matcha– tag –

Pour a cup of plain genmaicha and it comes out thin, clear, and pale yellow-green, calm and unassuming in the cup. Pour a cup of matcha-iri genmaicha next to it, and the difference is obvious before you even taste it: a deeper, cloudier ...

Bancha (番茶) is Japan's everyday green tea. It's an inexpensive, mild-tasting brew made from more mature leaves, picked later in the season than the tender young growth used for sencha or gyokuro. Many households in Japan keep it in the...

Usucha (薄茶), or "thin tea," is the light, faintly foamy bowl of whisked matcha. It's what most people picture when they imagine Japanese tea. You whisk it briskly with a bamboo chasen until the surface turns pale green and lightly frot...

Koicha (濃茶), or "thick tea," is the dense, syrup-like matcha that hosts prepare and guests share during the formal Japanese tea ceremony. The host kneads it slowly into a smooth, glossy paste rather than whisking it into a light, foamy...

Culinary Matcha is a commercial term. Sellers use it for matcha they process and price for recipes, not for drinking straight with water. The label usually points to a bolder, more assertive flavor. That boldness lets it hold its own aga...

Ceremonial Matcha is a commercial term for matcha intended to taste good when whisked with water and enjoyed without milk or sugar. The label usually suggests a fine texture, clear fragrance, strong umami, and controlled bitterness. Howe...

Chumushi Sencha (中蒸し煎茶) is a medium-steamed type of Japanese sencha green tea. It sits between Asamushi, lightly steamed sencha, and Fukamushi, deeply steamed sencha, offering a balanced cup with fresh aroma, gentle umami, moderate ...

Kabusecha (かぶせ茶) is a Japanese green tea made from tea plants shaded for a relatively short period before harvest, commonly around one week. Shading gives the leaves a deeper green appearance, a sweeter and more umami-rich taste, and...

In general, a two-week trip to Japan gives you around forty opportunities to eat. That sounds like plenty, until you realize that all 47 prefectures have their own specialties and food traditions. This Japan food bucket list therefore na...

Imagine a vibrant green powder whisked into a steaming cup of tea. That's Japanese matcha tea, a finely ground green tea with a rich history and deep roots in Japanese culture. Matcha goes beyond just a beverage; it's a sensory experienc...

Imagine a vibrant green powder whisked into a steaming cup of tea. That's Japanese matcha tea, a finely ground green tea with a rich history and deep roots in Japanese culture. Matcha goes beyond just a beverage; it's a sensory experienc...

Matcha can taste deeply sweet and savory, or harsh and flat. Freshness, quality, and preparation decide which bowl you get, and most disappointing first experiences come down to one of those three. This guide explains how matcha is made,...

Finally, the kakigoori is coming to the terrace of the summer food festival! This time, we will feature the specialty of "Ise no Kuni" (central Mie PrefectureI), the summer tradition "Akafuku Gori" at the knee of Ise Jingu Shrine. Let's ...