Largest Matcha Raw Material Producing Region in Japan 2025

Matcha might be ingrained in many people's minds as an iconic green tea originating from Japan. However, in reality, according to a report by Encyclopedia Britannica, matcha actually originated in China and only arrived in Japan around the 12th century, after being brought by a Zen Buddhist monk.

The monk then introduced the practice of "the way of tea," a form of spiritual devotion expressed through tea preparation, as a tribute to diligence and beauty.

According to Britannica's research, the word "matcha" comes from the combination of the Japanese words matsu and cha. Matsu means to rub, spread, or paint, and cha is tea.

Matcha is cultivated under very strict rules. Furthermore, only the bud and the top three leaves of young tea plants (Camellia sinensis) are harvested. The tea leaves are then steamed to halt the oxidation process, destemmed and deveined, and then ground using stones.

"Due to its meticulous and labor-intensive production process, matcha is one of the most expensive types of tea on the market," Britannica wrote.

To this day, Japan is indeed believed to be the producer of the best matcha in the world. This is thanks to its long tradition, precise processing techniques, and the quality of tea leaves maintained for centuries.

A report by Ooika, sourced from Japan's Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries, indicates that several regions or prefectures in Japan are the largest producers of crude tea, which serves as the base ingredient for matcha, in the country.

It should be noted that this crude tea processing is only the first stage. It serves as the base ingredient for sencha (leaf-brewed tea) or tencha (premium powdered tea) like matcha.

Kagoshima ranks first with the highest crude tea processing, amounting to 8,440 tons in August 2025. This processed tea originated from 45,200 tons of freshly picked leaves.

Ooika states that this is the first time since 1991 that Kagoshima's production has surpassed Shizuoka, which now holds the second position with a volume of 8,120 tons, a 19% decrease from last year. Previously, Shizuoka had held the top position for over three decades.

The Japanese government believes this shift in producers is due to several factors, including a decrease in the number of producers, a decline in the productive age of farmers, a shift to other crops, and unfavorable climatic conditions.

Furthermore, Mie produced 1,940 tons, Kyoto 1,070 tons, and Saitama 460 tons. Among these three prefectures, the majority saw a decrease in production compared to last year: Mie -8%, Kyoto -19%, with only Saitama showing an increase of 2%.