools such as

and

. Its role in cultural education expanded through school tea ceremony clubs

and public workshops, maintaining its status as a traditional beverage in Japan.

It has been adopted into various products such as matcha lattes, desserts, and confections. The term "matcha" has

become widely recognized globally, and Japanese producers have promoted exports of high-quality matcha under regional

brands, particularly from

, and

As demand grows, concerns have also emerged about maintaining quality standards and ensuring the authenticity of

Japanese matcha. Both the public and private sectors are working to preserve traditional production methods and

promote environmentally sustainable cultivation practices.

In recent years, some Kyoto-based tea companies have implemented purchase limits on premium matcha due to supply

constraints, particularly of first-flush matcha, which was historically reserved for tea ceremonies but is now widely

consumed overseas.

The labor-intensive nature of production, limited grinding capacity, and a shrinking number of tea farmers have added

further strain to the supply chain. In response, both government and industry stakeholders are exploring policy

reforms, subsidies, and regional diversification to protect traditional cultivation and meet ongoing international

demand.

In 2025, Matcha became more popular in Thailand, and its international popularity was seen as part of a trend for

"affordable luxury" products.

United States

Explosion in 21st century US

Matcha likely first entered the U.S. market through Japanese grocery stores in cities with large Japanese populations,

particularly Los Angeles and San Francisco.

While initially available through specialty importers and Japanese

markets, matcha remained relatively obscure in mainstream American culture for decades. The powdered green tea began

gaining significant traction in the early 2000s when specialty brands started targeting health food retailers

including

. The beverage's photogenic bright green color proved particularly well-suited to social

media platforms like

and

, helping it gain viral popularity among wellness enthusiasts and

influencers. Major coffee chains including

and

subsequently added matcha lattes and other

matcha-based drinks to their permanent menus, cementing its place in American café culture, with countless U.S.-based

brands popping up, including matcha-focused brands like Jade Leaf, Kettl, Shinzo Matcha, and Encha Matcha, and

lifestyle brands offering matcha options like Chamberlain Coffee.

Because of the increased demand, a matcha shortage ensued in Japan.

Major Japanese producers including Marukyu

Koyamaen and Ippodo announced limited availability or suspended sales of matcha products in late 2024, with the 2025

harvest yielding 20% less than the previous year. The shortage was further complicated when the United States

on Japanese imports in August 2025,

compounding already-doubled wholesale prices and raising

ethical questions about whether Western consumer trends were placing unsustainable pressure on traditional Japanese tea

farming practices.

[

]

Characteristics

The characteristics of matcha are as follows:

Color: bright green, might be dark green depending on which leaves are used

Flavor: strong

flavor

Aroma: unique

ooikou

(

覆い香

)

, like

The characteristic bright green color is due to the increased

that the plants need to collect more light

in the shade.

The flavor of matcha is dominated by its

The

ooikou

aroma is due to the matcha's

content.

Green tea is more umami oriented than

and the matcha form is particularly rich in umami flavor with

twice the amino acids (the source of umami) as

green tea.

The

, and

are the primary contributors to matcha's umami flavor.

The growing of

tencha

, which serves as

the material for producing matcha, relies on the

tencha

plant being grown in shade, therefore, not breaking down the

content of

on the leaves. Shading increases the amount of

and total free amino acids but also

reduces the accumulation of

in leaves.

Matcha tea contains

, including high amounts of

Like all tea, matcha naturally

contains

. Research, published in

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

journal, found that shading, a cultivation

method that is used in the production of matcha, may increase oxalate concentration. The study further suggests that

oxalate concentration in matcha may be higher than in unshaded teas like sencha.

Production

The majority of matcha is produced in Japan, where it is highly regarded as part of the

(chanoyu (茶の

湯)) as well as used in sweets, baking, and confections. China and Vietnam also produce some matcha intended for

export. This is a more recent modern development, and their production methods may differ significantly from the

traditional Japanese method.

In Japanese production, the leaves of tencha are steamed and dried to prevent any further

. It is usually

steamed at

100

°C (212

°F)

for 10–15 seconds. The steaming softens the tea leaves and deactivates the oxidizing

enzymes. The leaves are then dried in a tea processing machine and spread on a

. The temperature inside

the machine is set to approximately 170–200

°C (338–392 °F) in the drying process, but the temperature of the tea

leaves themselves is around 70

°C.

