Matcha harvesting explained

The three matcha harvests in Japan

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

After this harvest, the tea plant sprouts again. The fresh leaves that grow in June and July constitute the second harvest (Nibancha) . These leaves are already somewhat stronger in flavor, contain fewer amino acids, and taste more bitter. They are therefore mostly used for Culinary Grade Matcha.

In some tea gardens, a third harvest (Sanbancha) takes place in August or September. At this time, the leaves are tougher and coarser, the taste significantly more bitter and less aromatic. They are therefore 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 harvest of the year , while later harvests are primarily intended for more affordable qualities or other tea varieties. Both our Matcha & Greens Kagoshima Matcha and our Aichi Matcha are made exclusively from the leaves of the first harvest.