Living with
“MATCHA”
Japanese Tea Store by ITOEN
Since 1966
The Tea Expert
Farm-to-Table Integrity
Concept Movie
"Tea leaves picked in spring spend the summer in a quiet pot,
awakening with the arrival of winter. This is a story depicting the
traditional Japanese ceremony known as the 'Kuchikiri Tea Ceremony.'
Please enjoy the changing seasons and the craftsmanship embodied in
a single cup of tea, accompanied by beautiful visuals.
Another Wisdom of Green Tea, Nurtured by Japan
About
“MATCHA”
Matcha is a traditional Japanese powdered tea made from "tencha." To bring out its characteristic deep umami flavor , the tea leaves are grown under shade—a method called "shade cultivation"—for about 20 days before harvest. After being steamed and dried, they are ground
into a vibrant green fine powder using stone mills.Unlike tea leaves brewed in hot water, this powder is consumed whole, allowing you to
absorb every bit of its nutrients.
Matcha is a traditional Japanese powdered tea made from "tencha." To bring out its characteristic deep umami flavor , the tea leaves are grown under shade—a method called "shade cultivation—for about 20 days before harvest. After being steamed and dried, they are ground
into a vibrant green fine powder using stone mills.Unlike tea leaves brewed in hot water, this powder is consumed whole, allowing you to
absorb every bit of its nutrients.
Matcha: A masterpiece woven from time and tradition.
Matcha is a traditional Japanese tea made from "tencha." Unlike
ordinary tea, it undergoes a unique process—including cultivation that blocks out sunlight and grinding in a stone mill—to deliver deep umami and 100% of the tea leaf’s nutrients.
The Essence of Green, Polished by Shade
For 20 days before harvest, the tea fields are enveloped in deep shade. By blocking direct sunlight, we prevent the umami component "theanine" from turning into astringency, allowing the umami to concentrate within the leaves. This "shade" is the key to matcha's vibrant green color and its deep, mellow flavor.
A Dramatic Transformation
Freshly picked tea leaves are steamed immediately. This is a ritual designed to instantly seal in the vibrant green color and aroma. Unlike sencha, which is “rolled” to make its components easier to extract, matcha is deliberately dried without rolling, adhering to a traditional method that keeps the components locked within the leaves. This single step maximizes the deep umami and vivid color unique to matcha.
[Steam, Do Not Roll, Dry]
The steamed tea leaves are carefully aired without being rolled, then proceed to the drying stage. By deliberately “not rolling” them, the structure of the leaves remains intact, firmly locking the umami( component theanine and the vibrant color inside the leaves. The resulting “Tencha” is as light as a feather and embodies the pure power of green.
[Finely Ground]
The finishing touches take place in a quiet room. Using stone mills and specialized equipment, the leaves are slowly and meticulously ground over time into a fine powder so fine it dances in the air. This form is designed to brew the tea leaves “whole.” It is the most rational and beautiful way to consume tea, allowing the body to absorb the tea leaves’ inherent nutrients and flavor without wasting a single bit.
Every bit of the tea leaf in a single cup.
When you encounter matcha, what you are tasting is not simply “water infused with tea components.”
You are consuming the tea leaves themselves, in their entirety.
[The Nutrition of Whole Tea Leaves]
By dissolving it in hot water and “stirring,” you can consume every last bit of the nutrients that would otherwise be discarded with ordinary tea leaves. It is a wellness experience unique to matcha,allowing you to take in an abundance of antioxidants and vitamins.
[A Moment of Zen]
Matcha invites you to “slow down.” The very act of whisking the tea with a chasen becomes a moment of meditation, a time to connect with yourself. Step away from your busy daily life and gently calm your mind.
[Vibrant Harmony]
A perfect balance of gentle "sweetness" and elegant "bitterness." The tranquility brought by theanine, protected by shade-grown cultivation, sharpens your mind while gently soothing it.
A moment of tranquility, a clarity of focus.
A Moment of
Calm,
A Spark of
Focus.
It’s not just the stimulation of caffeine; the “theanine” preserved through shade-grown cultivation brings a gentle calm to your work and daily activities. From your first cup in the morning to a creative break in the afternoon. It creates mental space and clears your senses. Matcha blends quietly and naturally into every moment.
Enjoying Matcha
Simplified Ritual
The etiquette of enjoying matcha is by no means difficult. Just as in meditation, calm your mind and approach the matcha with care. Bring the purest, simplest ritual—one that fully embraces the tea leaves’ nutrients and spirit—into your daily life.
Start a lifestyle with matcha
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About Us
Pure Quality &
Tradition
Ito En’s matcha is carefully crafted using tea leaves meticulously
selected by professional tea masters and ground using traditional stone
mills. It features a strikingly vivid green color and a deep, rich flavor.
Please enjoy a moment of “Zen” with authentic matcha.
Farm-to-Table
Integrity
At Ito En, we work hand in hand with local producers to cultivate the
finest tea leaves. We take full responsibility for every step of the
process, from sowing the seeds to the finished product. That is our
promise.
Since 1966: The
Tea Expert
Since our founding in 1966, Ito En has remained at the forefront of
Japanese tea culture. Our “authentic flavor” is born from decades of
expertise and a deep respect for tradition. As a global tea company, we
deliver every cup without compromise.
For inquiries regarding products not purchased on the Ito En Official
Online Store, please contact the Ito En Customer Service Center at
(0800-100-1100)
