How Matcha Powder Is Made: From Farm to Tin

The process of making matcha is slow, deliberate, and expensive — which is why good matcha costs what it does. Understanding the production chain makes it easier to read a label and know what you are buying.

1. Cultivar selection

Specific Camellia sinensis cultivars are chosen for matcha — Okumidori, Samidori, Yabukita, Asahi — selected for flavour profiles, shade response, and suitability for stone-grinding. The cultivar is the first variable shaping the final cup.

2. Shading

Three to four weeks before harvest, plants are shaded to block 70–90% of direct sunlight. This triggers the plant to produce more chlorophyll and retain more L-theanine. The shading period is one of the biggest cost drivers in production.

3. First harvest

The spring flush — ichibancha — produces the youngest, most tender leaves. Harvested in late April to early May in most Japanese growing regions. Later harvests use older leaves and produce lower-grade matcha.

4. Steaming

Leaves are immediately steamed for 15–45 seconds to halt oxidation. This preserves the green colour and fresh flavour. Steaming duration affects the final flavour profile.

5. Drying and sorting

Steamed leaves are dried and sorted — stems, veins, and damaged leaves removed. What remains is tencha, the direct precursor to matcha. A 30g tin of ceremonial matcha represents approximately one hour of grinding work.

6. Stone-grinding

Tencha is fed into granite stone mills and ground slowly — approximately 30–40g per hour. Speed generates heat that damages chlorophyll and flavour. The resulting particle size (typically under 10 microns) allows smooth dissolution.

7. Packaging

Good matcha is packaged in airtight, opaque containers immediately after grinding — often nitrogen-flushed to extend freshness.