The way of tea is not in the tea—it is in the heart. But with every bowl of matcha, we invite the heart to become still.
— Hōunsai Sen Sōshitsu XV, 15th-generation tea master
The global rise in matcha's popularity has put immense pressure on a traditionally invisible and intricate value chain of Japanese craftsmanship. Behind each container of vibrant green powder lies a narrative shaped by terroir, human expertise, time-honoured tradition—and, increasingly, modern technology.
Whether you’re a newcomer to matcha or a daily devotee, understanding how this powdered tea is crafted—and how to choose the right one—can transform your matcha moment from mere routine into something closer to ritual.
What Makes Matcha Different?
Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Matcha’s predecessor is tencha—delicately steamed and destemmed first-flush leaves that are dried, but never rolled. In contrast, Japan’s most popular loose-leaf tea, sencha, is made by rolling steamed and dried leaves into needle-like shapes—a technique known as the aosei sencha method, developed by Nagatani Sōen in 1738.
What makes matcha so special is that you consume the entire leaf, ground into a fine powder, as opposed to sencha, which is steeped in water but not consumed. This not only enhances matcha’s flavour and nutritional profile but also gives it a robust caffeine boost, mellowed and modulated by the calming amino acid L-theanine.
The Craft of Matcha: A Five-Step Ritual
Crafting premium matcha involves several meticulous steps:
- Shade-Growing – Tea bushes are shaded for three to four weeks before harvest to deepen chlorophyll and boost amino acid content.
- Selective Harvesting – Only the tender first-shoot leaves are picked, traditionally by hand.
- Steaming – Leaves are steamed to prevent oxidation and lock in their vibrant green colour.
- Drying (Tencha) – Leaves are air-dried without rolling and also dried in brick ovens, becoming tencha.
- Stone Milling – Tencha is slowly ground into fine matcha using granite ishi-usu mills to preserve flavour and colour.
Is There a Matcha Shortage?
Global demand for matcha has increased significantly since the early 2000s, and in recent years, also in South Africa. Whereas matcha was traditionally made mostly for tea ceremony use, the wide application of matcha powder has meant that producers need to prepare more tencha. They have gradually been able to do this, but current consumer preference has created a new bottleneck in the final production step: stone milling.
Most customers now request ceremonial grade matcha, even for lattes and smoothies. But stone mills, which gently grind at 30–40 grams per hour to prevent heat damage, simply can’t keep pace. Even high-end mechanised grinders operate at traditional speeds to maintain quality.
In contrast, culinary-grade matcha, often used for baking or blending, is processed with high-speed machines, producing coarser particles (10–30+ microns vs. 2–10 microns for ceremonial matcha).
To compare:
- Matcha (Ceremonial): ~2–10 microns
- Culinary Matcha: ~10–30+ microns
- Flour: ~10–100 microns
- Espresso Grounds: ~300–500 microns
- Granulated Sugar: ~500–1000 microns
So the long wait for your tin of matcha? It’s not necessarily about a lack of leaves—it’s about a stone mill methodically grinding away somewhere in Japan, 14,000 km from Cape Town.
Understanding Matcha Grades
While all matcha follows the same production steps, not all leaves or harvests are equal. Grading becomes critical to determine the best use for matcha powder. However, there is no formal grading system in Japan. Instead, grading is determined by tea masters and producers based on flavour, colour, texture, and the timing of the harvest.
Matcha Grades at a Glance
| Grade | Colour & Flavour | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremonial | Vivid green, rich umami, smooth | Traditional tea ceremony or solo sipping |
| Premium | Slightly less vibrant, good balance, mild umami | Everyday whisked matcha or premium lattes |
| Latte Grade | Green but more bitter | Milk-based lattes and café drinks |
| Culinary | Duller, yellow-green, bitter | Baking, desserts, smoothies |
High-end ceremonial matcha is traditionally used for koicha (thick matcha) in formal tea ceremonies, while beginner-level ceremonial grade is used for usucha (thin matcha)—ideal for home use or tea classes, where a bright green froth and umami flavour are prized.
Similarly, culinary matcha comes in subgrades based on colour and bitterness. One of our WAZA suppliers offers five culinary grades, each with different intensities of umami and bitterness.
The result? A wide price range. For example, we offer B2B clients matcha from R1,000/kg (entry-level culinary grade) up to R10,000/kg (top-end ceremonial grade)—a tenfold difference. Understanding your needs and costing carefully is therefore essential, especially for businesses.
