From en.wikipedia.org:
[Fine powder green tea] [the person] [date=April 2022] [date=April 2025]
{{Infobox Tea | Tea_name = _Matcha_ | Tea_type = Green tea | Tea_color = Green
| Tea_image = Matcha Scoop.jpg | Tea_origin = : China and Japan (powdered tea
origin: China; modern style: Japan — shade-grown, vibrant green, umami-rich) |
Tea_names = 抹茶, "fine powder tea" | Tea_quick = Japanese stone-ground powder
green tea of Chinese origin }} {{Infobox Chinese | title = Regional names |
float = right | collapse = yes | pic = Matcha (Chinese characters).svg |
piccap = "_Matcha_" in _kanji_ | picupright = 0.375 <!-- Chinese name -->| c =
末茶[1]<br />抹茶 | t = | s = | p = mǒchá | mi = [m] | j = mut3-caa4 | ci = [m] |
toi = | japanese_header = Japanese name | kanji = 抹茶 | kana = まっちゃ | revhep =
matcha | korean_header = Korean name | hangul = 말차 | hanja = 抹茶 | rr = malcha
| mr = malch'a | koreanname2 = Korean name 2 | hangul2 = 가루차 | rr2 = garucha |
mr2 = karuch'a }}
{{nihongo| MATCHA["Matcha", also called fine powder tea or powdered tea, is
the most common spelling, and accords with Hepburn romanization of the
hiragana [ja] . In Kunrei-shiki romanization (ISO 3602) it is "mattya".
"Maccha" is a nonstandard and uncommon spelling.] [ˈ][2][3]|抹茶}} is a finely
ground powder of green tea specially processed from shade-grown tea
leaves.[4][5][6] Shade growing gives matcha its characteristic bright green
color and strong umami flavor.[7][8] Matcha is typically consumed suspended in
hot water.
Powdered green tea originated in China, but the production of the raw material
for powdered green tea was banned in China in the 14th century during the Ming
dynasty.[9] Shade growing was invented in Japan in the 16th century[10] and
most matcha is produced there today.[11][date=August 2025] The traditional
Japanese tea ceremony, typically known as [chanoyu] or [sadō/chadō], 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 _mochi_ and _soba_
noodles, green tea ice cream, matcha lattes, and a variety of Japanese
_wagashi_ confectionery. For this purpose, matcha made green by color
additives instead of expensive shade-grown matcha is often used.[12][三木雄]
** Definition
Strict definitions of matcha are given by the International Organization for
Standardization,<ref name="ISO3" /> ISO 20715:2023 "Tea — Classification of
tea types", and the Japanese food labeling standard<ref
name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" /> defined by [Japan Tea Central Public
Interest Incorporated Association <ref name=":1" />].
Both definitions require that matcha must be:
1. made from _Camellia sinensis_ var. _sinensis_ (Chinese, small-leaf tea), <ref name="ISO3" /> <ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
2. grown in the shade, <ref name="ISO3" /> <ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
3. steamed and dried without being rolled, <ref name="ISO3" /> <ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
4. ground to a fine powder. <ref name="ISO3" /> <ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
The Japanese food labeling standard requires the tea leaves to be shaded for
2–3 weeks before harvesting using covering materials such as
_yoshizu_,[covering material made by reed] _komo_,[covering material made by
manchurian wild rice] or cheesecloth.<ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
Tea leaves after processing the first three steps are called [2=碾茶] in this
standard.<ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" /> ISO 20715:2023 allows
matcha to be made from tender leaves, buds, or shoots,<ref name="ISO3" /> but
Japanese food labeling standard allows it to be made only from leaves.<ref
name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
[fake matcha]Inexpensive green tea, [2=粉末茶], made by crushing non-shade grown
tea leaves, is sometimes sold under the name of "matcha"[三木雄] although it does
not satisfy the above definitions. The cheaper alternative is used to flavor
and dye foods.
