What Is Matcha? A Thoughtful Introduction
To understand what matcha truly is, it helps to start with one simple fact: matcha comes from green tea.
The word matcha literally means “powdered tea” in Japanese. It is made from green tea leaves that are grown under shade for several weeks before harvest. After harvesting, the leaves are processed at a tea factory and finally ground into a fine powder. Only at this stage is it considered matcha.
Matcha’s Origins: From China to Japan
Today, matcha is widely recognized as a Japanese tea made from young green tea leaves. However, the story of matcha begins much earlier in China, where green tea has been cultivated for thousands of years.
In short, Chinese Buddhist monks were among the first to grind green tea into powder. They discovered that drinking powdered tea helped calm the mind while maintaining alertness—qualities that aligned well with meditation and spiritual practice. In the 12th century, Japanese Buddhist monks traveling to China learned this method and brought it back to Japan.
Over time, the practice of drinking powdered tea faded in China, but Japanese monks continued to refine and preserve it. This tradition gradually evolved into the distinctive Japanese tea culture we know today, with matcha at its heart.
Matcha vs Regular Green Tea
Although matcha and green tea share similar flavor roots, there are several important differences.
The most significant distinction is that matcha is made by grinding the entire tea leaf, while regular green tea is prepared by steeping leaves in water and then discarding them. Because you consume the whole leaf with matcha, its taste, nutritional profile, and intensity are far more concentrated.
Lower-quality matcha may taste aggressively bitter, while well-made matcha offers layered, nuanced flavors that unfold gradually on the palate.
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
High-quality matcha has a fresh aroma and a complex range of flavors. Depending on the blend, you may notice notes that are sweet, nutty, vegetal, savory, or rich in umami.
Much like wine, matcha’s flavor is deeply influenced by its growing environment and processing methods. Soil composition, climate, humidity, rainfall, and altitude all play a role. In historic matcha-producing regions such as Uji, growers carefully manage these variables to highlight specific flavor profiles, resulting in highly distinctive matcha styles.
Why Has Matcha Become So Popular?
If you first encountered matcha after 2015, it was likely framed as a “superfood” associated with health and wellness.
While some claims are supported by research, others rely on overly optimistic interpretations of green tea studies. For this reason, it’s wise to approach dramatic health claims with a critical eye—especially when they sound too good to be true.
What we do know is that matcha helps many people feel focused and alert. It contains caffeine, antioxidants, and amino acids, most notably L-theanine. L-theanine promotes calmness and mental clarity while moderating how caffeine is released into the bloodstream. As a result, matcha often provides a longer-lasting, steadier boost compared to coffee, without the sharp peaks and crashes.
For many, matcha has simply become a thoughtful alternative to coffee.
Where to Find Quality Matcha Powder
Matcha is a Japanese tea, and we recommend sourcing matcha that is produced in Japan.
The highest-quality matcha is typically made from first-harvest leaves that have been shade-grown for several weeks. Because matcha is relatively expensive, it’s important to research brands carefully before purchasing.
Kyoto Prefecture—particularly the city of Uji—is often cited as the birthplace of matcha and remains closely associated with traditional tea ceremony matcha. However, due to limited production, other regions such as Kagoshima and Shizuoka have expanded their matcha cultivation.
Kagoshima, in particular, has emerged as an exciting region, with producers creating distinctive blends and new expressions of matcha for both domestic and international audiences.
Why Is Matcha So Expensive?
Even as exports increase, matcha remains costly due to its labor-intensive production.
Tea fields must be designated years in advance. Before harvest, tea plants are shaded for 4–8 weeks to concentrate nutrients in the young leaves. Installing, maintaining, and removing shade structures adds significant cost.
After harvest, matcha undergoes additional processing steps compared to regular green tea. The leaves are de-stemmed, de-veined, steamed, dried, cut into small pieces, and stored in refrigerated conditions. Grinding matcha into powder requires special clean rooms, as the fine powder easily spreads and settles on surfaces.
These extra steps in cultivation, processing, storage, and packaging all contribute to matcha’s higher price.
How to Get Started With Matcha
At YUZUKI, we believe there is no single “correct” way to enjoy matcha.
While traditional preparation—such as usucha (thin tea) and koicha (thick tea) served in Japanese tea ceremonies—remains culturally significant, modern approaches make matcha more accessible. From simple matcha tea to lattes, cold brews, and other preparations, there are many ways to explore matcha at your own pace.
The Japanese tea ceremony itself traces back to feudal Japan, where tea was a symbol of refinement and status. Over centuries, the careful preparation and sharing of matcha evolved into a ritual centered on mindfulness, hospitality, and respect.
Whether you are seeking high-quality matcha for traditional preparation, or simply looking for a balanced and enjoyable addition to your daily routine, there is a matcha for everyone.
