Matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis plant (tea plant - black tea and green tea come from this too!), and the farming and processing of matcha is what makes it one-of-a-kind. ✨ The tea plant is grown in nitrogen-rich soil, and shaded for 3-5 weeks. This nurtures matcha’s umami taste and chlorophyll production, giving its bright green color.

During the spring harvest, the youngest and most tender leaves are picked and then steamed, dried, and de-stemmed. This tea is now tencha (碾茶); the tencha leaves are then milled on a stone mill or ishi usu (石臼), and we have matcha (抹茶)! Matcha means “rubbed tea”. 🌱

Matcha and tencha cultivation is laborious and rare (harvested once a year!), this product is special and we want to honor that farm-to-cup journey. Sip intentionally <3

We source direct from tea farmers around Japan to bring you a diverse line-up of matcha to celebrate tea hailing from different regions. 🗾 Different tea origins and terroirs yield different depths of flavors/textures/experiences. For example, Uji cha and Yame cha have distinctive tastes - one is bold and umami, and one yields a toasted flavor tea, respectively. You’ll see where each matcha/hojicha in our line up is from. 📍 So far, we have Uji, Wazuka, and Shizuoka producers in our line up!

This makes Homecoming a learning and discovering journey as we keep tasting more matcha!

‘Ceremonial grade’ is actually an unregulated marketing term, and we do not recommend using this label, as there is no governing body that rules this term. Matcha and its quality are highly nuanced and span further than the ‘ceremonial grade’ or ‘culinary grade’ dichotomy. For teas at Homecoming, you’ll find our recommended preparation for each tea, ie, if it’s suitable for usucha, koicha, lattes, or cooking.

We’re so glad you asked! Matcha, as we have learned, has a whole world of its own to explore and enjoy. The depth of its flavors and properties make it a specialty food like coffee/wine/cheese/beer. ✨

We’ve found it helpful to describe its flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel to get a sense of each matcha. Words on a range of umami, sweet, bitter, astringent, light, and bold can be a nice base to start. From there, flavor profiles can include notes of sweet peas, dewy grass, nori, mushroom, chocolate, fresh grass, berries, olive oil, roasted almonds, and much more etc.

When mixed with milk, prepared as koicha, or combined with sugar and other foods, these are factors that can alter the taste of matcha, for better or worse! Try and see for yourself, there’s not a one-size-fits-all matcha, which we appreciate the versatility different types of matcha bring.

Things that contribute to flavor, character, and properties of matcha:

• Terroir: soil, climate, topography, region

• Shading time in farming process

• Blend vs. single cultivar vs. single origin

• Harvesting and milling process

• Aging time of tencha

We encourage you to try and see what kind of matcha you lean towards! What do you taste? What does it smell like when whisking? How does it feel after that first sip? 💚

When drinking matcha, you are consuming the whole tea leaf, which packs all its nutrients that come with it. Matcha is a potent powerhouse of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and amino acids. The shading process of the tea leaves makes the presence of catechins and chlorophyll production abundant.

• 🌿 Catechins (a polyphenol/antioxidant) are anti-infammatory and help lower blood pressure and lower dietary cholesterol.

• ⚡️ Natural EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate, a catechin) have benefits such as aiding metabolism, nutrient absorption, and boosting immunity.

• 😌 L-theanine, an amino acid, levels out caffeine spikes and helps with focus with its calming properties.

Yes! Matcha has caffeine, slightly less than coffee per serving.

With the presence of L-theanine (amino acid) found in matcha, the caffeine is absorbed by the body slowly over time as it gives a smooth and longer energy release. This makes matcha a great alternative for those sensitive to caffeine. It’s energy without the adrenaline spikes and jitters. L-theanine is also said to boost cognitive function and focus the mind with calming effects. What a gem. 🧠

Matcha originated in Song Dynasty China, and was brought to Japan in 1191 by Zen Buddihst, Eisai. Eisai was studying in China when we returned to Japan with tea seeds. Zen Buddhists developed the tencha cultivation method which preserved the benefits of tea. 🌱

The matcha we’ve come to know and love today has evolved from the tea ceremony, and is thanks to these centuries of chado, tea farming practices, and tea culture of Japan.

Usucha (薄茶) is thin tea, and koicha (濃茶) is thick tea. These are ways the matcha is served in traditional Japanese tea ceremony , Chanoyu (茶の湯).

Usucha can be a day-to-day way of enjoying matcha, using 2g of matcha with 60ml of water.

Koicha is an intense hit of flavor, and similar to a thick, syrupy paste. We use 4g of matcha with 30ml for koicha, and this is often accompanied by wagashi, or a sweet treat to go along. Try our Saemidori as a koicha!

Yes! Leave us a message and we can’t wait to whisk some matcha for you!

Same same same! Let’s learn together.

Please leave us a note or tag us @homecomingmatcha with any questions or comments - we’ll get back to you or point you in the right direction with the help of our tea friends and resources!