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Matcha is the Japanese word for the type of tea used in chado. 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 just before they germinate so that they don’t get too much sunlight at the wrong time, and the leaves are picked while they’re still young. The leaves are steamed to keep them as green and fresh-tasting as possible 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: There are many different quality levels of matcha, and for a good drinking experience, you should only buy the highest grades. The lower grades of matcha are typically more appropriate for cooking or mixing with milk; while they are certainly drinkable, they are more bitter. How can you tell if you’re buying good matcha? A seller who specializes in matcha will distinguish between "drinking grade" and "cooking grade" matcha, and we recommend buying directly from a matcha grower or a specialized supplier like the ones listed below. Buying from a local tea shop or Asian grocery store can produce mixed results. You can get a clue about the quality of the matcha from the name. A big grower like Koyama-en might offer a couple of dozen different types of matcha, each with its own poetic name. If the name ends in "no mukashi," that indicates that it is one of the highest grades of tea that grower offers, and is suitable for thick tea (koicha). If the name ends in "no shiro," it’s intended for thin tea (usucha) – a lower grade, but still very good to drink. If you compare drinking matcha to cooking matcha, you’ll notice that good drinking matcha is a bright green, like the color of new leaves, while cooking matcha has a distinctly yellow tinge. However, if you can see the matcha, don’t buy it! Growers vacuum-seal their matcha for freshness; once the seal is broken and the matcha is exposed to air, it will begin to oxidize, and the taste will gradually decline until it’s downright unpleasant to drink. Storing matcha in a refrigerator or freezer will slow this process down, but even so, you should drink your matcha within a year of opening the original package for best results. And if you have any doubts about whether the tea you’re buying has been properly sealed and/or stored, don’t buy it! |
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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 Koyama-en, the tea grower favored by the Urasenke school. Ippodo A well-known producer of matcha; the company sells its tea through its site. 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. Ito Green Tea Not to be confused with Ito-en, this U.S.-based tea importer sells organic matcha and sencha from Uji, Japan. Matcha Source Features matcha in a range of qualities and suggestions for cooking recipes and smoothies. O-Cha.com In addition to matcha, the site sells a variety of green teas and has a number of informational articles about tea drinking in general. |
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Minatoya Japanese sweet maker that specializes in dry sweets of the kind used in chado. 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. |
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Asakichi This San Francisco-based store is legendary in the tea community. The site only hints at what's available; inquire for details. Among other things, they are one of the few places that still supply sumi (the special charcoal used in chado) following Japanese restrictions on the exports of flammable material. Tea Dogu Offers an expanding selection of tea utensils and consumables (tea and sweets) in both basic practice quality and artisan-made quality. 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 is not their strong suit; a little time browsing will be well rewarded. Tea Ceremony Store A new and growing store operated by an Omotesenke practitioner. 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 chado. Trocadero The overall Trocadero site is a marketplace for all kinds of merchandise, but they typically have many high-end tea ceremony items on sale. Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery Robert Yellin, who also maintains an excellent informational site about Japanese ceramics, offers all types of items from high-end Japanese artists, including some tea ceremony utensils. While most tea ceremony items sold today are conservative in style, this site will show you how modern artists are interpreting and reinterpreting chado. |
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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. |
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