Matcha and the Japanese Tea Ceremony

In Japan Matcha is used primarily for the Japanese tea ceromony. Matcha is grown in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan. The Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan has been producing the finest tea for over 650 years. Shizuoka is located on Pacific Ocean in eastern Japan, Shizuoka means tranquil (shizu) hills (oka) in Japanese. It is the major tea (O-cha in Japanese) production area in Japan and is where the famous Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is located.

The mild climate of the Shizuoka Prefecture is excellent for the cultivation of the tea plant know as camellia sinensis. It has rich mineral soil, plenty of sunshine and the perfect amount of rain for the finest tea cultivation and is know the production of the best Matcha.

The young tea leaves are picked in early May and lightly steamed to prevent any fermentation. This allows the tea to retain its beautiful green color. Then the tea leaves are dried. Traditionally, at this point, the leaves would be stored in chatsubo/tea jars and allowed to season until November, at which time they can be stone-ground as needed. For consistency, the leaves from various varieties of tea plants are blended to produce the best flavor, color, and aroma. Before being stone-ground, the leaves are processed to obtain only the meat part of the leaf. The stems and veins are removed so that the tea will be very fine when ground. It takes one hour to grind somewhat less than 40g of matcha and in the end the final product is about 1/10th of the original harvest. Although clippers can be used to harvest the tea leaves, the leaves for koicha/thick tea are still picked by hand, one by one.

Matcha is the vibrant green powdered tea used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. It is made from the leaves of shade grown tea trees. When the leaves are harvested they are steamed, dried and then further processed to remove the veins, stems and impurities. Only about 10% of the original harvest remains, and this is called the "tencha". The tencha is then ground to a fine powder often in a stone mill. It takes about one hour to produce an ounce of matcha, because grinding any faster would result in a burnt tasting tea. Today the highest grades of matcha usually remain in Japan for use in their tea ceremonies and the price can be as high as $100 an ounce. The majority of matcha available in the general market today is now ground by sophisticated machines, which make it affordable to the average tea drinker. Regardless of the grinding technique used, the production of matcha requires a great deal of hand labour, skill and time.

Matcha is becoming increasingly popular in the Japanese and international beverage and food market because of its versatility and health benefits. Matcha's flavour blends well in dairy-based recipes and its powder form makes it easy to work with. Matcha is being used in ice cream, cheese cakes, cream cheese spreads, white chocolate, latte beverages, hot chocolate etc. There is no limit to the recipes that matcha green tea powder can be added to.

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony is a ritualized way of preparing and drinking tea which was perfected in the latter half of the 18th century by Sen-no-Rikyu. It was inspired by Zen and continues to reflect the Zen ideals of aestheticism, peace, harmony and discipline. Today it is still a popular pastime, and for many it is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of busy modern-day life.

During the Kamakura period, many Japanese priests and scholars traveled to China to study the high level of culture which typified the Southern Sung Dynasty (1126-1278). Among these priests was Eisai, who after returning to Japan in 1191, established the Zen sect of Buddhism and brought with him tea seeds and the custom of ritualistic tea preparation. In 1214, he presented his book, Kissa Yojoki (The Health benefits of Drinking Tea) to the Shogun Minamoto Sanetomo in which he states, "Tea is a medicine which cures diseases and promotes long life." Eisai is also credited with introducing the method of making tea by drying and grinding the young leaves into a fine powder. This type of tea, called matcha is the tea used in the tea ceremony today.

It is believed that Eisai’s close friend Myo-e planted the first tea seeds brought back to Japan by Eisai and made the cultivation of tea shrubs part of his spiritual regiment. Myo-e planted tea shrubs throughout the Kyoto countryside and the demand for tea grew.

When the Kamakura shogunate fell in 1333, civil wars began in which northern and southern clans fought for control of the government. A new class of nobles emerged whose extravagant tastes turned the tea ceremony into a pretentious affair which was executed in grand banquet style. Great tea parties were held in which guests were invited to sample a wide variety of teas and guess their origin.

