What is Matcha?
Matcha is finely stone-milled Japanese green tea, traditionally enjoyed in the tea ceremony and now loved worldwide for its vibrant colour, gentle energy, and rich umami taste.
A Simple Definition: Matcha in One Cup
Unlike regular green tea, where you steep the leaves and discard them, matcha is tea leaves that have been grown in the shade, carefully processed, and stone-milled into a very fine powder. When you drink matcha, you whisk the powder directly into water and consume the entire leaf. This is why matcha has such a vivid colour, intense flavour, and higher concentration of beneficial compounds compared with ordinary green tea.
In Japan, matcha is most closely associated with the chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony), but today it is also used for matcha lattes, desserts, smoothies, and even savoury dishes.
Where Did Matcha Come From?
The roots of matcha go back hundreds of years. Powdered green tea methods first travelled from China to Japan with Buddhist monks. Over time, Japan refined the cultivation and preparation techniques and developed what we now recognise as authentic Japanese matcha.
Within Japan, the region of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture became especially famous for matcha. Cool misty mornings, well-drained hillsides, and experienced tea-farming families helped Uji earn a reputation for producing some of the most elegant and balanced matcha in the country. When you see the term Uji matcha, it usually refers to matcha grown and processed in this historic Kyoto tea region.
How Is Matcha Grown and Made?
Matcha starts with the same plant as other green teas, Camellia sinensis, but the way it is grown and processed is very different. This is what gives matcha its deep colour, natural sweetness, and smooth umami.
- Shading the tea plants – Around 3–4 weeks before harvest, farmers cover the tea gardens to reduce sunlight. This shading encourages the plants to produce more chlorophyll and amino acids like L-theanine, making the leaves greener and less bitter.
- Picking the youngest leaves – Only the tender new growth at the top of the plant is plucked for high-quality matcha.
- Steaming and drying – Fresh leaves are briefly steamed to stop oxidation, then carefully dried.
- Removing stems and veins – The dried leaf material is sorted so that only the softest leaf tissue remains. This intermediate tea is called tencha.
- Stone-milling into a fine powder – The tencha is then slowly ground between traditional stone mills into an ultra-fine powder. This slow process protects aroma and flavour and prevents overheating.
If you’d like a more detailed step-by-step explanation of shading, steaming, and stone-milling, you can read our in-depth guide: How Is Matcha Powder Made?
Matcha vs. Regular Green Tea
It can be helpful to think of matcha as a special sub-category of Japanese green tea. Here are the key differences:
- Preparation – With sencha or other loose-leaf teas, you steep the leaves in hot water and then remove them. With matcha, you whisk the powder into water and drink the entire leaf.
- Texture and body – Matcha has a creamy, almost velvety mouthfeel because of the suspended particles of tea leaf.
- Flavour – Good matcha is rich, smooth, and full of umami, with gentle sweetness and very little bitterness. Lower-quality matcha can taste more astringent or flat.
- Appearance – High-grade matcha has a bright, vivid green colour. Dull yellow-green tones can be a sign of lower quality or poor storage.
What Does Matcha Taste Like?
The flavour of matcha is unique and can be surprising the first time you try it. A well-balanced ceremonial grade matcha is:
- Rich and vegetal, with notes of young green leaves
- Full of umami, that savoury depth often described as “brothy”
- Gently sweet, especially on the finish
- Smooth and creamy when properly whisked
If matcha tastes very bitter, harsh, or sandy, it may be a lower-grade powder, badly stored, or prepared with water that is too hot. When the quality is right and the preparation is careful, matcha is surprisingly soft and approachable.
Ceremonial Matcha, Usucha, and Koicha
In Japan, high-quality matcha used for drinking is often called ceremonial grade matcha. This doesn’t mean it can only be used in a formal tea ceremony. Instead, it signals that the tea is made from carefully shaded, first spring harvest leaves with a smooth, elegant flavour profile.
There are also traditional ways to prepare matcha:
- Usucha (“thin tea”) – The most common everyday preparation. A smaller amount of matcha is whisked with more water to create a lighter, slightly foamy tea.
- Koicha (“thick tea”) – Made with more matcha and less water. The result is dense, syrupy, and incredibly intense, traditionally served at formal tea gatherings.
If you’d like to understand how ceremonial matcha compares with blends used for lattes, baking, and ice cream, you can explore our guide: Ceremonial vs. Culinary Matcha .
Ways to Enjoy Matcha at Home
There is no single “correct” way to drink matcha in daily life. Here are some popular options:
- Traditional usucha – Whisk 1–2 grams of matcha with around 60–80 ml of hot water (around 70–80 °C) using a bamboo whisk.
- Hot matcha latte – Prepare a smooth matcha base, then top up with warm milk or a plant-based alternative.
- Iced matcha or iced lattes – Shake or whisk matcha with cool water, pour over ice, and add milk or sweetener if you like.
- In the kitchen – Use suitable matcha blends in cakes, tiramisu, cookies, chocolates, and smoothies for colour and flavour.
If you want to experience matcha in a more traditional style, having the right tools helps. A chasen (bamboo whisk) creates a fine foam and smooth texture, and a chawan (matcha bowl) gives you space to whisk properly. You can explore bowls and accessories on our dedicated page: Matcha Bowls & Tea Tools .
Why Many Tea Lovers Choose Uji Matcha
While you can find matcha from various regions, Uji in Kyoto is often considered one of the birthplaces of premium matcha. Long-established tea farms, carefully shaded gardens, and generations of experience in steaming and stone-milling combine to create teas with remarkable balance and depth.
At Premium Health Japan, we specialise in Uji matcha from the Kyoto region, including single-origin and single-cultivar teas produced in small batches. Our focus is on transparent sourcing, close relationships with local growers, and careful handling from the tencha factory through to final packaging.
If you’re ready to explore these teas for yourself, you can browse our range of matcha here: All Matcha Products .
In Summary: What Is Matcha?
Matcha is shade-grown Japanese green tea that has been steamed, dried, and stone-milled into a fine powder. You whisk it directly into water and drink the whole leaf, enjoying a combination of bright colour, gentle energy, and layered umami flavour that you simply can’t get from regular steeped tea.
Whether you prefer a quiet bowl of usucha, a creamy morning latte, or a matcha-infused dessert, there is a style of matcha to suit almost every taste and budget.