** Characteristics
The characteristics of matcha are as follows:
- Color: bright green, might be dark green depending on which leaves are used
- Flavor: strong umami flavor
- Aroma: unique [覆い香] , like green laver [13]
The characteristic bright green color is due to the increased chloroplasts
that the plants need to collect more light in the shade.<ref name="oomori"
/><ref name="haraguchi" /> The flavor of matcha is dominated by its amino
acids.[14] The [ja-Latn] aroma is due to the matcha's dimethyl sulfide
content.<ref name="haraguchi" />
Green tea is more umami oriented than black tea[15] and the matcha form is
particularly rich in umami flavor with twice the amino acids (the source of
umami) as sencha green tea.<ref name="oomori" /> The amino acids, theanine,
succinic acid, gallic acid, and theogallin are the primary contributors to
matcha's umami flavor.[16][17] The growing of [ja-Latn], which serves as the
material for producing matcha, relies on the [ja-Latn] plant being grown in
shade, therefore, not breaking down the content of theanine on the leaves.
Shading increases the amount of caffeine and total free amino acids but also
reduces the accumulation of catechins in leaves.[18][19]
Matcha tea contains polyphenols, including high amounts of chlorogenic
acid.[20]
** Preparation
In production, the leaves of tencha are steamed and dried. It is usually
steamed at [100] 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 conveyor belt. The temperature inside the
machine is set to approximately 170–200[Nbsp]°C (338–392 °F) in the drying
process, but the temperature of the tea leaves themselves is around
70[Nbsp]°C.<ref name=":2" /> This leads to the suppression of glycosides.
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 grinding mill
to make matcha.[21] In the past, the prepared tea leaves would be ground by
hand in a single-purpose stone mill, 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. <!-- This is the
definition of different types of matcha rather than a Japan-specific
ceremonies section. -->Matcha is typically consumed by mixing with hot water.
There are two kinds of matcha tea – [2=濃茶] and [2=薄茶].[22] Koicha is made by
higher-grade matcha[23][24] and less hot water with a lower temperature than
for usucha.[25][26] Usucha is foamed to reduce astringency while koicha is not
foamed.<ref name=":3" />[27] Specifically, koicha is made from [4] matcha and
[30] of hot water at [80], and usucha is made with half matcha in twice the
volume of hot water at [90].<ref name=":3" />[28][29][30] Due to the above
differences, koicha has more of an original taste of matcha than usucha.<ref
name=":3" />
*** In Japanese ceremony
Drinking koicha is considered the main part of Japanese tea ceremony,[31]
while drinking usucha is considered as a sub-part of it.[32] In the
ceremonies, matcha is stored and made using a special teaware called _chaki_.
Specifically, matcha for koicha and usucha are stored in special containers,
[2=茶入] and [2=棗], respectively. Before use, the matcha can be sifted through
a sieve to reduce clumps.[33] Matcha is scooped out from these containers by
[2=茶杓], a traditional Japanese spoon. Matcha and hot water are then put in a
[2=茶碗], the bowl, and stirred with [2=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.[34][35]<gallery
widths="200"> File:Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum 2018 (009).jpg|Chaire
File:Chr natsume.jpg|Natsume File:Three piece matcha set.jpg|alt=upper left :
chasen (茶筅), upper right : chawan (茶碗), lower right: chashaku (茶杓)|Upper left:
chasen, upper right: chawan, lower right: chashaku File:Outdoor Tea
Ceremony.jpg|A hostess prepares matcha during a Japanese outdoor tea ceremony
</gallery>
** Difference from other Japanese green tea
[hunmatsucha]
There are four types of powdered Japanese green tea and the differences are as
follows. {| class="wikitable" |+Japanese powderly green tea ! ![2=抹茶]
![2=粉末茶] ![2=粉茶] ![2=インスタントティー] |- !Feature<ref
name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" /> |Tea grown in the shade, steamed, and
dried without being rolled and ground to a fine powder |Crushed tea leaves
|Powdered tea sieved during the finishing process |Water-soluble solid
component extracted from green tea, concentrated, dried, and made into powder
|- !How to drink | colspan="2" |Drink by mixing with hot water[36] |Drink
using a teapot or a tea strainer<ref name=":0" /> |Drink tea dissolved in hot
water[今井] |} All of the above ones are made from _Camellia sinensis_ var.
