Discover our exceptional ceremonial matcha selection, with the distinctive sweet and flavorful taste of Kyushu-grown leaves. Freshly picked, freshly ground every 2 weeks, freshly packed: from the leaves to your bowl - nothing fresher than IKKYU matcha!

Matcha (抹茶) is a delicious powdered green tea made from shaded leaves that has a higher concentration of L-theanine amino acid, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It has been drunk for centuries in Japan and is an essential part of a Japanese tea ceremony.

Its unique characteristics make it a prized beverage in Japan. Unlike other kinds of Japanese green tea, matcha is made of finely ground tea leaves that dissolve in hot water. Once whisked, the powder becomes suspended in the water and develops a frothy foam. After the tea leaves used to make matcha, known as tencha (碾茶), are shaded, they are typically hand-picked, and the stems and veins of the leaves are removed before being stone-ground or milled into a fine powder.

The careful stone grinding gives matcha a fine, silky mouthfeel when whisked. Ceremonial matcha should be smooth and naturally sweet, with balanced astringency and bitterness. Drinking matcha is said to have many positive health benefits, which you can read more about in our free Matcha Health Guide.

To prepare matcha, you want to make sure that you have the right tools and accessories. To learn more about how to prepare matcha, watch the video below with Tea Instructor Yuka san.