Collection: Ceremonial Matcha

Ceremonial matcha is the highest grade of powdered green tea — made to be drunk as it is, with water, without additions. It comes exclusively from the first or second spring harvest (ichibancha or nibancha), picked from bushes shaded for several weeks before harvest. That shading — which limits direct sunlight — causes the leaves to accumulate chlorophyll and L-theanine: the amino acid behind matcha's natural sweetness, deep umami, and the calm, sustained energy it produces without sudden spikes.

After picking, the leaves are steamed, dried, stripped of stems and veins, then ground on traditional stone mills. The process is slow and deliberate — and it is what gives ceremonial matcha its silky texture and full flavour in the cup.

Ceremonial matcha comes from the first harvests and is ground from the youngest, most tender leaves. It has a deep emerald colour, a smooth texture, and a layered, gently complex flavour with clear umami. It is made to be drunk on its own — with water and a bamboo chasen whisk.

Culinary matcha comes from later harvests, carries a more assertive, grassy character, and has a slightly more yellow-green hue. It performs well in baking, smoothies, and desserts, where it combines with other ingredients — but drunk straight, it falls clearly short in quality.

What to look for when buying ceremonial matcha:

• Colour — it should be a vivid, deep emerald. A yellower or more olive tone points to lower-grade leaves or prolonged storage.
• Harvest — look for first harvest (ichibancha) or at minimum confirmation that the bushes were shade-grown before picking.
• Region — Uji (Kyoto prefecture), Aichi, Kagoshima, and Nishio are Japan's most important ceremonial matcha-growing areas.
• Ingredients — 100% green tea matcha, nothing added: no colourants, no flavourings.
• Milling — stone grinding is the standard for ceremonial grade. It produces a silky texture that mechanical milling cannot replicate.

Ceremonial matcha is at its best prepared the traditional way — with water nd a bamboo chasen. Three steps are enough:

1. Measure 1.5–2 g of matcha (roughly half a teaspoon) and sift it into a matcha bowl.
2. Add 70–80 ml of water at 70–80°C — not boiling, which damages the delicate flavour compounds.
3. Whisk with the chasen in brisk M or W motions for 20–30 seconds, until a fine, dense foam forms.

You will need a bamboo chasen and a matchawan bowl. All accessories are available in our matcha accessories collection. If you are starting from scratch, one of our starter kits — matcha and accessories together in one box — is the most straightforward way to begin.

Our range includes ceremonial matcha from three producers with verified Japanese origin. Yōkiro comes from the Aichi region — an area with centuries of tea-growing tradition, where bushes are shade-grown and harvested by hand. Matcha Bros is a Polish brand with direct relationships with Japanese producers, known for transparency and consistently high standards. Oromatcha comes from Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu — first-flush leaves, stone-ground to achieve the deep colour, fine texture, and clean umami the region is known for.

Not sure where to start? Yōkiro Ceremonial 02 is a strong first choice — smooth, balanced, with clear umami. For those looking for the highest level of quality: Yōkiro Master's Ceremonial 01, from the first spring harvest.