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Nobody will disagree with the fact that Ryokucha (green tea) is one of the typical and internationally known foods that symbolize Japanese culture. While it’s commonly appreciated as a beverage, matcha, also called green tea powder, attracts a great number of foreign customers, with some becoming more enamored with it than Japanese consumers.
Matcha can be described as an edible green tea. Since it’s made from freshly harvested tea leaves, it boasts richer nutrition than the beverage green tea. Additionally, matcha is highly versatile and can be used in both foods and drinks; there are even some cosmetics and hygienic goods that contain matcha. However, if you’re a beginner with matcha powder, you may wonder which one is best suited for you. In this article, we would like to introduce 10 recommended matcha powders. It would be our pleasure if this article proves helpful in selecting the best one for you.
How we decided
- Authentic OriginWe selected matcha powders made in Japan’s top tea regions like Uji and Kyoto.
- Quality & FreshnessChosen for vibrant color, fine texture, and rich umami from freshly ground tea leaves.
- VersatilityPicked for how easily they blend into drinks, desserts, or daily matcha rituals.
- Reputation & TrustFeatured from reliable Japanese brands known for craftsmanship and consistent flavor quality.
J Taste Ceremonial Grade Organic Uji Matcha Powder 30g
This is a must-try matcha powder for serious matcha lovers. The J Taste Ceremonial Matcha powder is Japanese Taste's original matcha powder, made from the highest quality matcha tea leaves harvested in Uji, Kyoto. Hand-picked organic ichibancha leaves are the star of our matcha, known for their exceptional flavor and grown in the perfect conditions. This results in a matcha that is smooth and rich in umami while being completely free of bitter or astringent flavor. This matcha powder is ideal for enjoying matcha in the traditional way, or in a matcha latte.
Pros
- Organic Uji matcha, rich umami
- Pure, additive-free, versatile
- Sugar-free
- No bitterness, vibrant green
Cons
- Needs whisk for best froth
- Small size only
J Taste Multipurpose Natural Matcha Green Tea Powder 90g
The J Taste Multipurpose Matcha Powder is ideal for consumers who just can't get enough of matcha and want to enjoy its flavor in as many ways as possible. You can make drinks with this matcha powder, bake with it, add it to your protein shake or smoothie, sprinkle it on top of yogurt, the possibilities are endless! It is also lightly sweetened with beet sugar, making it an ideal matcha powder option for those who are new to matcha.
Pros
- Lightly sweetened with beet sugar
- Dissolves fast in hot or cold milk
- Vegan, organic matcha base
Cons
- Not sugar-free
Itoen Oi Ocha Uji Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder 30g
Even though all matcha powders look the same, each has different aroma, taste, color, etc. To fully appreciate matcha to your heart's content, it’s ideal to choose the one in accordance with your purposes. But in reality, this is pretty difficult especially if you aren't familiar with matcha.
The solution for this is to try a versatile type matcha. In this sense, the matcha powder produced by Itoen, the mega company of green tea products in Japan, is a safe selection. This is a pure matcha powder from Uji, the most famous green tea production site in Japan, and has a vivid green color and smooth taste. It’s designed to be used for both drink and confection making. If you don’t know which matcha to choose, try this first.
Pros
- Sugar-free
- Versatile for hot, cold, lattes
- Use in cooking and baking
Cons
- Lacks sweetness
Morihan Matcha Multi-Purpose Japanese Green Tea Powder 100g
This matcha powder is produced by Morihan, one of the matcha makers in Kyoto. It's originally designed to use for tea ceremony lessons, but you can use this for foods and desserts. The flavor is lighter than average matcha, but this means it's suitable before trying the pricier ceremonial-grade matchas.
The advantage of this large size matcha powder is you can use it beyond the culinary purpose. For instance, you can use a cup of matcha tea as a gargling mouthwash, which has become fashionable in Japan since it was introduced on TV. Green tea has antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and you can obtain more of these benefits than the green tea drink.
Pros
- Smooth powder for lattes, baking
- Good for recipes
- Sugar-free
Cons
- Lacks sweetness
Honjien Organic Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder Gold Grade 30g
There’re many organic matcha powders in Japan but perhaps those made by Honjien is one of the bests because it not only has JAS Japanese organic certification but also the USDA, EU, and COR. For those who’re seeking truly organic Japanese matcha, Honjien’s matcha is a must-try.
Honjien’s matcha powders are classified into several ranks depending on matcha’s quality. This Gold Grade version is standard class; it has a good balance of richness, sweetness, and greenness. Designed to enjoy both in edible and drinkable. For those who're looking for ceremonial-grade matcha featuring supreme rich flavor, try Honjien’s highest grade powder.