Who Decides the Grade?
Summer moon—
the pale arm of the one
pouring the tea.
— Chiyo-ni (1703–1775)
In Japan, grading is entrusted to chashi—tea masters who evaluate and blend teas by:
- Colour: Bright, jade green is ideal.
- Aroma: Sweet, savoury, and oceanic.
- Flavour: Umami-rich, sweet, minimal bitterness.
- Texture: Ultra-fine and silky.
- Terroir: Famous regions include Uji, Nishio, Yame, and Shizuoka.
Renowned chashi often earn their status through Japan's national tea appraisal technical skills competition (established in 1949), where they blind-taste and evaluate teas based on cultivar, region, processing, and storage. Those who excel earn ranks such as 1st Class Tea Appraiser.
Some chashi, however, gain their status through traditional apprenticeships, mastering blending and evaluation under the tutelage of established tea blenders. Their expertise is often recognised through their consistency, invitations to prestigious tea events, and reputation in the tea community.
The Role of Cultivar and Blending
On tea blossoms
morning sunlight gathers—
a village garden.
— Yosa Buson (1716–1784)
The flavour, aroma, and texture of matcha vary widely based on the cultivar of Camellia sinensis used. While there are hundreds of registered cultivars in Japan, only a few are used for tencha and matcha. Examples include:
- Yabukita: The most common cultivar (~75% of Japan’s tea fields). Bright aroma, bold umami, slight astringency.
- Samidori: Smooth, mild, lightly sweet, low bitterness. Often used in high-end single-origin matcha.
- Okumidori: Deep green, mellow umami, soft mouthfeel. Used to round out blends.
- Oguramidori: Rare, vibrant, and umami-rich; favoured in heritage matcha production.
- Gokou: Full-bodied, aromatic, with strong umami and low astringency. Premium and rare.
- Asahi: Coveted for koicha. Intense umami, creamy, smooth.
Blending multiple cultivars allows tea masters to achieve consistency, complexity, and balance across seasonal differences.
Organic vs. Conventional Matcha
To be certified organic under Japan Agricultural Standard (JAS), matcha must meet strict rules around pesticides, fertilisers, soil, shading, and traceability.
Achieving the vibrant colour and rich umami typical of high-end matcha is more challenging using organic methods. Organic matcha is often more vegetal or grassy, less vivid in colour, and has less sweetness or umami due to the absence of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.
Conventional matcha tends to be creamier, sweeter, and brighter in colour—especially in shade-grown, high-end varieties. Many tea farms still prefer traditional, non-certified practices, balancing sustainability and flavour without pursuing formal certification.
How Tencha Is Stored—and Why It Matters
You might wonder why there’s still a backlog months after the harvest if ceremonial grade matcha comes from first-flush tencha. The answer lies in modern storage and milling logistics.
High-quality tencha is processed immediately after harvest (late April to mid-May), then stored with great care:
- Refrigerated or frozen at 0°C or below
- Vacuum-sealed or nitrogen-flushed to prevent oxidation
- Aged in some cases to round out flavours (as with gyokuro)
Matcha is only ground upon demand. Once milled, it is highly perishable: it lasts up to 12 months sealed, but should be consumed within 8 weeks of opening. As a result, milling slots are booked throughout the year—creating bottlenecks during periods of high demand.
Beware of "Fake" Matcha
Unfortunately, rising popularity invites imitation. Some unscrupulous sellers market second or third flush teas as ceremonial matcha, or sell konacha (“powder tea”) as matcha. Konacha is made from the leftover dust and fragments of higher-grade teas—it is brewed like regular tea, not whisked.
If you’ve been to a kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant in Japan, you’ve likely had agari—a simple green tea made with konacha powder and hot water.
Since there’s no international legal definition of “matcha” or “ceremonial grade,” it’s important to buy from trusted sources. Look for:
- First-flush leaves
- Stone-milled tencha
- Japanese origin
- Known cultivars (or clear blending practices)
From Japan to Cape Town
Our passion for matcha continues to grow as we deepen our appreciation for the hard work of producers, millers, tea masters, and distributors. At WAZA, we are committed to understanding and sharing the provenance of our matcha. Visit us in Cape Town or contact us to learn more, book a personalised tea tasting event, or enquire about B2B orders.