matcha

Matcha (; ) is a finely ground powder of green tea specially processed from shade-grown tea leaves. Shade growing gives matcha its characteristic bright green color and strong umami flavor. Matcha is typically consumed suspended in hot water.

Matcha developed from earlier powdered tea traditions in Tang dynasty China, which were later refined in Japan, where its modern form was established. In China, tea leaves were steamed, ground into a powder, and compressed into cakes, before being prepared with hot water. During the Song dynasty, specialized equipment such as whisks and bowls emerged to prepare and froth powdered tea, known as mo cha, meaning "powdered tea". It was during this period that Japanese Buddhist monks traveled to China and encountered powdered tea practices in temples there. A prominent Zen monk, Eisai, is believed to have brought tea seeds and elements of powdered tea preparation back to Japan.