The History of Matcha

The History of Matcha in Japan, is said to commence in the 12th Century, when Zen monk Eisai brought tea seeds he had gathered on a study trip to China. Between the 8th & 9th centuries however, Buddhist Monks Saichō and Kūkai had already brought tea seeds from China. But at that time tea was processed into compressed cubical bricks or cakes, and it was not until the following century that a powdered kind of tea, resembling what we nowadays perceive as matcha, became the standard. This powdered form of tea was commonly used at Chinese Chan [jp: Zen] monasteries, and was revered for its vitalizing and healing benefits. Besides implementing this application of tea in his own Buddhist praxis, Eisai also wrote a book titled ‘Kissa Yōjōki’, which translates as ‘Drinking Tea for Health’ in which he explains the various health benefits that can be gained from consuming tea.

In 1191, it is believed that Eisai recommended the cultivation and regular consumption of tea to one of his pupils. Myōe was a Buddhist Monk who served as the chief incumbent at Kōzan-ji on the Toganoō mountain north-west from Kyoto. He took the advise of his master very seriously, and tended to the cultivation of tea bushes in his direct temple precincts. In due course, he discovered that the fertility of the soil, and the morning dew forming on the tea leaf as a result from the neighboring Kiyotaki river, provided the excellent conditions for the cultivation of tea. It is from this point forward that the consumption of tea, mainly in a powdered form, became more widely spread throughout the country, initially for use in Buddhist monasteries, and later also by the military elite.

With a growing demand for tea, it became necessary to expand the area of tea cultivation, and it was the third Shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who allowed more tea gardens to be opened in the Kyoto, Uji area. At first the tea produced in Uji was qualitatively lower, but soon manufacturers discovered that in Toganoō, the surrounding forest had been naturally shading the tea gardens. In response, the Uji producers developed an artificial method allowing them too to achieve similar results without having to relocate their farms. By building a wooden structure over the tea bushes, and creating a roof of straw, they could easily adjust and modify the amount of sunlight that was allowed to reach the tea bushes.

From there on, many places in Japan started offering high quality matcha green tea with organic specifications like Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Shizuoka region of Japan, 40 percent of Japan’s tea is produced due to two key factors – perfect growing conditions and century’s worth of blending as well as production knowledge.

Growing conditions: Uji, Kyoto is the home of matcha cultivation since the 16th century. A comprehensive perspective of history, culture, geography, and weather makes Uji tea cultivation well known.

Knowledge: Since the 1185-1333 or Kamakura Period, the Japanese have been mastering the art of tea cultivation and production to bring out the delicate flavor of the tea.