GROWN IN JAPAN. CHOSEN FOR YOUR CUP.

Our matcha

Japanese matcha from Hon-Yama, Shizuoka.

A place, a cultivar, a harvest. Get to know the tea.

Green tea fields and mist between forested mountains in Shizuoka, Japan.

KNOW THE TEA BEHIND THE LABEL

More than a grade name

Our ceremonial matcha brings smooth umami, natural sweetness and a clean finish to a bowl of whisked tea or a matcha latte. We name its origin, cultivar and harvest so you can understand what makes it our matcha.

Hon-Yama, Shizuoka

Japanese matcha from a tea-growing region in Shizuoka. A named origin gives you a more useful starting point than a grade label alone.

Single-cultivar Yabukita

Our ceremonial matcha uses Yabukita, one tea cultivar. That tells you which tea plant the leaves come from.

First-harvest ceremonial

Our ceremonial tea is made from the first harvest. Our culinary matcha uses the third harvest for a bolder, recipe-ready flavor.

Illustrated map labeled Shizuoka, Japan.
Hon-Yama is a tea-growing region in Shizuoka, Japan.

A JAPANESE TEA-GROWING REGION

Where our matcha comes from

Hon-Yama lies along the Abe and Warashina river basins in Shizuoka, Japan. Mountains, river mist and changes between daytime and nighttime temperatures are part of its growing landscape.

The region’s tea history is traditionally traced back around 800 years to Shoichi Kokushi, who is said to have brought tea seeds from China and planted them in Ashikubo. Today, that long tea-growing history gives context to the place we source from.

Our Japanese matcha comes through direct relationships with the people who grow and produce it in Hon-Yama.

Two tea workers among rows of green tea plants.
Tea growing and production in Japan.

DIRECT SOURCING. GENERATIONS OF TEA MAKING.

The people behind the powder

We source directly from a family-owned Japanese tea producer with three generations of experience and tea-making roots since 1948.

Their production system connects agriculture, processing, grinding and quality checks, with an in-house testing laboratory. That gives us a direct relationship with the maker, and useful detail about the tea we bring to your cup.

Yōko Matcha is a Japanese woman-owned brand founded in Miami in 2016. We bring that connection to Japanese tea making to home cups and café menus in the U.S.

SHADE-GROWN. TENCHA. BEAD-MILLED.

How our matcha is made

Matcha is made from tencha. Here is the process behind our ceremonial tea.

Grow under shade

The tea plants are shaded before harvest. Our ceremonial matcha uses first-harvest Yabukita from Hon-Yama.

Process the leaves into tencha

The harvested leaves are steamed and dried without rolling, then refined into tencha, the tea used to make matcha.

Bead-mill in Japan

Our ceremonial tencha is bead-milled into fine matcha powder in Japan. Whisk it with water, then enjoy it as tea or add milk for a latte.

Learn what matcha is
Rows of tea plants growing beneath dark shade netting.
Shade-grown leaves are processed into tencha before milling.

ASK ABOUT THE TEA YOU ARE BUYING

Testing documentation, on request

Yōko Matcha is tested for more than 200 pesticide residues. Lot-specific documentation is available on request.

Have a question about the tea or need documentation for your café? Email yoko@yokomatcha.com and tell us which product or lot you are asking about.

FOR YOUR HOME, CAFÉ OR KITCHEN

The right matcha for the way you use it

Choose a flavor and format for the drinks or recipes you want to make.

Organic matcha for home

Our JAS Organic ceremonial matcha comes in a 30g tin or 50g bag. Choose it for smooth, matcha-forward tea and lattes.

Shop organic ceremonial matcha

Wholesale Japanese matcha

Our 500g ceremonial and culinary bags are non-organic. Ceremonial suits tea-forward drinks; culinary brings a bolder flavor to baking and sweetened recipes. Ceremonial matcha is also available by the case of 48 bags.

Explore wholesale matcha

Grade and organic certification describe different things. Compare our ceremonial and culinary matcha before choosing.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT OUR TEA

Your sourcing questions, answered

The details that help you choose and look after your matcha.

Is Yōko Matcha grown in Japan?

Yes. Our matcha comes from Hon-Yama, Shizuoka, Japan. Our ceremonial matcha is first-harvest, single-cultivar Yabukita, processed into tencha and bead-milled in Japan.

Is all Yōko Matcha organic?

No. Our 30g tin and 50g bag of ceremonial matcha are JAS Organic. Our 500g ceremonial and culinary wholesale bags, and our ceremonial wholesale case, are non-organic.

Is your matcha stone-milled?

Our ceremonial matcha is bead-milled in Japan. We state the milling method directly so you can compare the product using its actual details.

How should I store my matcha?

Keep the tin or bag tightly sealed, away from heat, light and moisture. Close it promptly after measuring your powder so the tea stays protected between uses.

EXPLORE THE ORIGIN

Further reading

The regional sources below explain Hon-Yama’s geography, growing conditions and tea history. Yōko Matcha’s product pages describe our own tea, formats and certification.

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