_sinensis_ (Chinese, small-leaf tea).<ref name="QA-food-labeling-standard2" />
** Production
The majority of matcha is produced in Japan, where it is highly regarded as
part of the tea ceremony ([2=茶の湯]), but rarely used otherwise. China and
Vietnam also produce some matcha intended for export to the Japanese market.
<ref name="japan_unique_teas" />
** Other uses
Matcha (or hunmatsucha under the name of "matcha"[三木雄]) is used in _castella_,
_manjū_, and _monaka_; as a topping for shaved ice (_kakigōri_); mixed with
milk and sugar as a drink; and mixed with salt and used to flavor tempura in a
mixture known as _matcha-jio_. It is also used as flavoring in many
Western-style chocolates, candy, and desserts, such as cakes and pastries,
including Swiss rolls and cheesecake, cookies, pudding, mousse, and green tea
ice cream. Matcha frozen yogurt is sold in shops and can be made at home
using Greek yogurt. The snacks Pocky and Kit Kat have matcha-flavoured
versions in Japan.[37] It may also be mixed into other forms of tea. For
example, it is added to _genmaicha_ 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 Starbucks, which introduced "green tea lattes" and other
matcha-flavored drinks after they became successful in their Japanese store
locations.[38][39] As in Japan, it has become integrated into matcha lattes,
iced drinks, milkshakes, and smoothies.[40][41] This increase in matcha-based
drinks in the U.S. is driven by a rise in consumer interest in healthier
beverage options, with many opting for matcha due to its perceived health
benefits and lower caffeine content compared to coffee.
<gallery widths="150px" heights="150px" mode="packed"> File:Matcha ice cream
001.jpg|Matcha ice cream at a restaurant in Tokyo File:Matcha and Redbean
Cake.jpg|Matcha cake File:Matcha tiramisu.jpg|Matcha tiramisu File:Soba sushi
w egg crab cucumber.JPG|_Cha- soba_ sushi roll File:2019 Nitro Matcha Cold
Brew.jpg|Matcha nitro cold brew topped with whipped cream File:Matcha tea
latte with rosetta latte art.jpg|Matcha latte File:Coffee bean Matcha
Sarangani1.jpg|Coffee bean chocolate matcha in Maitum </gallery>
** History
*** China
In China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), tea leaves were steamed and
pressed into tea bricks for storage and trade. According to Lu Yu's _The
Classic of Tea_ (760–762), tea was first made by roasting compressed tea over
a fire and then grinding it in a wooden grinder called a _niǎn_ ([zh],
Japanese: _yagen_), 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.[42][43] The tea was also sometimes mixed with green onions,
ginger, jujubes, mandarin orange peels, _Tetradium ruticarpum_, and mint.<ref
name="Luyu" />
**** Powdered and compressed teas
During the Song dynasty (960–1279), powdered tea made from steamed and dried
tea leaves became popular. The beverage was prepared by whipping the tea
powder with hot water in a bowl.[44] Although the term "matcha" ([zh]) 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.
The most famous references to powdered tea are Cai Xiang's _Record of Tea_
(1049–1053) and Emperor Huizong's _Treatise on Tea_ (1107), both written
during the Song dynasty (960–1279).[45][46] These documents describe the
preparation of high-grade compressed tea, such as _Lóngfèng Tuánchá_ ([zh],
[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 _Record of Tea_, 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
Kennin-ji in Kyoto and Engaku-ji in Kamakura are thought to preserve
traditions from the Song dynasty.[47]
The lump tea presented to the emperor was mixed with borneol, 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. Cai Xiang
criticized such processing.<ref name="Cai" /><ref name="Sen1957" />
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"
([zh]) was also made, in which the leafy part of the sprout was removed,
leaving only the veins as raw material.[48]
**** Declining usage of compressed tea
The complex manufacturing process of lump tea during the Song dynasty 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 Tang dynasty, "bitter when sipped and sweet when swallowed" (_The
Classic of Tea_) was regarded as the ideal taste of tea. However, in the Song
dynasty, this ideal was deliberately replaced with four desirable qualities:
"aroma, sweetness, richness, and smoothness" (_Treatise on Tea_).<ref
name="Teng1993" /> 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 Ming dynasty.<ref name="Teng1993" />
In the Ming dynasty, the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang 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 loose tea is steeped in hot water and extracted, became
the mainstream practice.
