Matcha Facts for Kids

**Matcha**
Matcha Tea
Type:	Green

Other names:	抹茶, "fine powder tea"
Origin:	China

Quick description:	Stone ground Japanese style green tea

Matcha (say "MA-cha") is a special kind of green tea that comes as a very fine powder. People use it in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It's also used to add color and flavor to many foods. You might find it in sweets like mochi, soba noodles, green tea ice cream, and other Japanese treats called wagashi.

The main places where Matcha is made are Uji in Kyoto and Nishio in Aichi. Both of these are on the big island of Honshū. Other areas include Shizuoka and Kyushu.

Matcha usually costs more than other teas. Its price depends on how good it is. It can be a bit tricky to find outside of Japan, along with the special tools needed to make and drink it.

History of Matcha
How Matcha is Made
Different Kinds of Matcha
How to Make Matcha
Other Ways to Use Matcha
Images for kids
See also

History of Matcha

A bowl of matcha on a black lacquered tray with a traditional sweet

Powdered tea first appeared in China during the Song Dynasty (from 960 to 1279). It was often stored and traded in hard blocks, like bricks. Buddhist monks from the Chan religion (which is called Zen in Japan) started a special way of making and drinking this powdered tea. They would even drink from the same bowl as part of their spiritual practice.

A monk named Eisai brought Chan Buddhism and powdered tea to Japan in 1191. Over time, people in China stopped drinking powdered tea as much. But in Japan, a famous tea master named Sen no Rikyu set the rules for the Japanese tea ceremony in the 16th century. He decided that matcha was the perfect tea to use for this special ceremony.

How Matcha is Made

Making matcha starts several weeks before the tea leaves are picked. At this time, the tea bushes are covered up. This stops them from getting direct sunlight. Covering them makes the tea grow slower and turns the leaves a darker green. It also helps the plant make more amino acids, which are natural chemicals that make the tea taste sweeter.

After the leaves are picked, they are laid out flat to dry. This makes them crumble into small pieces called tencha. If the leaves were rolled before drying, they would become a different tea called gyokuro.

Once the tencha leaves are dry, workers remove the veins and stems. Then, they grind (press) the leaves with a stone until they become a very fine, bright green powder. This powder is what we call matcha.

Only tencha that has been ground can be called matcha. Other powdered teas are known as konacha, which just means "powdered tea."

Most of the great taste in matcha comes from those amino acids. The best matcha tastes sweeter and has a deeper flavor than teas picked later in the year.

Different Kinds of Matcha

Matcha is sorted into different "grades" or qualities. How good the matcha is depends on a few things:

Where on the Tea Plant the Leaves Grow

The leaves used for tencha must come from certain parts of the tea plant.

The very top of the plant has new, soft leaves. These make the highest quality matcha feel very smooth. Older, tougher leaves from lower down the plant make lower quality matcha feel a bit sandy. The best flavor comes from the top leaves because the plant sends most of its good stuff (nutrients) to these growing parts.

The color of the leaves also matters. Younger leaves are greener and have a stronger color. Older leaves have less chlorophyll (which makes plants green) and more tannin, which can make the tea taste more bitter and look a duller brownish-green.

How Leaves are Treated Before Processing

Traditionally, tencha leaves are dried outside in the shade, always away from direct sunlight. Today, most drying happens indoors. This careful drying process helps make high-quality matcha very green.

How the Tea is Ground

Grinding the tea with stones is a tricky job. If it's not done correctly, the matcha can get "burnt" and won't be as good.

Keeping Matcha Fresh

Matcha needs to be kept away from oxygen. When matcha touches oxygen, it can start to smell like hay and its color and texture can change.

How to Make Matcha

Bamboo whisk ("chasen"), used for whisking matcha

Before serving, people often push the matcha through a sieve (a tool with tiny holes) to break up any clumps. There are special sieves for this. They usually have a fine metal mesh and a container. A small wooden spatula is used to push the tea through the sieve. Sometimes, a small, smooth stone is placed on top of the sieve and shaken gently.

If the sieved matcha is for a Japanese tea ceremony, it's put into a small tea container called a chaki. Otherwise, it can go straight from the sieve into a tea bowl.

To make matcha, a small amount of the powder is put into a bowl. People traditionally use a bamboo scoop called a chashaku. Then, a little hot (but not boiling) water is added. The mix is then whisked until it's smooth and has the same thickness. This is usually done with a special bamboo whisk called a chasen. There should be no lumps, and no tea powder left on the sides of the bowl.

Usucha, or thin tea, is made with about half a teaspoon of matcha and 75 ml (about 2.5 ounces) of hot water. Some people like to whisk it until it has a light, frothy top, while others prefer less foam. Usucha is lighter and tastes a bit more bitter.

Koicha, or thick tea, uses much more matcha – sometimes as many as six teaspoons for about 3/4 cup of water. Because it's so much thicker, you blend it with a slower, stirring motion that doesn't make foam. Koicha is sweeter and is almost always served only during Japanese tea ceremonies. Special chasen whisks are often used for koicha.

Because matcha can taste a little bitter, it's usually served with a small Japanese sweet called wagashi.

Other Ways to Use Matcha

Matcha is now a popular ingredient in many sweets. You can find it in Japanese cakes like castella, manju, and monaka. It's also used as a topping for shaved ice called kakigori. People mix it with milk and sugar to make a drink, or with salt to flavor tempura (fried foods).

Matcha is also used to flavor many Western-style treats like chocolates, candy, and desserts. This includes cakes (like Swiss rolls and cheesecake), cookies, pudding, mousse, and ice cream. Even the famous Japanese snack Pocky has a matcha flavor!

In North America, matcha is now common in coffee shops. You can find it in lattés, iced drinks, milkshakes, and smoothies. It's even used in some alcoholic drinks.

People are also realizing that green tea and matcha are good for your health. Because of this, you can find matcha in many healthy food products in North America, such as cereal and energy bars.