Matcha harvesting explained

The three matcha harvests in Japan

In Japan, the Matcha harvest begins with the so-called first picking (Ichibancha) in April or May. These leaves grow after the winter dormancy and are considered particularly tender, sweet, and rich in umami. They have a bright green color and deliver the highest quality, which is why almost all premium and ceremonial grade Matcha comes exclusively from this first harvest is manufactured.

After this picking, the tea plant sprouts again. The fresh leaves that grow in June and July form the second harvest (Nibancha) . These leaves are already somewhat stronger in taste, contain fewer amino acids and taste more bitter. They are therefore mostly used for everyday matcha or culinary grade.

In some tea gardens a third harvest (Sanbancha) takes place in August or September. At this point the leaves are harder and coarser, the taste much more bitter and less aromatic. Therefore, they are rarely used for high-quality matcha. but rather for simple green tea or industrial purposes.

For this reason, the best Matcha qualities come almost exclusively from the first picking of the year , while the later harvests are mainly for cheaper qualities or other types of tea. Both our Matcha & Greens Kagoshima Matcha and our Aichi Matcha are obtained exclusively from the leaves of the first harvest.