Later under the Ashikaga clan of the Muromachi period (1573-1603), Zen Buddhism and the tea ceremony flourished. The Zen priest Murata Shukou (1422-1502), called the father of the tea ceremony, is credited with uniting tea and spirituality and introducing it to the common people. Shukou, believing that a small intimate environment was more consistent with the Zen spirit of the tea ceremony, began designing tea rooms (sukiya) which were 4 ½ tatami mats in size (app. 9 square yards) and accommodated up to five people. Also, unlike earlier tea masters, Shukou began the custom of serving tea to guests himself. He emphasized the spiritual aspect of the tea ceremony stressing three basic rules. The first states that purity of mind should be observed at all times; the second that consideration and self-control between host and guests should always be maintained and the third, that persons of lower social status should be given the same respect as those of higher social status.

While Shukou is credited with being the father of the tea ceremony, Sen-no-Rikyu (1522-1591) is credited with perfecting "the way of tea" or shado. Not only did he become Japan’s best known tea master but he was also accomplished in the arts of flower arrangement and poetry writing– both disciplines complimentary to the art of tea. Traditionally, the utensils used in the tea ceremony and the artwork decorating the tea room walls were expensive Chinese pieces. It was through the vision of Sen-no-Rikyu that simple utensils were not only accepted as appropriate but embraced. His own tea-room was a simply adorned thatched hut where he invited people of every social station. Sen-no-Rikyu is responsible for synthesizing aspects of daily life with the highest spiritual ideals and wrote prolifically on the subject.

Chanoyu (the Way of Tea) represents the quintessence of Japanese culture and Zen philosophy. By participating in a tea ceremony, or visiting a temple closely associated with the tea ceremony, you'll become acquainted with the spirit of Japan. Our guide is Sen Sooku, hereditary successor to the Mushakoji Senke Tea School and direct descendent of the founding Grand Master, Sen-no-Rikyu.

An authentic tea ceremony takes place in a tearoom where a hanging scroll and arranged flowers adorn an alcove; tea utensils are waiting. But Sen Sooku says, "You can call any gathering a tea ceremony as long as there are guests and matcha." Matcha is a powdered form of green tea leaves ground by a millstone. Hot water is added to the powdered tea in a vessel and whisked rapidly. It is rich in vitamin C and minerals. Matcha is made from the choicest hand-picked leaves, carefully ground into extremely fine powder. Since only 45 grams of powdered tea can be made with a millstone in an hour, it's truly an extravagant drink. The tea leaves are actually imbibed, and the insoluble ingredients are absorbed by the body.

Two types of matcha are used: usucha (thin tea) and koicha (thick tea). Usucha is slightly weaker and more common. Koicha, made from the buds of old tea plants, is much stronger and thicker.

The exchange between host and guests is one of the pleasures of the ceremony. When serving, the host prepares each bowl of matcha with great care, taking into consideration the preferences and physical conditions of the guests. For example, if a guest is perspiring and looks thirsty, a host will make the matcha slightly weaker and in larger quantity. Tea bowls are carefully selected. Different from other types of tea, the way of serving matcha is the origin of counter-style service at a bar or other culinary establishment. It is indeed a highly customized and personalized form of service.

Why is proper etiquette important?

"In the tea ceremony, we express our feelings of gratitude in silence. Action speaks louder than words." If a guest holds a tea bowl properly, it will relieve a host who selected a precious bowl for him. Proper etiquette indicates gratitude. Once the rules of tea are understood, a person will have no trouble if invited to a tea ceremony. When receiving matcha in a casual setting or in a Japanese residence, the rules can be modified.

The Japanese Tea Ceremony Today

Nowadays, the Japanese tea ceremony is a relatively popular kind of hobby. Many Japanese who are interested in their own culture, take tea ceremony lessons with a teacher. Tea ceremonies are held in traditional Japanese rooms in cultural community centres or private houses.

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