Our matcha and other Japanese teas are sourced from Japan and are produced by Ippodo. Ippodo’s tea is mainly grown in the hills between the Uji and Kizu River basins in Kyoto, Nara, and Shiga Prefectures in Japan. These regions share a common climate and natural environment. Cultivated enveloped in river mist at a high altitude, with stark temperature differences between morning and evening, Ippodo tea is characterized by its wonderful fragrance and mellow umami flavor. Tea fields on steep hillside slopes require a lot of manual labor, including continuous daily care and hard work during picking season. The production of high quality tea relies on the devoted efforts and passion of experienced tea growers.
In the words of Michael Pollan, "the epitome of caffeine consumption is the Japanese tea ceremony, which elevates the tea to a spiritual practice". What is matcha and why is ceremonial-grade matcha so expensive? To learn more about matcha, we recommend this short Business Insider documentary.