Marukyu Koyamaen
Marukyu Koyamaen is one of the most prestigious tea makers in Japan, having been producing matcha tea since 1704. Having developed the original production system, they now use a combination of modern and traditional processes to maintain as many historic elements as possible. They don’t grind matcha tea manually anymore, but they do use traditional stones. Supplying top tea ceremony schools, high ranking shrines and temples, and top hotels, they’ve won numerous tea competition awards.
How to Prepare Matcha
1. Sift 1.5–2g of matcha into a tea bowl.
2. Add 70ml of hot water (around 80°C).
3. Using a bamboo chasen, whisk briskly in a vertical zigzag motion for around 15 seconds, until the matcha is completely smooth.
4. Enjoy immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ceremonial grade matcha?
The term ‘ceremonial grade’ is more a blanket marketing term and you would not find it used in Japan. It is marketed as matcha suitable for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, implying high quality. However, there are no strict regulations or definitions governing this term. As a result, not all "ceremonial grade" matcha is necessarily of superior quality. It's important to check the source and production methods to ensure you're getting truly high-grade matcha.
Why do matcha prices vary so much?
The price of matcha varies due to factors like growing conditions, harvest time, and production methods. Top-grade matcha is made from younger, hand-picked leaves, shaded for longer to enhance flavour and nutrients, and stone-ground slowly for quality, which raises costs. Lower grades use more mature leaves, harvested multiple times a year, and are often machine-ground. Authentic matcha is harvested only once a year in May, never in summer or autumn. Some brands release limited edition seasonal matcha which means it was stone-ground and blended with that season in mind. To learn more about this, read our blog post about different grades of matcha.
What is the difference between stone-ground matcha and non-stone-ground matcha?
Stone-ground matcha is made by slowly grinding tea leaves between granite stones, helping to preserve its delicate flavour, nutrients and fine texture.
Non-stone-ground powders are usually produced by machine, which can beat or crush the leaves rather than slowly grinding them. This creates a very different flavour and texture. In Japan, this kind of powder is generally understood as green tea powder rather than true matcha. You can read more about this in our guide to the difference between top-grade and lower-grade matcha.
