tencha

Tencha is a type of Japanese green tea leaf that serves as the raw material for matcha. It is produced from the Camellia sinensis plant, typically from leaves harvested in shaded plantations, which intensifies the leaf’s green color and amino acid content. Tencha differs from other greens such as sencha by its cultivation and processing methods, particularly the extended shading before harvest.

After harvest, the leaves are briefly steamed to halt oxidation, then cooled. The stems and veins are removed, and the remaining leaf tissue is dried into flat, uniform slabs known as tencha. These slabs are stored under controlled conditions until they are ground into a fine powder. The powder resulting from grinding tencha is what is sold as matcha; the leaf before grinding remains tencha.

Tencha is primarily used as the raw material for ceremonial and premium-grade matcha rather than being brewed directly as a tea. Although some tencha products are marketed in certain contexts, most consumers encounter tencha only in the form of matcha. Major production regions for tencha in Japan include Uji in Kyoto, Nishio in Aichi, and Shizuoka, among others.

History and terminology place tencha at the heart of traditional Japanese tea culture, with its shade-growing and leaf preparation contributing to the distinctive sweetness and umami associated with high-grade matcha.