Matcha is one of the most famous teas in Japan and soon to be in the world. Tencha, the type of tea used in Matcha, is grown in the shade for four weeks which helps bring out the nutrients of the tea and brings a great umami taste. After this process, the tea is ground into a fine powder using a special stone mill, turning the Tencha into Matcha. Matcha is known to bring the body many more nutrients than your average tea due to drinking the whole leaf in powder form compared with to just steeping the tea leaves.
Our Matcha comes from the famous city of Uji in the Kyoto prefecture where the highest quality of Matcha is produced. It is popularly believed that the first tea leaves to come out of China were planted in Kyoto. Matcha is historically used in the famous Japanese tea ceremony but is also now enjoyed by all people. Traditionally, Matcha is prepared in a glazed ceramic bowl in which a small scoop of Matcha is placed, then whisked with a small amount of water until foam appears on top. Matcha Imperial is made using young leaves, which are hand picked from the first flush harvest. This is the highest grade of Usu-cha (thin tea) that we carry and is perfect for receiving special guests at the tea ceremony.