The Traditional Ways of Preparing Matcha: Koicha & Usucha

There are two traditional ways to prepare matcha: Koicha & Usucha. Koicha, or thick tea, is considered the more formal and prestigious of the two methods and involves far more ritual when made ceremonially.  This is not to say that it can’t be made casually. However, the higher standards for tea and utensils elevated its status in Japanese culture and required more care to make.

Usucha, or thin tea, is a bit more relaxed, but can still be ritualistic.  The standards for Usucha, particularly regarding tea quality, are easier to meet and considerably more forgiving in execution.  This made Usucha more accessible, but also less highly regarded as a result.

Additionally, while the preparation of Koicha has a roughly single accepted method, Usucha can be prepared in three major styles.  These correspond to the major Chanoyu schools in Japan, and each style is named for the school that teaches it.  There is a dizzying array of variations on these three styles, though this primarily stems from differences in ritual steps, and the results still fall roughly within the three main styles.

Common Matcha Making Processes

When preparing either Koicha or Usucha, there are certain features that need to be observed.  They may seem ritualistic at first, but each has a practical purpose.

 

The first is the wiping down of the Chawan, or tea bowl, removing any debris.  This is usually done in front of tea ceremony guests, as a visible representation of the high standards for hygiene of the tea master.  When brewing at home, it is a good idea to wipe down the tea bowl before use.

 

Next comes the process of Chasen-Toshi, or whisk care.  This involves a visible inspection of the bamboo whisk for any damage, followed by soaking the whisk in hot water. This is essential, as bamboo is roughly 20% stronger when wet than when dry and reduces the risk of breaking tines when making the tea itself.  The soaking is done in the Chawan and also acts as a pre-heating stage, so that the matcha doesn’t cool down too much when made. The water is then tipped out, and the bowl given a final wipe down.

 

The next step shared by both types of matcha-making is the sifting of the tea.  This can be done well in advance, and the sieved tea stored in a small jar, or it can be done when making the tea. The small jar can take on one of two names:  Chaire or Natsume.  A Chaire is usually ceramic and most commonly used for Koicha, while a Natsume is usually made of lacquered wood and used mostly for Usucha. The idea here is to break up any lumps in the tea and remove any coarse pieces.  This step also introduces air, allowing the water easier access to hydrate the matcha powder, reducing the effort required to whisk matcha.

Koicha Specifics

Koicha uses significantly more matcha powder.  The usual ratio is 2 or 3 times the matcha to water ratio found in Usucha, though it can go as high as 4 -5 times.  The exact quantities of tea and water used can vary, but a single serve of Koicha is usually made with roughly 4 grams of matcha powder and 40 - 60 millilitres of water.  

 

Water temperature is also key.  Overly hot water will make green tea very bitter, and given the amount of tea in Koicha, it will be more noticeable. The water used for Koicha should be no hotter than 75°C, but is commonly brewed in water around 60-65°C.

 

The matcha powder is placed in the Chawan using a Chashaku (tea scoop), with care taken to disperse the tea. Hot water is added, and the whisk is used to mix in the matcha.

 

Koicha is made by “kneading” the tea against the side of the bowl with the whisk, rather than whipping it as with Usucha.  This difference in method has led to a distinction in Chasen, with the whisks for Koicha having fewer and thicker tines than the more common matcha whisks.  Koicha is kneaded until it forms a smooth, thick emulsion with a deep green colour.  Foaminess is avoided, and the final appearance should be glossy. 

 

Traditionally, Koicha is drunk communally from the same bowl, with participants in the ceremony taking only 2 or 3 sips before rotating the bowl and passing it along.

Usucha Specifics

Usucha, a more common and less formal matcha preparation, uses significantly less matcha powder than koicha and is widely drunk for health and enjoyment. This is the type you would be most familiar with.

 

The process for Usucha begins by adding roughly 2 grams of tea powder to the Chawan ( and the spreading of the tea over the bottom of the bowl, rather than leaving it in the middle..  The water, roughly 70 millilitres worth, is then added to the bowl, and the tips of the whisk are used to incorporate any dry powder into the water.  As with Koicha, water temperature should be within the 60-75°C range.

 

At this point, the tea is whipped to combine, rather than kneaded like Koicha.  The ideal motion is a ‘W’ or zig-zag pattern, with the whisk held up off the bottom of the bowl.  This reduces the risk of breaking the tines.  The tea is whisked into the desired consistency.  This will depend on which school of thought the practitioner belongs to.  The variations are detailed below:

 

Omotesenke School 

This is one of the oldest schools of preparation in Japan and traces back to the teaching of the revered master Sen No Rikyu (1522 – 1591).  The Omotesenke school serve their matcha in what is called the “Pond Style”.  This presentation of matcha does have foamy bubbles on the surface, but they should only cover 50% or so of the surface and have clear spaces in which the drinker can examine the tea beneath.

 

Ueda Soko School 

The only major school in this list not to trace back to Sen No Rikyu, this can be considered the “middle way” of matcha making.  The Ueda Soko school prefer a thin layer of foam that covers the entire surface of the bowl.  This matcha should ideally be 2-5 millimetres thick, and the foam should be comprised mostly of very fine bubbles.

 

Urasenke School 

Also tracing back to Sen No Rikyu, the Urasenke style of matcha preparation requires vigorous whisking.  The aim here is to produce a thick layer of foam of up to 10 millimetres in depth.  This foam should be very fine and have no large bubbles.  To achieve this, practitioners of Urasenke style matcha raise the tines of the whisk to the surface and perform a few slow, light passes through the foam to break down any larger bubbles.

 

The degree of foam is a matter of taste, both aesthetically and in flavour.  It is often said that the greater the foam, the less bitter the tea.  This may help decide which style of Usucha to practice, especially with differing grades of matcha powder.

Final Considerations

Selecting Matcha

Choosing the right matcha can be a daunting task.  The Japanese tea industry doesn’t adhere to strict rules or rigid standards.  Instead, matcha grading is based on tradition and perception.  For Koicha in particular, this can make selecting the right tea tricky, and many suppliers may not be clear on what their matcha is intended for.

 

If a matcha powder is said to be suitable for Koicha, then it is usually a higher quality and better for making the thicker style of tea.  That said, a merchant may not explicitly state this.  Instead, the clues might be in the name. Traditionally, matcha was blended from multiple batches to give consistency of taste from season to season. These blends were given poetic titles, or Chamei, by tea masters. These names can guide you: “Shiro” signals a matcha for Usucha, while “Mukashi” suggests one for Koicha.

 

Single-cultivar matcha is also on the rise, each with its own unique flavour balance. While more variable from batch to batch, cultivars like Uji Hikari, Asahi, Okumidori, and Gokou are especially prized.

The Chasen (Whisk)

The different techniques for Usucha and Koicha have led to a range of whisk styles, crafted mainly in Takayama, Nara Prefecture, home to the most prized (and increasingly rare) chasen.

Chasen are defined by their tine count. Fewer tines mean the whisk is for Koicha, while more tines are for Usucha. Koicha whisks include the Oaraho (32 tines), Chuaraho (48), and Kazuho (64–72). The Kazuho is considered multipurpose, suitable for both styles.

Whisks with 80+ tines are almost exclusively for Usucha, where the finer, more delicate tines help create the signature foam on top. Larger diameters can strengthen the whisk, but ideally a chasen should be no more than half the width of the chawan (tea bowl).

 

Written by Moriah Hunter