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Tencha: the raw material from which matcha is ground

Matcha, powdered green tea, has conquered the world - from tea ceremonies to lattes and desserts. But few people know that matcha is not made from just any green tea ground into powder. Its raw material is a special tea called tencha - shaded, steamed and, most importantly, never rolled. It is precisely tencha, carefully grown and processed, that after grinding becomes matcha. Without tencha there is no real matcha. In this post you will get to know tencha: what it is, how it is grown and processed, why its leaves are not rolled and how it becomes matcha. It is a journey into what hides behind a green cup of matcha. Let us start with what tencha actually is.

What tencha is

Tencha is a shaded Japanese green tea that serves as the raw material for producing matcha. It is a specialised tea leaf, grown and processed specifically to be ground into matcha powder, being its exclusive raw material. In other words, matcha is simply ground tencha. Tencha is unique among Japanese teas: it consists of flat, delicate leaf flakes that have been steamed and dried, but never rolled or kneaded. It is precisely this that distinguishes it from other green teas, like sencha or gyokuro, which are rolled. Tencha is a tea created with one goal in mind: to become matcha. By itself it is rarely brewed as an infusion (although it can be), because its purpose is grinding. Understanding that behind every matcha stands tencha is the key to understanding this tea. Tencha is the invisible foundation of matcha. So let us get to know how it is grown, because this begins long before the harvest.

Shading - the secret of tencha

The most important stage of growing tencha is shading. Tencha is shaded before harvest: growers cover the bushes with nets blocking a significant part of the sunlight, usually for about 30 days before picking. It is a key measure that changes the chemistry of the leaf. Deprived of full sun, the plant reacts by producing more chlorophyll (hence the intense, vivid green of matcha) and increasing the production of an amino acid called L-theanine, responsible for the smooth, savoury sweetness characteristic of high-quality matcha. Shading also reduces the bitterness and astringency that full sun would give. That is why matcha has its characteristic flavour: full, sweetish, with umami, and not bitter. Shading is the secret of both the colour and the flavour of matcha, and it all begins precisely at the stage of growing tencha. Without shading tencha would not have its key traits. It is a measure that defines the quality of the future matcha. We write more about shading in our post on shading gyokuro and matcha.

Steaming and stopping oxidation

After harvest tencha, like other Japanese green teas, is immediately steamed to stop oxidation. It is a key stage for every green tea: a freshly picked leaf contains enzymes that would start oxidation (as in black tea), changing the colour and flavour. Steaming, that is briefly subjecting the leaves to hot steam, deactivates these enzymes, stopping oxidation and fixing the green colour and the fresh, vegetal character. Japan traditionally uses steam for this purpose (unlike China, where roasting is more often used). The steaming of tencha takes place right after harvest, to preserve maximum freshness and vivid green. It is thanks to it that matcha has its intense, grassy, fresh flavour and colour. Steaming is the foundation of the Japanese style of green tea, and for tencha especially important, because it decides the colour and flavour of the future matcha. Stopping oxidation by steam is the first step of processing after harvest. It is the moment in which the fresh leaf becomes a stable green tea. After steaming tencha is ready for drying.

Why tencha is not rolled

The most characteristic trait of tencha, distinguishing it from other Japanese teas, is the lack of rolling. Unlike sencha, gyokuro or most other teas, tencha leaves are never rolled or kneaded after steaming. Instead they are dried flat, in their natural state. Why? It is key for the later grinding: rolled leaves would not grind evenly into fine matcha powder. Rolling, which in other teas breaks the cells and shapes the flavour and the form for brewing, would here be an obstacle. Tencha is to become a powder, and for this flat, brittle leaf flakes are needed, which grind easily and evenly in a stone mill. Therefore after steaming tencha is dried flat, keeping its delicate, flaky form. The lack of rolling is a deliberate decision, matched to the purpose of tencha. It is precisely this trait that makes tencha unique among teas. Why is tencha not rolled? Because it is to be ground, and a flat leaf grinds best. It is a logical consequence of its purpose.

