When you think matcha, Japan probably comes to mind right away.
Matcha is, after all, what we think of when we think of Japanese tea ceremonies and peaceful tea houses and bright green bowls of whisked tea. But what if we told you that was only half the story?
The history of matcha actually starts in China centuries before it became the ceremonial drink we know and love today. It doesn't take anything away from Japan to know where matcha tea originated; on the contrary, it makes the tale even more astounding.
History Begins In Ancient China
The story of matcha is over a thousand years old, starting in China during the Song Dynasty.
Tea wasn’t always brewed the way most of us drink it today. Tea leaves were steamed and dried, powdered very fine, and whisked with hot water to make a frothy green drink.
It was especially popular with buddhist monks who found it helped them stay calm, focused and awake during long periods of meditation.
It wasn’t the exact same matcha we know today, but this is where the idea of powdered green tea began — and where the origin of matcha tea really begins.
From China a Japanese Monk Brought Matcha to Japan
A Japanese Zen Buddhist monk named Eisai. While a student in China, Eisai noticed that the monks drank powdered green tea before meditation. It kept them calm, and focused, and awake through long hours of practice.
In the late 12th century, he returned to Japan bringing tea seeds and the method for preparing powdered tea.
Eisai also wrote the Kissa Yōjōki, or “Drinking Tea for Health.” It was one of the first writings in Japan on tea and its benefits for body and mind.
How Japan Improved the Matcha We Know Today
Even though matcha’s earliest roots can be traced back to China, Japan is where it became the matcha many of us know today.
Over time, Japanese tea makers refined the process with so much care. They began shading the tea plants before harvest, which helped create that bright green colour and smoother, sweeter taste. After the leaves were picked, they were steamed, dried, and carefully prepared before being stone-ground into a fine powder.
This is what gave matcha its rich, smooth, umami flavour. So while matcha’s story may have started in China, Japan played a huge role in turning it into the beautiful tea tradition we recognise today.
So the next time you make a bowl of matcha, remember that it carries a story much older than the trend we see online today.
Matcha began with powdered tea in China, travelled to Japan through Zen Buddhist practice, and slowly evolved into the calming, vibrant drink loved around the world.
At Macha Doin, we love this story because it reminds us that matcha is more than just an aesthetic. It is a drink shaped by culture, care, and centuries of tradition.