Preparing Matcha from Stone-Ground Tencha Leaves — Japanese Tea Ceremony Grade

Tencha is the specific leaf type used for matcha — Camellia sinensis plants shaded under reed or fabric canopies for 20-30 days before harvest. Shading forces the plant to overproduce chlorophyll and L-theanine, giving matcha its vivid green colour and umami sweetness. After steaming to halt oxidation, the leaves are stripped of stems and veins and dried flat. Unlike sencha or gyokuro, tencha is never rolled — it stays as flat leaf fragments until grinding. Quality tencha should be bright green with no brown edges and a fresh vegetal aroma.

Place tencha leaves into the hopper of a stone hand mill and turn the upper stone slowly — approximately one revolution per second. The granite surfaces grind the brittle leaf fragments into extremely fine powder with a particle size of 5-20 micrometres. A hand mill produces about 30-40 g of matcha per hour because slow grinding prevents heat buildup that would damage chlorophyll and amino acids. For 30 g of matcha, expect 45-60 minutes of grinding. Sieve the ground powder through a fine mesh strainer to remove any coarse particles. The finished powder should be vivid bright green and silky to the touch.

Warm the chawan by filling it halfway with hot water and letting it sit for a minute, then discard the water and wipe dry. A warm bowl keeps the matcha at drinking temperature longer. Soak the chasen in the hot water for 30 seconds to soften the bamboo prongs — dry prongs are brittle and can snap during whisking. Place the chashaku and dry chasen beside the bowl. Measure 2 scoops of matcha (about 2 g) with the chashaku into the warmed bowl.

Pour 70 ml of hot water at 70-80°C over the matcha powder. Do not use boiling water — temperatures above 80°C scald the delicate amino acids and produce bitterness. Using the chasen, whisk vigorously in a W or M motion (not circular) for 15-20 seconds until a uniform frothy layer of fine bubbles covers the surface. The froth should be dense and creamy with no large bubbles. Lift the chasen from the centre to finish with a smooth surface. Usucha (thin tea) uses about 2 g of matcha per 70 ml — for koicha (thick tea), use 4 g per 40 ml and knead rather than whisk.

In the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu), the host presents the bowl with its front face turned toward the guest. The guest rotates the bowl clockwise twice before drinking to avoid drinking from the front face — a gesture of humility. Drink the matcha in three sips, then wipe the rim with your fingers and rotate the bowl back. The entire experience — from the sound of the whisk to the warmth of the ceramic in your hands — is considered a form of moving meditation. Matcha should be consumed within minutes of whisking; the powder settles quickly and the froth dissipates.