Matcha has a complex history spanning two countries and over a thousand years. The short version: powdered tea was invented in China, perfected in Japan, and the matcha we drink today is distinctly Japanese despite Chinese origins.
Chinese Origins (760-1391)
Tang Dynasty: The First Powdered Tea
Lu Yu’s Cha Jing (茶經, ~760 CE), the world’s first tea monograph, describes grinding compressed tea cakes into powder and boiling it in water. This was functional rather than ceremonial — salt was commonly added.
Song Dynasty: The Art Form
The Song Dynasty (960-1279) transformed powdered tea into sophisticated culture. The diǎnchá (點茶) method emerged: finely ground powder whisked in a bowl with hot water to produce foam “like snow and milk flowers.”
Emperor Huizong himself wrote a treatise on tea in 1107. Tea competitions judged foam quality, and elaborate black Jian ware bowls displayed the white foam dramatically. This was powdered tea at its peak in China.
The Disappearance
In 1391, Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict abolishing tribute cake tea, stating the production “greatly strains the resources of the people.” His peasant origins and experience with famine likely influenced this compassionate reasoning.
But the cultural shift was already underway — by then, cake tea was considered passé. China transitioned to loose-leaf steeping, and the whisking method disappeared from Chinese tea culture entirely.
Transmission to Japan
Before Eisai
Tea existed in Japan before the famous Eisai transmission. The earliest reliable record from 815 CE describes Buddhist abbot Eichū serving tea to Emperor Saga. Monks may have brought tea seeds from Tang China as early as 804. But these earlier introductions didn’t take root in Japanese culture.
Eisai’s Contribution
Zen monk Myōan Eisai (1141-1215) transformed Japanese tea culture — not by introducing tea, but by reviving and institutionalizing it.
During his second trip to Song China (1187-1191), Eisai studied Rinzai Zen, observed monastic tea rituals, and returned with seeds and the whisking method. He planted seeds at several locations and gave seeds to monk Myōe at Kōzan-ji temple — these became the foundation of Uji tea cultivation.
His 1211 treatise Kissa Yōjōki (“Drinking Tea for Health”) was primarily medicinal, declaring tea “the most wonderful medicine for nourishing one’s health.” When he cured Shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo’s hangover in 1214 with tea and this treatise, the political endorsement accelerated tea’s spread among the warrior class.
Why Eisai Succeeded
Earlier introductions failed; Eisai’s transformed Japan. Key factors:
- He introduced the more sophisticated Song whisking method
- He embedded tea within Zen monastic practice (keeping monks alert during meditation)
- His treatise provided ideological foundation
- He connected tea to political power
- The warrior class actively sought Zen discipline
Japanese Development (1400s-1500s)
From Entertainment to Art
In the 14th-15th centuries, tea spread through competitive entertainment. Tōcha tea-tasting competitions, where participants guessed tea origins, became popular among samurai — associated with gambling and ostentatious display.
The transformation toward spiritual practice came through three key figures:
Murata Jukō (~1423-1502), sometimes called the “father of tea ceremony,” studied Zen under the iconoclast master Ikkyū and developed wabi-cha — an aesthetic emphasizing simplicity and the beauty of imperfection.
Takeno Jōō (1502-1555) deepened wabi-cha with literary sensibility, connecting tea aesthetics to Japanese poetry’s appreciation of humble beauty.
Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591) codified tea ceremony into its mature form.
Sen no Rikyū
Rikyū served warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi and received imperial recognition in 1585. His innovations include:
- The sō-an (“grass hermitage”) style tearoom with tiny entrance requiring guests to bow
- Raku ware tea bowls (created with potter Chōjirō)
- Bamboo implements
- Using common objects in elevated contexts
The four principles traditionally attributed to him — wa-kei-sei-jaku (harmony, respect, purity, tranquility) — may have earlier origins, though the earliest documentation appears in texts from about a century after his death.
Rikyū’s relationship with Hideyoshi was complex. In 1591, he committed seppuku by Hideyoshi’s order. The exact reason remains unknown — theories include political intrigue, personal offense, and conflicts over trading practices.
The Three Schools
After Rikyū’s death, his descendants eventually formed three main schools:
| School | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Omotesenke | Less foam; conservative tradition |
| Urasenke | More foam; largest globally; more innovative |
| Mushakōjisenke | Smallest; efficient movements |
These schools preserve and continue to evolve tea practice through the iemoto system of hereditary grand masters.
Matcha Production History
Shade Cultivation
The technique that defines modern matcha — shade growing — developed in Japan during the 15th century (recent soil analysis suggests earlier than previously thought).
Originally for frost protection, farmers discovered that blocking sunlight dramatically improved flavor. Shading prevents L-theanine from converting to bitter catechins, creating matcha’s characteristic umami and vibrant green color.
Traditional honzu-style shading uses reed screens and straw mats on elevated frameworks, blocking 95-98% of light for 2-3+ weeks before harvest.
Stone Grinding
While Eisai brought grinding concepts from China, specialized granite tea mills emerged in 14th-century Japan. Granite was chosen for minimal friction heat — heat damages color, aroma, and nutrients. Traditional mills produce only ~30 grams per hour at extremely fine particle size.
Regional Development
Uji (Kyoto) became the matcha center through ideal geography, proximity to elite clientele, and cultivation from Eisai’s seeds. By the 15th century, Uji tea surpassed other regions as “honcha” (true tea).
Nishio (Aichi) developed in the 19th century when temple priests acquired Uji seeds.
Kagoshima now leads in tencha production volume, with a warm subtropical climate enabling multiple harvests annually.
Common Misconceptions
“Eisai brought tea to Japan.” Tea existed in Japan from at least 815 CE. Eisai revived and institutionalized tea culture through the Song whisking method and Zen framework — he didn’t introduce tea itself.
“Zen monks invented matcha.” Powdered tea originated in China. Zen monks were transmitters and preservers. The specific form of modern matcha developed in Japan during the 15th-16th centuries.
“The tea ceremony is an ancient unchanging tradition.” Tea practice has continuously adapted. What we call “tea ceremony” developed primarily in the 16th century. The iemoto system emerged in the late 17th-18th centuries. Tradition here means evolution, not stasis.
“Ceremonial grade is a traditional distinction.” This terminology is modern marketing. Traditional distinctions involved preparation style (thick vs. thin tea) and regional classifications.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| ~760 CE | Lu Yu’s Cha Jing describes Tang-style powdered tea |
| 815 | First documented tea drinking in Japan |
| 1107 | Emperor Huizong’s tea treatise in Song China |
| 1187-1191 | Eisai’s second China trip; brings seeds and Song methods |
| 1211 | Eisai completes Kissa Yōjōki |
| 1391 | Ming emperor’s edict ends tribute cake tea in China |
| Early 1400s | Shade cultivation likely begins in Japan |
| 1522-1591 | Sen no Rikyū’s lifetime; codification of wabi-cha |
| Mid-1600s | Three Sen schools formalized |
| 1908 | Yabukita cultivar developed (now 75-85% of Japanese tea) |
| 2020s | Global matcha market reaches $3.7-4.3 billion |