There are many kinds of tea made in Japan yet matcha is a comparatively high class tea that is carefully made and also served at formal occasions. Lots of Japanese tea is made in places like Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Mie and Kyoto, and "uji matcha" is a famous matcha tea from Uji, Kyoto.
Matcha is made from the shoots of tea plants that are shielded from direct sunlight using straw, etc. These shoots are picked individually by hand and, in a raw state, are first steamed and then dried. After, the stems and leaf veins are removed, it is then ground until smooth using a millstone to make matcha. Until the Edo period, the tea leaves were carefully transported in a pot before grinding and so when used they would be freshly ground. Nowadays, there are many kinds of powdered products available to buy so that anyone easily use matcha. It is also in the making of Japanese sweets and other confectionery. With a taste like no other tea that has natural sweetness and bittersweetness as well as a refined, rich characteristic aroma.
The beginnings of matcha tea can be traced back to the Kamakura period, when Eisai Zenji came back to Japan from Song (China) and brought back with him tea seeds and tea preparation methods, and then become popular during the samurai society. Since then, not only has the tea been prepared and drunk, but also enjoyed with guests, involving tea utensils, a tea room, a garden, flowers, food, Japanese sweets, etc. Thus, developed under the notion of entertaining guests, Japan's unique art of the tea ceremony was born.
In tea ceremony, the phrase "ichi-go ichi-e" is famous. This means "to cherish a one-time-only encounter between people". In other words, meeting with guests is an irreplaceable occasion that occurs one time, and you must do your wholehearted best to entertain.
In tea ceremony, the etiquette of tea preparation is called "temae", and a variety of schools have established different manners. Therefore, people tend to think that having matcha tea is difficult, yet the truth is you can enjoy its flavor and aroma even at home.
How to make matcha tea
- Using a spoon called a chashaku, place about 2 cups worth of matcha in a tea ceremony bowl.
- Fill up about a quarter of the bowl with hot water, support the bowl with your left hand and hold the chasen whisk with your right hand. Mix by whisking back and forth vigorously.
- When a good lather is made, reduce speed. Slowly lift up the chasen and then it is finished. Support with your right hand, with your left hand underneath.
Tea contains lots of nutrional ingredients, but matcha is different from other Japanese teas. As the tea leaves are made into a powder before consumption, you can consume their original nutritional content. It contains catechins, vitamins, protein, caffeine and dietary fiber. Also, as well as acting as an atioxidant and diuretic, it is also perfect for relaxation and preventing drowsiness. When at home with friends at family, why don't you have a cup of matcha?
