Why we only source First Harvest Matcha

June 21, 2026

At Matcha Yu Tea, quality always comes first and has done right since our origin in 2018.

That’s why we've made one of our sourcing values to only source First Harvest Matcha — matcha made from tea leaves picked during the first harvest season of the year, when the tea plants are at their freshest and most vibrant.

In Japan, this first harvest is known as ichibancha. It takes place in spring (May), when the youngest, most tender tea leaves are carefully picked after the plants have rested through winter.

Why we choose first harvest matcha - Women in tea fields of Kyushi Japan

Why First Harvest Matcha?

First Harvest Matcha is made from the earliest spring growth of the tea plant.

After the cooler winter months, tea plants begin producing soft new leaves. These young leaves are prized for their smooth flavour, vibrant colour and beautiful balance.

Before they are harvested, tea plants destined for matcha are shaded to encourage deeper green colour, smoother flavour and more umami — the savoury, broth-like depth that makes high-quality matcha so special.

Once picked, the leaves are steamed, dried and processed into tencha — the leaf that is later milled into matcha powder.

Why First Harvest Matters

1. The youngest, freshest leaves are picked

The first harvest captures the tea plant’s most tender new growth.

These young leaves tend to produce a smoother, naturally sweeter flavour, with less astringency than later harvests.

That means your matcha is less likely to taste harsh, grassy or overly bitter.

2. Beautiful umami and smoothness

First harvest tea leaves are valued for their naturally higher concentration of amino acids, including L-theanine.

L-theanine is one of the compounds associated with matcha’s smooth umami flavour and its calm, focused energy.

This is part of what gives good matcha that beautiful balance: gently energising, but without the sharp spike and crash often associated with coffee.

3. The most prized harvest of the year

In Japan, the first harvest is traditionally the most celebrated and highly regarded. It is the harvest associated with freshness, vibrant colour, aroma and balance. For matcha, these qualities matter deeply. The better the leaf, the better the cup.

Why We Choose First Harvest Only

At Matcha Yu Tea, both our Everyday Matcha and Premium Matcha are first-harvest matcha, currently sourced from Kagoshima, one of Japan’s largest and most important tea-growing regions.

We choose first harvest because we want our matcha to taste beautiful on its own — smooth, vibrant and balanced, without needing loads of sugar to cover bitterness.

Whether you’re whisking it traditionally with water or making your daily matcha latte, the quality of the leaf makes all the difference.