Before we dive into what makes Chinese and Japanese matcha unique, let’s first go over what matcha is. The actual word “matcha” means “powdered tea,” with “Ma” meaning “powder” and “Cha” meaning “tea.” Matcha in its essence is the powdered form of the tea leaf, wherein the individual consumes the purest form of the leaf in its entirety. Originally from China, the camelia senensis seeds were introduced to Japan, where the ancient methods of processing these tea leaves into matcha were mastered. Your initial presumption may be that the differences between Chinese and Japanese matcha are largely insignificant, with both nations producing exceptional quality matcha. However, the differences are seen in virtually every aspect of the tea.
Visual Appeal
Chinese Matcha:
Dull hue of green with tones of yellow and brown. The massive difference in color is because China doesn’t traditionally shade their bushes before the harvest, resulting in lower levels of chlorophyll, which is responsible for the less appealing dull green color found within the tea. China also pan-fries their tea to prevent oxidation contributing to the brown and yellow tones also found in the matcha powder.
Japanese Matcha:
Lively and vibrant emerald green presentation, which is attributed to both the extra care taken to shade the bushes weeks before the harvest and the steaming process used to “fix” the tea (prevent oxidation). Shading gives the matcha higher levels of chlorophyll, increasing the rich green colors seen in the tea.
Dull hue of green with tones of yellow and brown. The massive difference in color is because China doesn’t traditionally shade their bushes before the harvest, resulting in lower levels of chlorophyll, which is responsible for the less appealing dull green color found within the tea. China also pan-fries their tea to prevent oxidation contributing to the brown and yellow tones also found in the matcha powder.
Japanese Matcha:
Lively and vibrant emerald green presentation, which is attributed to both the extra care taken to shade the bushes weeks before the harvest and the steaming process used to “fix” the tea (prevent oxidation). Shading gives the matcha higher levels of chlorophyll, increasing the rich green colors seen in the tea.
Chinese Matcha | Japanese Matcha
Taste Profile
Japan: (Overall taste profile is sweet and savory, with virtually no bitterness)
The method of shading the bushes weeks before harvest isn’t only improving the aesthetic of the tea but also reduces the bitterness while increasing the sweetness and umami flavors found in the tea. Shading causes the bushes to go into “survival mode” forcing the leaves to produce more chlorophyll and consequently more L-theanine and glutamic acid, all while reducing the number of catechins found in the leaves. L-theanine is responsible for the sweetness of the tea, glutamic acid is responsible for the umami taste that is so powerful in high-quality Japanese tea, and catechins are responsible for that bitter taste that you’ll find mainly in black teas.
China: (Overall taste profile is bright and earthy, with a natural bitterness)
The umami flavor found in Chinese matcha is very subtle due to the lack of shading prior to the harvest of the tea leaves. This lack of umami flavor gives way to the distinct earthy flavor found in Chinese matcha. The earthy bitterness in Chinese matcha is due to the higher levels of tannins and catechins found in the unshaded matcha.
Texture
Japanese Matcha:
Produced mainly by machines and without the stems and veins; this creates a uniform texture, an ultra-fine powder that mixes easily and produces a silky taste and a creamy froth that looks like you’ve added cream to the matcha. Side note, Japanese matcha is traditionally consumed without any added cream, sugar, or milk.
Chinese Matcha:
Lower wages in China allow for hand-processed matcha to still be an economically viable option for the nation. While it's interesting to see traditional methods being used, hand-crafted matcha results in a sandy texture, and large particle size, as well as being unable to create the signature froth found in Japanese matcha.
Price
China’s mass production of matcha, aimed at quenching the global demand for the tea, China provides some of the cheapest matcha in the world, which comes with both pros and cons, as seen in texture, taste, and color. While many issues surround Chinese matcha, mass production has made the beverage affordable to everyone, so the criticism around Chinese matcha shouldn’t be too harsh. Japanese matcha is almost always the pricier option when buying matcha. The added markup is due to the extra care taken to craft their matcha into what they see as the purest form of the tea. If you’re in the market and you’re willing to spend a little more on high-quality matcha, Japanese matcha would be the way to go; Chinese matcha is an alternative for those consumers who would like to get their foot in the water with matcha, but don’t want the higher price tag. Just to clarify, the overall experience with Chinese matcha will not be the same as with Japanese matcha, as the taste, texture, and consistency will be very different.
Quality
Chinese matcha is the victim of mass production; this means the overall quality of the matcha is significantly lower than its Japanese counterpart. Chinese matcha is usually processed with the stems and veins, which are not included in the Japanese method. The stems and veins present in Chinese matcha remove the purity aspect of what matcha strives to accomplish, adding unnecessary astringency and bitterness to the tea. Overall Japanese matcha wins hands down when it comes to the quality of the matcha produced.
Japan: (Overall taste profile is sweet and savory, with virtually no bitterness)
The method of shading the bushes weeks before harvest isn’t only improving the aesthetic of the tea but also reduces the bitterness while increasing the sweetness and umami flavors found in the tea. Shading causes the bushes to go into “survival mode” forcing the leaves to produce more chlorophyll and consequently more L-theanine and glutamic acid, all while reducing the number of catechins found in the leaves. L-theanine is responsible for the sweetness of the tea, glutamic acid is responsible for the umami taste that is so powerful in high-quality Japanese tea, and catechins are responsible for that bitter taste that you’ll find mainly in black teas.
China: (Overall taste profile is bright and earthy, with a natural bitterness)
The umami flavor found in Chinese matcha is very subtle due to the lack of shading prior to the harvest of the tea leaves. This lack of umami flavor gives way to the distinct earthy flavor found in Chinese matcha. The earthy bitterness in Chinese matcha is due to the higher levels of tannins and catechins found in the unshaded matcha.
Texture
Japanese Matcha:
Produced mainly by machines and without the stems and veins; this creates a uniform texture, an ultra-fine powder that mixes easily and produces a silky taste and a creamy froth that looks like you’ve added cream to the matcha. Side note, Japanese matcha is traditionally consumed without any added cream, sugar, or milk.
Chinese Matcha:
Lower wages in China allow for hand-processed matcha to still be an economically viable option for the nation. While it's interesting to see traditional methods being used, hand-crafted matcha results in a sandy texture, and large particle size, as well as being unable to create the signature froth found in Japanese matcha.
Price
China’s mass production of matcha, aimed at quenching the global demand for the tea, China provides some of the cheapest matcha in the world, which comes with both pros and cons, as seen in texture, taste, and color. While many issues surround Chinese matcha, mass production has made the beverage affordable to everyone, so the criticism around Chinese matcha shouldn’t be too harsh. Japanese matcha is almost always the pricier option when buying matcha. The added markup is due to the extra care taken to craft their matcha into what they see as the purest form of the tea. If you’re in the market and you’re willing to spend a little more on high-quality matcha, Japanese matcha would be the way to go; Chinese matcha is an alternative for those consumers who would like to get their foot in the water with matcha, but don’t want the higher price tag. Just to clarify, the overall experience with Chinese matcha will not be the same as with Japanese matcha, as the taste, texture, and consistency will be very different.
Quality
Chinese matcha is the victim of mass production; this means the overall quality of the matcha is significantly lower than its Japanese counterpart. Chinese matcha is usually processed with the stems and veins, which are not included in the Japanese method. The stems and veins present in Chinese matcha remove the purity aspect of what matcha strives to accomplish, adding unnecessary astringency and bitterness to the tea. Overall Japanese matcha wins hands down when it comes to the quality of the matcha produced.
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