What Is Matcha
A fine powder from shade-grown tea leaves, and why you drink the whole leaf.
Matcha is a fine green powder made from tea leaves that were grown in shade before harvest. You do not steep it and remove the leaves. You whisk the powder into water or milk and drink all of it.
From Leaf To Powder
- 1ShadeThe tea plants are covered for a period before harvest.
- 2PickYoung leaves are harvested.
- 3Steam And DrySteaming stops the leaf from browning, then it is dried.
- 4SortStems and veins are removed. The leaf that is left is called tencha.
- 5MillTencha is ground into a very fine powder.
Matcha Compared With Steeped Green Tea
| Matcha | Steeped green tea | |
|---|---|---|
| What you drink | The powdered leaf, suspended in the liquid | Water that the leaves flavored |
| Preparation | Whisked or blended | Steeped, then the leaves are removed |
| Growing | Leaves grown in shade before harvest | Often grown in full sun, though some teas are shaded |
| Taste | Fuller, often with a savory edge | Lighter and cleaner |
Whisked powdered tea reached Japan from China around the year 1191, and the Japanese tea ceremony later grew up around it. Today the growing areas that come up most include Uji, Nishio, Yame, Kagoshima and Shizuoka. See Japanese Matcha Regions.
Next: Koicha Vs Usucha
Sources
Read 2026-10-23. Our summaries are in our own words. Spot an error? Tell us.