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Granite stone mill slowly grinding tencha into bright green matcha powder, the traditional method behind matcha's history

The History of Matcha: From Tang China to Uji

The history of matcha runs from Tang dynasty powdered tea to Eisai's 1191 tea seeds to the Uji shading invention. The dated, named timeline, from our founder.

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What Is Tencha? The Leaf Japan Grows to Be Ground

What Is Tencha? The Leaf Japan Grows to Be Ground

Tencha is the shade-grown, unrolled leaf that becomes matcha. Japan's own labeling standard defines it, and the dividing line is not shade. It's rolling.

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What Is Kabusecha? The Shade Tea Between Sencha and Gyokuro

What Is Kabusecha? The Shade Tea Between Sencha and Gyokuro

Kabusecha is green tea shaded for about a week before picking. What the cover changes, why Mie grows 59% of Japan's crop, and how to brew it properly.

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Single-Origin vs Blended Matcha: What Gogumi Actually Is

Single-Origin vs Blended Matcha: What Gogumi Actually Is

Single origin vs blended matcha: neither is better. What gogumi, the Japanese blending craft, actually does, and what 84 Amazon listings reveal about origin.

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Koicha vs Usucha: Thick and Thin Matcha, and When Each Is Used

Koicha vs Usucha: Thick and Thin Matcha, and When Each Is Used

Koicha uses 2-4g of matcha in as little as 15-40ml of water, usucha about 2g in 70-80ml. The ratio decides the grade, taste, motion and etiquette.

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Samidori vs Saemidori: Two Matcha Cultivars, One Letter

Samidori vs Saemidori: Two Matcha Cultivars, One Letter

Samidori is an unregistered Uji selection from 1954. Saemidori is Chanorin No. 40, bred in Kagoshima in 1990. One letter apart, and not the same plant.

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Okumidori Cultivar vs Gokou: The Late-Budding Matcha Plants

Okumidori Cultivar vs Gokou: The Late-Budding Matcha Plants

Okumidori was registered in 1974 and buds 11 days after Yabukita. Gokou was selected in Uji in 1954. What late-budding means, and why it matters.

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Yabukita: The Tea Cultivar Behind Most Japanese Green Tea

Yabukita: The Tea Cultivar Behind Most Japanese Green Tea

Yabukita is Japan's most planted tea cultivar, selected in 1908 from seedlings beside a Shizuoka bamboo grove. Its history, traits, flavour and how to brew it.

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Matcha and Blood Pressure: What the Research Says (2026)

Matcha and Blood Pressure: What the Research Says (2026)

Pooled trials put green tea's blood pressure effect near 1 mmHg. No trial has tested matcha itself. Plus the caffeine math and a beta blocker warning.

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