The short answer
- Matcha comes from Japan, made from the same plant as all true tea, Camellia sinensis.
- The plants are shaded before picking, then the leaves are steamed, dried and ground into a fine powder.
- Powdered tea came from China. The monk Eisai brought it to Japan in 1191.
- Today the best-known regions are Uji, Nishio, Shizuoka, Kagoshima and Yame. Our matcha comes from Shizuoka.
Matcha comes from Japan. It is made from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, the same plant as all green, black and oolong tea. What makes it matcha is the way it is grown and made: the plants are shaded, and the leaves are steamed, dried and ground into a fine, bright green powder.
How matcha is made
- Shaded. For about three weeks before picking, the tea plants are covered so they grow in shade. The leaves stay soft, sweet and deeply green.
- Picked. The first harvest of the year is picked in spring, usually from late April into May.
- Steamed and dried. The leaves are steamed straight away, then dried flat, without rolling.
- Sorted. The stems and veins are taken out. What is left is called tencha.
- Ground. The tencha is ground slowly into matcha.
Because you drink the whole leaf, everything about how it was grown ends up in your cup, the color and taste too.
A short history of matcha
- China. Powdered tea, whisked in a bowl, was drunk in China centuries before it reached Japan.
- 1191. The Japanese monk Eisai brought tea seeds and the way of whisking powdered tea home from China.
- Uji, near Kyoto. By the 16th century, tea growers around Uji were shading their fields, the step that gives matcha its sweetness and color. Matcha became part of the tea ceremony.
- Today. Matcha is drunk all over the world, in a bowl, a latte or a cake.
Where matcha is grown in Japan
| Region | Where |
|---|---|
| Uji | Kyoto, where shading the fields began |
| Nishio | Aichi, central Japan |
| Shizuoka | Between Tokyo and Kyoto, below Mount Fuji |
| Kagoshima | The far south of Japan |
| Yame | Fukuoka, on the southern island of Kyushu |
Matcha is also made in China and elsewhere today. Most matcha with a named region on the tin comes from one of these.
Shizuoka, where our matcha comes from
Our matcha comes from Shizuoka, Japan. It lies between Tokyo and Kyoto, with Mount Fuji to the north, and it has more tea fields than anywhere else in Japan, about a third of the country's total.
We buy through a supplier who has worked with the same producers for ten years and visits them twice a year. I have not been to Japan myself yet. It is my plan to go and meet the farm.
Our Ceremonial Matcha is from the first harvest, of the Okumidori cultivar, ground in small batches on stone. You can read more about why we started Efflo in our story.
What to look for in matcha
Good matcha is bright green, smells fresh and grassy, and tastes smooth and sweet, not bitter. If it smells like seaweed or tastes harsh with water alone, it is not what the name promises.
Ready to try it? Here is how to make matcha, step by step. And if you are curious what is in your cup, read about matcha and caffeine.
Questions
What plant does matcha come from?
The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, the same plant that gives green, black and oolong tea. What makes it matcha is how it is grown and made: shaded, steamed, dried and ground.
Is all matcha from Japan?
No. Matcha is also made in China and elsewhere. Most matcha with a named region on the tin comes from Japan.
What is Uji matcha?
Matcha from the Uji area near Kyoto, where shading the tea fields began. It is the best-known matcha region, though not the biggest.
Where is most of Japan's tea grown?
Shizuoka has more tea fields than any other part of Japan, about a third of the country's total. Kagoshima, in the far south, comes second.
When is matcha picked?
The first harvest of the year is picked in spring, usually from late April into May. It gives the youngest, softest leaves.