This leads to the suppression of

After drying, the tencha is aged for several months in cool, dry conditions, and blended by expert tasters. The leaves

are then ground in a

to make matcha.

Tencha on traditional stone mill in

Japan

Close-up of a traditional granite

stone mill grinding tencha leaves

into fine matcha powder.

In the past, the prepared tea leaves would be ground by hand in a single-purpose

, which produces a finer

grind than those used for grain and pulse flours, but today matcha producers use mechanically turned stone mills – the

slow speed of grinding and use of cool grinding rooms prevents heating the tea and deteriorating the quality.

Preparation

Matcha is typically consumed by mixing with hot water. There are two kinds of matcha tea

–

koicha

(

濃茶

)

and

usucha

(

薄茶

)

Koicha is made by higher-grade matcha

and less hot water with a lower temperature than for

usucha.

Usucha is foamed to reduce

while koicha is not foamed.

Specifically, koicha is made

from

g (0.14

oz)

matcha and

ml (1.1

imp

oz; 1.0

oz)

of hot water at

°C (176

°F)

, and usucha is made

with half matcha in twice the volume of hot water at

°C (194

°F)

Due to the above differences,

koicha has more of an original taste of matcha than usucha.

In Japanese ceremony

Koicha stirred with chasen in a

chawan

Usucha

Drinking koicha is considered the main part of

while

drinking usucha is considered as a sub-part of it.

In the ceremonies, matcha is

stored and made using a special teaware called

. Specifically, matcha for

koicha and usucha are stored in special containers named

chaire

(

茶入

)

and

natsume

(

棗

)

respectively. Before use, the matcha can be sifted through a

to reduce

clumps.

Matcha is scooped out from these containers by

chashaku

(

茶杓

)

, a

traditional Japanese spoon. Matcha and hot water are then put in a

(

茶碗

)

the bowl, and stirred with

chasen

(

茶筅

)

, a whisk usually made from bamboo. It is

drunk from the chawan. One drinks matcha after finishing (not during) eating sweets to allow a prolonged taste of the

matcha.

Chaire

Natsume

Upper left: chasen, upper

right: chawan, lower right:

chashaku

A hostess prepares matcha

during a Japanese outdoor tea

ceremony.

Difference from other Japanese green tea

There are several types of powdered Japanese green tea and the differences are as follows.

Japanese powdered green tea

matcha

(

抹茶

)

matcha

hōjicha

funmatsucha

(

粉末

茶

)

(

粉茶

)

(

イ

ンスタントティー

)

Feature

Tea grown in the

shade, steamed,

and dried without

being rolled and

ground to a fine

powder

(charcoal

roasted green

tea) that has

been powdered

into matcha

A powdered green tea

that does not use

tencha, instead

other Japanese

greens are used,

Leftover dust, leaves and bits

from the green tea production

process, which is sieved

during the finishing process.

Less expensive than other

green teas.

Water-soluble

component

extracted from

green tea,

concentrated,

dried, and made

into powder

How to

drink

Drink by mixing with hot water

Drink using a teapot or a tea

strainer

Drink tea

dissolved in hot

water

All of the above ones are made from

var.

sinensis

(Chinese, small-leaf tea).

Other uses

Matcha (or

under the name of "matcha"

) is used in

, and

; as a topping for shaved

ice (

); mixed with milk and sugar as a drink; and mixed with salt and used to flavor

in a mixture

known as

matcha-jio

. It is also used as flavoring in many Western-style

, and

, such as

cakes and pastries, including

and

, and

. Matcha

is sold in shops and can be made at home using

. The snacks

and

have matcha-flavoured versions in Japan.

It may also be mixed into other forms of tea. For

example, it is added to

to form

matcha-iri genmaicha

(literally, roasted brown rice and green tea with

added matcha).

The use of

matcha

in modern drinks has also spread to North American cafés, such as

, which introduced "green

tea lattes" and other matcha-flavored drinks after they became successful in their Japanese store locations.

in Japan, it has become integrated into

, iced drinks,

, and smoothies.

at a

restaurant in

Matcha cake

Matcha

Cha-

roll

Matcha

topped with

whipped cream

matcha in