Matcha is
the Japanese word for the type of tea used in chanoyu. While
the word “tea” may conjure up images of dried
leaves steeped in hot water, matcha is actually a green powder
that’s whisked with hot water to create an intense
version of the green tea most people are used to.
Matcha is made from the same tea plant as
the tea you buy at the grocery store (camellia sinensis); what
makes it special is the way it’s grown and prepared. The
plants are covered at a certain point in their growing cycle so
that they don’t get too much sunlight, and the leaves are
picked while they’re still young. The leaves are steamed
to stop them from fermenting and then aged for six months
before they’re ground to a fine powder.
Drinking matcha has become very popular in
the United States, and in fact, it’s already found in a
number of popular products – green tea ice cream, green
tea milkshakes and lattes, and green tea soaps and body lotions
are usually made with matcha.
We are often asked where people can buy
matcha. That brings us to . . .
An important note about buying matcha: Matcha should be stored in the
refrigerator (if you’re drinking it on a daily basis) or
freezer (for long-term storage) to preserve its freshness. Most
tea sellers do not do this; they leave the matcha out on
room-temperature shelves for weeks or even months until it
sells. You should never, ever buy from a store that does this.
While the tea doesn’t spoil per se, it’ll certainly
taste awful!
How can you tell if you’re buying
fresh matcha? Fresh matcha is bright green, the color of new
leaves; matcha that’s been left to sit out for too long
turns yellowish-brown.
For best results, we recommend that you
order directly from a matcha supplier or from a seller who
understands how the tea needs to be stored. Below, we’ve
listed some Japanese matcha suppliers, and many of the utensil
suppliers at the bottom of the page also sell matcha. See
individual sites for details.
Ippodo A well-known producer of matcha; the
company sells its tea through its site.
Aiya Another matcha grower; the company
describes the process of growing and processing tea and sells
the tea online.
Horaido
Sells all types of tea utensils, including a good selection of
matcha from their own plantation. They have many more items
available than are listed online; e-mail for special inquiries.
Hibiki-An A small tea grower that sells matcha as
well as other types of loose leaf tea and some basic tea
utensils. Their site has a number of informational articles
about tea, and their newsletter is highly recommended.
Matcha and More Sells tea, utensils, and books. The
selection of utensils is complete for basic use but there's not
a big selection on each item. Based in the United States, but
features a wide selection of matcha from Koyamaen, the tea
grower favored by the Urasenke school.
Matcha Source Features a selection of matcha from some
well-known Japanese growers and suggestions for cooking recipes
and smoothies.
The Pacific Leaf Company U.S.-based company that sells its own brand of
matcha as well as tea utensils for beginners.
O-Cha.com Not
just matcha, but organic matcha, including a beginner's guide
to drinking it.
Ito Green
Tea Not to be confused
with Ito-en, this
U.S.-based tea importer sells sencha from Uji, and is currently
working on establishing a matcha tea plantation in this
country.
And what’s tea without sweets?
Minatoya Japanese sweet maker that specializes in
dry sweets of the kind used in chanoyu. Ships express mail from
Japan; fast and reliable.
Minamoto Kitchoan Japanese company that makes sweets for
chanoyu as well as for everyday use. If you’re in New
York, be sure to visit their store on 49th Street, just off
Fifth Avenue, for fresh-made sweets not available through mail
order. They also have a location at Mitsuwa, a Japanese
shopping center across the river from Manhattan with a
selection of Japanese products to make any Philadelphia
resident weep.
Tea Circle All types of chanoyu equipment, including supplies for the tea
room and the tea itself. They have the widest variety of tea
ceremony items available online, and their selection is
constantly expanding.
Asakichi This
San Francisco-based store is legendary in the tea community.
The site only hints at what's available; inquire for details.
Tea Toys A
site run by a chanoyu teacher in Kyoto; it features many unique
items at very good prices.
Rikyucha From
the good folks at Ichiroya (scroll down to the kimono section) comes
this site featuring new and antique tea items. The prices are
excellent, but sorting and categorizing are not their strong
suit; a little time browsing will be well rewarded.
Sweet Persimmon Sells a variety of tea ceremony related
items, including a leg-saving bench that aids in sitting seiza.
They also have a selection of other loose-leaf teas.
Don’t miss their blog about the practice of chanoyu.
Trocadero
The overall Trocadero site is a marketplace for all kinds of
merchandise, but they have a section specifically for tea
ceremony (scroll down to "Japanese antiques" on the
left-hand side). Want to see what a $10,000 tea bowl looks
like? This is your site. Even if you’re not buying, just
browsing the listings is an education.
Ichiroya Online kimono seller with a selection that
borders on mind-boggling. For a real treat, sign up for their
e-mail newsletter.
Yamatoku Online kimono store that sells all types
of kimonos and accessories. They make a special effort to
feature larger-size kimonos for us big-hipped foreigners.
E-Budostore Kimonos, obis, and related items. Heavy
focus on men’s wear; can cater to very tall/large sizes.
