Making matcha is a beautiful ritual that highlights the tea’s unique qualities, from its frothy crema to its rich umami taste. This guide will walk you through the best way to prepare matcha in the traditional style, with tips to optimize flavor and make the process practical for daily enjoyment. Even if you’re a beginner, you’ll be able to whisk up a smooth, flavorful bowl of matcha by following these steps

What You’ll Need

Gather the following ingredients and tools (with some modern substitutes for convenience):

• High-quality matcha powder: Use a ceremonial-grade matcha for the best flavor and vibrant color. Quality matters. Fresh, finely milled matcha will have more sweetness and less bitterness. (For more details, read our blog: Delicious Matcha Comes from High-Quality Aracha Tencha)

• Tea bowl (Chawan): A wide, shallow bowl is ideal for whisking matcha. If you don’t have an official chawan, any similar bowl (even a latte mug or a deep cereal bowl) will do for practice. The key is to have enough room to whisk vigorously.

• Bamboo whisk (Chasen): This special whisk with many fine tines is essential for creating a smooth, frothy matcha. (Tip: Soak the bamboo whisk in warm water before use to soften it. more on this below.) A kitchen whisk or milk frother can produce foam, but to achieve the traditional fine froth and avoid damaging your cup, a bamboo whisk is best. There’s really no perfect substitute for a chasen.

• Tea scoop (Chashaku): A bamboo scoop is used in tea ceremony to measure matcha. If you don’t have one, use a measuring teaspoon or any small spoon – approximately 1 teaspoon of matcha (about 2 grams) per serving.

• Sifter: Optional but highly recommended. A small tea strainer or sieve will help break up clumps in the powder, ensuring a smoother drink. Matcha is so fine that it tends to clump due to static)

• Hot water: You’ll need about 60–70 ml of hot water per serving (roughly ⅓ of a cup). Temperature ~80°C (176°F) is ideal. Boil the water, then let it cool for a few minutes to reach the right temperature . Water that’s too hot can scorch the matcha, causing bitterness. Using good water is important: soft, filtered water is best for matcha, as a high mineral content (hard water) can dull the flavor. If you’re using tap water, consider filtering it or boiling it briefly to remove chlorine odors.

Step-by-Step: Traditional Matcha Preparation

Follow these steps to prepare usucha (thin matcha) in the traditional way, yet it’s simple enough for daily practice once you get the hang of it.

1. Warm the Bowl and Whisk: Pour a small amount of hot water into the bowl and place the bamboo whisk (chasen) in the water. Let it sit for a few minutes allowing the whisk’s tines to soften. Gently swish the whisk in the hot water to warm it and the bowl, then discard the water. Dry the bowl with a cloth. Why do this? The bamboo whisk, when dry and stiff, can be brittle – warming it improves its flexibility and helps prevent the delicate tines from breaking . A warmed bowl also keeps your matcha at a nice temperature.

2. Sift the Matcha into the Bowl: Use 2 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of matcha powder for one bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer or sifter and push the powder through into the bowl. This step breaks up any clumps and yields a finer powder in the bowl, which will whisk more easily into a smooth tea. Tip: If you don’t have a sifter, you can achieve a similar result by “kneading” the matcha with a few drops of cool water first. Add just a teaspoon of water to the powder and mix it into a paste, crushing any lumps, then add the rest of the hot water.

3. Prepare the Water (Optimal Temperature): Boil water and then wait about 1-2 minutes to let it cool down to about 75–80°C. Too hot = bitter matcha; too cool = under-extracted and weak. 

4. Add Hot Water to the Matcha: Now pour about 60–70 ml of the hot (80°C) water into the bowl with the sifted matcha. This is roughly ¼ cup, depending on how strong you like it. Pour the water gently at one spot rather than all over the powder.

5. Whisk Briskly in a Zigzag Motion: Hold the bowl steady with your non-dominant hand. Take the whisk in your dominant hand and mix slowly first: press the whisk down lightly to the bottom of the bowl and stir the matcha and water to combine. Once the powder is mostly incorporated, increase your speed and use a rapid back-and-forth motion (a quick zigzag pattern rather than a circular stirring motion.) Many teachers say to move the whisk as if drawing the letter “M” or “W” in the bowl. Use your wrist to flick the whisk. Whisk vigorously for about 15–20 seconds until you see a fine foam forming on the surface. The key is speed with a light touch. You want to aerate the tea. Small bubbles should form a thick, creamy layer on top when you’re done, with no large bubbles or clumps visible. Finish by drawing a small circle (the Japanese hiragana “の”) on the surface to burst any very large bubbles and smooth the foam, then lift the whisk out of the center slowly.

6. Enjoy!: Matcha is best enjoyed right after it’s made. Traditionally, one would take a few sips to finish the bowl of matcha. The flavor will unfold in stages: you may notice a gentle sweetness and deep umami up front, followed by fresh vegetal notes, and a slight pleasant astringency or bitterness in the finish. This balance of flavors is one of the joys of well-prepared matcha. Don’t wait too long to drink because matcha is a suspension (fine particles in water, not dissolved), it will start to settle and separate if left sitting. Within a few minutes the fine powder can collect at the bottom, and the taste will become more astringent. For the best experience, drink it while the foam is still lively.

Additional Tips for Perfect Matcha

• Use Good Water: As mentioned, soft water is ideal for making matcha. If your tap water is hard or chlorinated, consider using filtered or bottled water (most Japanese natural spring waters are soft). 

• Adjust to Your Taste: The ratios given (2g matcha to ~70 ml water) are a traditional starting point for usucha, but you can adjust the strength. If you prefer a stronger, thicker tea, add a bit more matcha or use slightly less water. There is no one “right” strength for daily matcha so feel free to experiment to find what you enjoy most. The “perfect” matcha is one that suits the drinker’s palate.

• Keep Your Tools in Good Shape: After you finish your matcha, rinse the whisk in clean water (do not use soap on your chasen). Gently clean off any tea bits and let it air-dry. Proper care will prolong the life of your bamboo whisk. If you plan to make another bowl of matcha soon after, it’s a good idea to re-warm the whisk and bowl as you did initially, since a dry, cool whisk won’t produce as good a foam.

• Store Matcha Properly: Matcha powder is delicate and can lose its flavor quickly if not stored well. It’s best to keep matcha in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Many people store matcha in the refrigerator to preserve its freshness . If you do refrigerate it, make sure the container is fully sealed to prevent moisture or odors from affecting the tea. For peak flavor, try to use an opened tin of matcha within a few weeks. The fresher the matcha, the more vibrant the color and taste. Buying matcha in small quantities more frequently, rather than a large amount that sits for months, will ensure you’re always enjoying it at its best .

• Practice the Whisking Technique: Don’t worry if your first attempts don’t have perfect foam. It takes a bit of practice to get the wrist motion and speed right. The goal is a fine, even foam – not big soapy bubbles, but tiny, velvety bubbles across the surface. If you find your matcha isn’t frothing well, you might need to whisk faster or for a bit longer, or make sure you’ve sifted the powder. Also check that your water isn’t too hot (which can cause less foam and more bitterness) and that you’re using enough powder.

• Understand Usucha vs. Koicha: The method above is for usucha (thin matcha), which is the typical way to enjoy matcha on a daily basis and in most tea ceremonies for guests. There is also koicha (thick matcha), a much richer preparation that uses more matcha (often double the amount or more) and very little water to make a syrup-thick tea. It is not whisked to a froth. instead, it’s kneaded slowly with the whisk into a glossy, thick consistency. Koicha requires high-grade matcha to taste palatable at such strength.