Pros
- JAS certified organic
- Pesticide-free
- Versatile for drinks, baking
- Sugar-free
Cons
- Keep refrigerated or cool
- Lacks sweetness
Kataoka Tsujiri Matcha Milk Instant Powder 200g
Some matcha powders are sweetened so that those who dislike a bitter taste can appreciate the green tea. Mixing with milk is the best way to enjoy it with comfort, and Kataoka Tsujiri’s prepared matcha milk powder is a great starting point for a matcha trial.
Kataoka Tsujiri is one of the most popular matcha companies in Japan because their products are widely available in the Japanese supermarkets from matcha snack to matcha ice cream. Easy to drink because of the high density of milk flavor. We also sell a thicker matcha version for those who prefer bitter taste to milkiness.
Pros
- Two Uji matcha types, rich milk
- Easy mix for creamy hot or iced
- Versatile topping for desserts
Cons
- Not sugar-free
- Not dairy-free
AGF Blendy Cafe Latory Matcha Latte 6 Sticks
Here’s another instant matcha latte we recommend. AGF is a product brand specializing in coffee and tea products, owned by a Japanese food manufacturer Ajinomoto. Compared with Kataoka Tsujiri’s matcha milk, this one has stronger, more full-bodied matcha flavor.
This product also puts an emphasis on creaminess. The creamy foam has a rich taste and soft mouthfeel so consumers can enjoy this drink as if you’re having a real fresh latte at a coffee shop. Each serving is individually packed in a plastic sachet, which makes this products easier to have at workplace, office, or travel destination. A pack of 3 boxes is also available.
Pros
- Instant sticks type
- Portable for office relaxation
- Perfect for travel use
Cons
- Only 6 sticks per pack
- Limited to latte style
- Not sugar-free
Harimaen Organic Uji Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder High Grade 30g
An organic pure matcha powder from Harimaen, a family-run matcha producer in Kyoto who adopts organic farming for decades. Their tea garden locates in the Ujitawara area which is geographically and climatically perfect in matcha farming. Their matcha has a vivid light green color, less astringent taste, and fine foaming especially when consumed in a thick tea.
Harimaen’s dedication to organic farming was a milestone for Japan in terms of exporting organic products. In 1973, when the current president got ill due to the pesticide, the family decided to operate all their gardens organically. What makes their endeavor remarkable is when the officials of the EU Agricultural Department visited Harimaen’s tea garden for inspection in 2009, the EU decided to certify that Japanese organic systems have the same validity as that of the EU; before this event Japanese organic certification wasn’t recognized as internationally valid. Perhaps without Harimaen, matcha couldn’t be a globally popular product.
Pros
- JAS organic, whole leaf vitamins
- Rich tasty, promotes relaxation
- Versatile for ceremonies, cooking
- Sugar-free
Cons
- Only small size
- Not suitable for cold use
Morihan Uji Matcha Sweet Green Tea 150g
This one is a sugar-blended matcha powder that enables you to enjoy a sweet green tea. Perfect choice for those who feel a straight matcha is too strong or too bitter. Free of artificial colorant and fragrance, the only ingredients are matcha and sugar. Simply mix 2~3 tsp of the powder with water (both cold and hot are okay), mix them well, and it's ready to drink.
Sweetened matcha has various applications. For instance, by adding milk or soy milk you can make a matcha shake; likewise, if you add some ice cubes and mix them with a blender, you can make a homemade matcha frappe. Also, if you create a thick matcha from this product, it can be a syrup for ice cream and shaved ice. Furthermore, it can be used as an ingredient of matcha sweets like pancake, jelly, bavarois, tiramisu, etc.
Pros
- Sweetened to cut bitterness
- Mixes well for shakes, milk
- Uses 100% first harvest
Cons
- Not for pure matcha lovers
- Not sugar-free
Marukyu Koyamaen Kinrin Uji Matcha Japanese Green Tea Powder 40g
Marukyu Koyamaen is a long-established green tea producer established in Uji since 1704. Their products' quality is superior because they’re the repeat winner of the annual Japanese National Tea Competition (won 1st prize 21 times so far). The main buyers of their products are the prestigious tea ceremony schools, luxury hotels, prominent shrines and temples, and gourmet grocery stores, which also proves the excellence of quality.
Kinrin matcha powder has a unique balance of taste and aroma that there're some core fans, according to manufacturer. It can be enjoyed as both thick koicha and thin usucha. This product is sold in a steel can to keep the matcha fresh; matcha deteriorates quite fast and is very vulnerable to humidity, heat, direct sunlight, and smell migration.
Which matcha powder will you try first? We'd love to know in the comments below.