In Shen Defu's _Wanli ye huo bian_ ("Unofficial Gleanings of the Wanli Era",
[zh]), it is recorded:
At the beginning of the Ming dynasty, teas from all over China were offered to the emperor, among which Jianning 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_ ( [zh] , [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. <ref name="Shen2" /> [The original text is: " [lzh] "]
With the prohibition of compressed tea, the powdered tea associated with it
also fell into disuse in China. Thereafter, this form of powdered tea
preparation was preserved and further developed in Japan, shaped over time by
Japanese aesthetics and cultural principles.[49]
Some historians have pointed out that, as the Ming dynasty emphasized
agriculture and held a strong military ethos—and since the Hongwu Emperor
himself had risen from the lowest social strata—he may have viewed the
elaborate and refined nature of compressed tea with disdain.[50]
*** Japan
The earliest documented reference to tea in Japan appears in the 9th century,
in an entry in the [ja] concerning the Buddhist monk [Eichū], who is believed
to have brought tea back from China. According to the entry, Eichū personally
prepared and served [煎茶] to Emperor Saga during an imperial excursion to
Karasaki (in present-day Shiga Prefecture) in 815.<ref name="Nunome1982" />
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.<ref name="Nunome1982" />
In 816, by imperial order, tea plantations were established in the Kinki
region. However, public interest in tea soon declined.[51]
**** Introduction of powdered tea (precursor to matcha)
Powdered tea is generally believed to have been introduced to Japan from the
Song dynasty in China by the Zen monk Eisai in 1191, along with tea seeds. He
authored the [喫茶養生記] and presented it to Minamoto no Sanetomo, the third
shōgun of the Kamakura shogunate, in 1214. At the time, tea was regarded as a
form of medicine. The _Kissa Yōjōki_ describes the methods of tea preparation
Eisai observed 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 roast overnight.[52] 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.[53] It is thought that
this lump tea was ground into powder and consumed in a manner similar to
modern matcha.
The term [抹茶] does not appear in Chinese sources from the Song or Yuan
dynasties, nor in Eisai's writings. In Japan, the word "matcha" first appears
in the Japanese-language dictionary _Unpo Iroha Shū_ (1548), compiled during
the Muromachi period (1336–1573).[54] The _Book of Agriculture_ (1313) by Wang
Zhen ([floruit] 1290–1333) of the Yuan dynasty includes the terms [zh] ([zh])
and [zh] ([zh]). One theory suggests that these words were adopted and
transformed into the term "matcha" in Japan.[55] 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.
Eisai's disciple, the monk Myōe (1173–1232), received a tea urn containing
seeds from Eisai and established a tea plantation in Togano'o, Kyoto, by
sowing them there. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), Togano'o tea was
known as [本茶], while teas from other regions were referred to as [非茶].<ref
name=":2" /> Togano'o tea gained the highest reputation at the time. Myōe
also established tea plantations in Uji, 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.[56]
During the Muromachi period (1336–1573), tea spread among the general public.
Among the elite, it became fashionable to drink tea using expensive Chinese
ceramics known as [唐物]. In the 16th century, however, tea masters such as
Murata Jukō and Sen no Rikyū emphasized simplicity, giving rise to the
Japanese tea ceremony. This practice prioritized introspection over
ostentation and came to favor simple utensils. The wabi-sabi aesthetic, which
finds beauty in modesty, simplicity, and imperfection, became closely
associated with the tea ceremony.
It was long believed that the practice of growing tea plants under shade by
covering them with straw or reeds began in Japan in the late 16th century.
