What is Matcha?
Matcha is a tea, a centuries-old ritual of precision, mindfulness, and harmony. Unlike conventional green tea, matcha is made from whole tea leaves that are shade-grown, stone-milled, and whisked into a fine powder. This means when you drink matcha, you’re consuming the entire leaf — capturing its full depth of flavor, nutrition, and energy
Each bowl of matcha reflects the Japanese principle of ichigo ichie — “one moment, one meeting.” It is a reminder that every sip is an encounter that will never happen the same way again. Ground to a fine, vibrant powder, true matcha is an art form — a balance of aroma, color, and texture that represents centuries of cultivation and craft.
Tencha
Matcha begins as tencha — shade-grown tea leaves cultivated in Uji, Kyoto, where plants are covered for weeks before harvest to deepen their sweetness and color. After handpicking, the leaves are steamed to lock in freshness, dried, and stripped of stems and veins, leaving only the soft inner leaf. These leaves — tencha — are then slowly stone-milled into an ultra-fine powder, a process so precise it takes nearly an hour to produce 30 grams.
This careful transformation preserves matcha’s vibrant hue, creamy texture, and signature umami — the result of centuries of refinement and patience in Japan’s most revered tea-growing region.
The Matcha We Source
Our matcha is sourced directly from a 160-year-old family farm in Uji, Kyoto — a heritage producer that continues to craft matcha in the same tradition that began in the Edo period. Each harvest is guided by mastery, not machinery.
The tea plants are shaded for nearly a month before picking, increasing chlorophyll and amino acid content, which results in that deep, mellow umami and vibrant green hue. Once hand-picked, the leaves are steamed to preserve their color, dried, and slowly stone-milled into an ultra-fine powder using granite wheels — a process that takes nearly an hour to produce just 30 grams of matcha.
This deliberate pace is essential — protecting the integrity of aroma, temperature, and texture. Every step, from leaf to whisk, is a dialogue between precision and patience.
Why Uji’s Matcha?
Uji’s terroir is unlike any other. The region’s unique balance of humidity, temperature, and fertile soil produces tea with extraordinary sweetness and depth. The matcha grown here is smooth, creamy, and rich in umami — without bitterness. Our matcha from Uji embodies the balance of clarity and depth we seek at ERA: bright yet grounded, pure yet complex. It is ceremonial-grade, crafted for those who appreciate the difference between green tea and true matcha — a difference you can see, smell, and taste.
From Farm to Form, our goal has always been to connect craft with contemporary life. We don’t just sell matcha — we curate experiences that allow you to bring the spirit of Japanese tea culture into your daily rhythm. From the moment our matcha is milled to the instant it’s sealed, every detail is guided by freshness and intention. It arrives in its purest form — vibrant, smooth, and full of quiet energy. Each tin you receive represents a lineage of over a century and a half of mastery — from farmers who understand that perfection takes time. This matcha is exclusive to The Era — not a blend found elsewhere, but one cultivated and selected specifically for us in Uji. It is the foundation of everything we create: from our signature lattes and whisk rituals to the very identity of our brand.