Removing stems and veins

Another important stage of processing tencha is removing the stems and veins. After steaming and drying the tencha leaves undergo further treatment: the stems and larger veins are removed from them, leaving only the soft parts of the leaf. This cleaned material is called shiage-tencha. Why is it important? Removing the stems and veins improves the texture and flavour quality of the future matcha. Hard stems and veins ground together with the leaf would give a worse, less smooth matcha of a less clean flavour. By leaving only the most delicate parts of the leaf, one obtains a raw material for the highest-quality matcha: smooth, of a clean, full flavour. It is a labour-intensive stage of selection, key for quality. The highest-grade matcha is made from the most carefully cleaned tencha. Removing the stems and veins is the stage that separates good tencha from average. It is attention to detail that translates into the quality of matcha in the cup. A clean leaf gives clean matcha. It is the last stage before grinding.

From tencha to matcha

The last step is grinding the tencha into matcha. The cleaned tencha (shiage-tencha) is ground into a very fine, vivid green powder - and only then does it become matcha. Traditionally it is ground in stone mills (ishiusu), slowly, so as not to overheat the powder and to keep its colour and flavour. It is a slow process: a good stone mill grinds only a small amount of matcha per hour, which explains why high-quality matcha is expensive. The fineness of the powder is key: matcha has to be extremely delicate, to suspend well in water during whisking. That is why flat, brittle tencha is ideal for grinding, and rolled leaves would not be suitable. From tencha to matcha the road is short, but requires precision: slow grinding of the most delicate material. Only ground tencha becomes the matcha we know from ceremonies and lattes. It is the final transformation: from leaf tea into powder. Tencha is the raw material, matcha the final product. We write more about matcha grades in our post on ceremonial and culinary matcha grades.

From tencha to matcha in a table

Let us set the stages of making matcha from tencha side by side:

The table shows the full road from the bush to matcha. Shading builds the colour and flavour, steaming stops oxidation, the lack of rolling enables grinding, removing the stems gives smoothness, and slow grinding turns tencha into matcha. Each stage has its purpose, subordinated to one: creating the highest-quality powdered tea. It is proof that behind every cup of matcha stands a careful, multi-stage process. Tencha is the invisible foundation of matcha.

Why it is worth knowing this

Understanding tencha enriches the appreciation of matcha. First, it shows that matcha is not just any ground green tea, but the product of a special raw material and a careful process. Second, it explains where the traits of matcha come from: the vivid green (shading and chlorophyll), the sweet flavour with umami (L-theanine), the freshness (steaming). Third, it explains why good matcha is expensive: behind it stands shading, hand selection and slow stone grinding. Fourth, it helps distinguish real matcha from tencha from cheap, poor-quality ground green tea pretending to be matcha. A conscious tea lover knows that the quality of matcha begins with the quality of tencha. Next time, drinking matcha, it is worth thinking of the shaded bushes, steamed flat leaves and stone mill that stand behind it. It is knowledge that deepens respect for this tea and lets you choose matcha better. Tencha is the secret hidden behind the green cup. It is the foundation, without which there is no real matcha.

The key points in a nutshell

Matcha is not made from just any green tea - its exclusive raw material is tencha. Tencha is a shaded (shielded from the sun for about 30 days, which increases chlorophyll and L-theanine, giving vivid green and a sweet flavour with umami), steamed right after harvest (which stops oxidation) and, crucially, never rolled tea - it is dried flat, so it can be ground evenly. After drying the stems and veins are removed (shiage-tencha), leaving the soft leaves for smoothness and a clean flavour. Only slow grinding in a stone mill turns tencha into matcha. Behind every cup of matcha stands this careful process. Want to get to know matcha and record your impressions? Keep tasting notes in the GustoNote app. See also our posts on shading gyokuro and matcha and on matcha grades.