For example, the Portuguese missionary João Rodrigues Tçuzu, who arrived in
Japan in 1577, wrote about shaded cultivation in his 1604 work, _History of
the Japanese Church_ ([pt]). However, recent soil analyses of Uji tea
plantations suggest that the practice began in the first half of the 15th
century at the latest.[57]
This technique, originally intended to protect tea sprouts from frost damage,
led to the development of a unique Japanese matcha ([ja-Latn]) that was bright
green and had a distinctive aroma and flavor. By limiting exposure to
sunlight, photosynthesis in the leaves is inhibited, preventing the conversion
of theanine—a component responsible for umami—into tannins, which cause
bitterness and astringency. As a result, the tea leaves retain a higher umami
content.[58] Shaded cultivation also increases the concentration of
chlorophyll in the leaves, resulting in a vibrant green color.[59] Until then,
matcha introduced from China was brown in color—hence the Japanese word for
"brown", [ja] ([ja-Latn]), literally means "tea color".
**** Traditions
Since the Muromachi period, the term [_tea master_] referred to tea
manufacturers and sellers. During the Edo period (1603–1867), it came to
refer specifically to the [official tea masters] of Uji, Kyoto, whose status
was guaranteed by the Tokugawa shogunate. Uji tea masters were divided into
three ranks: [_gomotsu_ tea masters], [_ofukuro_ tea masters], and [_otōri_
tea masters].[60] They were permitted to use their family names and carry
swords like samurai. They dealt exclusively with the shogun, the imperial
court, and feudal lords, and did not sell tea to commoners.<ref
name="Anada1971" /> 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).<ref name="Anada1971" />
The oldest known brand of matcha is [祖母昔]. "Grandmother" refers to Myōshūni
([ja], d. 1598), daughter of Rokkaku Yoshikata, who married Kanbayashi
Hisashige. She was affectionately called "Baba" by Tokugawa Ieyasu. 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.[61] According to one theory, the name _Baba Mukashi_ was bestowed by
Ieyasu himself.[62]
Other well-known brands included [初昔] and [後昔], both of which were also
presented to the shogun. [鷹の爪] and [白] were also well-known.[63]
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 [御茶壺道中],[64] 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.<ref name=":5" />
**** Modern developments
Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan underwent rapid modernization
and political restructuring. As the feudal system was abolished and the power
of the shogunate 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
gyokuro. 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
[[ja-Latn] dryer] during the Taishō (1912–1926) to early Shōwa (1926–1989)
periods. These machines used radiant heat to efficiently dry steamed tea
leaves, significantly improving product quality compared to the earlier [焙炉]
method, which used charcoal-fired hearths and paper supports to dry the leaves
by hand.[65]
The establishment of research institutions, such as the [Kyoto Prefectural Tea
Industry Research Institute], further contributed to the modernization and
quality improvement of matcha production.[66]
Throughout the 20th century, matcha remained central to the practice of the
Japanese tea ceremony, preserved by major tea schools such as Urasenke and
Omotesenke. Its role in cultural education expanded through school tea
ceremony clubs and public workshops, maintaining its status as a traditional
beverage in Japan.[67]
In recent decades, matcha has seen growing international popularity as a
health food, owing to its rich concentrations of antioxidants, particularly
catechins and theanine. Clinical and preclinical research supports its
health-promoting properties, including stress reduction and cognitive
enhancement in humans, as well as potential cardiometabolic and anti-cancer
effects in animal models.[68]
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 Uji, Nishio, and Shizuoka Prefecture.[69]
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.[70]
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 demand.[71]
** See also
- Green tea
- Food powder
- Tea culture in Japan
** Notes
[Notelist]
** References
[Reflist]
*** Sources
- [last=三木雄 ]
- [last=正司 ]
- [last=公益社団法人日本茶業中央会 ]
- [last=今井 ]
** External links
- [Matcha]
[Japanese food and drink] [Teas] [Authority control]
Category:Chadō Category:Chinese tea Category:Food powders Category:Green tea
Category:Japanese green tea Category:Economy of the Tang dynasty