Matcha turns up everywhere now, from Kyoto tea houses to the Starbucks menu, but the bright green powder has a far longer story than the latte trend suggests. It goes back more than a thousand years, and most of what makes matcha matcha, the shade-growing, the stone-grinding, the whisking, was worked out centuries ago. Here is where it came from and how it ended up as the drink people queue for today.
What matcha is
Matcha is green tea leaves ground into a fine powder. Instead of steeping the leaves and throwing them away, you whisk the powder straight into hot water or milk and drink the whole leaf. That is why it is so concentrated in flavour, colour and antioxidants compared with a normal cup of green tea, and why a small spoonful of powder goes a long way.
Where matcha came from
The method behind matcha started in China. During the Tang and Song dynasties, tea leaves were steamed, pressed into cakes, then ground to powder and whisked into hot water. The plant itself, Camellia sinensis, had been cultivated in southern China long before that.
Powdered tea reached Japan with Buddhist monks who had studied in China. The turning point people usually cite is the monk Eisai, who in the late 12th century brought tea seeds back and planted them near Kyoto. He also wrote Japan's first book on tea and health, and encouraged tea drinking among the samurai class. Over the following centuries the Japanese tea ceremony grew up around matcha, and whisked powdered tea, which had faded out in China, became a lasting Japanese tradition instead.
There is a nice bit of folklore here too. Shade-growing, the step that gives good matcha its sweetness and deep colour, is often said to have been found by accident, when growers covered their plants to protect them and noticed the shaded leaves tasted better. Whether or not that is literally how it happened, shading is now the defining step.
How matcha is made
Three things separate matcha from ordinary green tea. First, the plants are shaded for the last few weeks before harvest, usually around three to four weeks. Less sunlight pushes the leaves to produce more chlorophyll and more L-theanine, which is where the vivid green and the sweet, savoury taste come from. The best shaded leaves, with stems and veins removed, are called tencha.
Second, the tencha is stone-ground, traditionally on granite mills that turn slowly so the heat of grinding does not scorch the powder. It is slow work, which is part of why good matcha costs what it does. Third, because you drink the whole leaf rather than an infusion, matcha gives you more of the plant's compounds per cup than steeped tea.
Why matcha took off
Matcha's recent popularity is not really a mystery. It tastes distinctive, sweet and umami-rich in a way nothing else on a cafe menu is, and it works in far more than a plain cup: lattes, baking, ice cream, smoothies. It also looks unmistakable, which has not hurt it on social media, where a green drink stands out next to a row of brown ones. Put those together and a thousand-year-old tea became a modern staple.
How to pick a matcha
A few things matter more than the rest when you buy. The first is grade. Ceremonial grade is made from the youngest leaves and is smooth enough to drink with just water. Culinary grade is bolder and better value for lattes and baking, where it has to cut through milk and sugar. We cover this in full in our guide to ceremonial vs culinary grade matcha.
The second is colour. Fresh, well-made matcha is a vivid jade green. Dull, yellowish or brownish powder usually means older or lower-grade tea. The third is your tools. A bamboo whisk and a small sifter make a real difference to how smooth the drink is, so a few basic matcha accessories are worth having before you worry about anything fancier.
How to whisk matcha the traditional way
You need a bowl, a bamboo whisk, a scoop and ideally a small sifter.
- Warm the bowl and whisk with a little hot water, then tip it out and dry the bowl.
- Sift one to two grams of matcha, about one to two scoops, into the bowl to break up any clumps.
- Add roughly 60ml of hot water at around 75 degrees Celsius, not boiling, and whisk briskly in a zig-zag until a fine foam forms on top.
- Drink it straight away, or pour it over hot or cold milk for a latte.
For the full cafe-style method, follow our matcha latte recipe.
Where to buy matcha in the UAE
Percup stocks ceremonial and culinary matcha from Japanese and specialty producers, with delivery across the UAE. Browse the matcha marketplace to compare grades and brands, and pick up a whisk and the rest of the kit from matcha accessories if you are starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
Where did matcha originate?
The method of grinding and whisking tea into powder began in China during the Tang and Song dynasties. It was carried to Japan by Buddhist monks, and from the 12th century onward Japan developed it into the matcha and tea ceremony we know today.
Who brought matcha to Japan?
Buddhist monks returning from China. The monk Eisai is the one usually credited, since in the late 1100s he brought back tea seeds, planted them near Kyoto, and promoted tea drinking for health.
Why is matcha green and sweet?
Because the plants are shaded for several weeks before harvest. Less sunlight raises the chlorophyll and L-theanine in the leaves, which deepens the colour and adds the sweet, savoury umami taste.
Is matcha healthier than regular green tea?
You consume the whole leaf rather than an infusion, so you get more of matcha's antioxidants and L-theanine per cup. It is a concentrated form of green tea rather than a different plant.
What do I need to make matcha at home?
At a minimum, matcha powder, a bowl and something to whisk it smooth, either a bamboo whisk or an electric frother. A sifter and a scoop make it easier but are optional.
