Kagoshima Matcha: A Complete Guide

Kagoshima is one of Japan’s major tea-producing prefectures.

Its tea industry produces a broad range of styles, including sencha, deep-steamed green tea and tencha for matcha. The region has increasingly adapted production toward powdered tea and other modern uses as demand for Japanese tea has evolved.

One of the most important developments has been the growth of tencha production. Tencha is the processed tea used to make matcha, making Kagoshima increasingly important to the modern matcha industry.

Kagoshima matcha is matcha produced from tencha grown and processed in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Like matcha from any Japanese region, Kagoshima matcha does not have one single flavour or quality level. The finished tea can vary significantly depending on:

• cultivar
• harvest timing
• shading
• growing conditions
• processing
• blending
• grinding
• freshness

Some Kagoshima matcha is produced for everyday drinking or lattes, while other teas are made for traditional preparations such as usucha or koicha.

For that reason, the region name alone should not be treated as a guarantee of quality. The actual tea, how it was grown and how it was processed ultimately determine the finished cup.

Matcha is not simply ordinary green tea ground into powder. Traditional matcha begins with tencha.

Tea plants intended for tencha are shaded before harvest. Limiting direct sunlight changes the way the leaves develop and contributes to characteristics associated with quality matcha, including deeper green colour and greater emphasis on amino-acid-derived umami.

After harvesting, the leaves are steamed to stop oxidation and then dried. Unlike sencha, tencha is not rolled into needle-shaped leaves.

The dried tea is later refined by removing stems and veins, leaving the leaf material that can then be milled into the extremely fine powder we know as matcha.

The quality of the original leaf and every stage of this process influence the aroma, colour, texture and flavour of the final matcha.

One of the interesting things about Kagoshima tea is the diversity of cultivars grown in southern Japan.

A cultivar is a cultivated variety of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Different cultivars can vary in budding time, growing characteristics and chemical composition, all of which can influence the finished tea.

Eupouria’s current First Harvest Matcha combines Sakimidori, Saemidori and Okumidori, bringing together characteristics from several Japanese tea cultivars to create a balanced finished blend.

Saemidori is a Japanese tea cultivar created from a cross between Yabukita and Asatsuyu.

It was registered in 1991 and is known for early budding and relatively high amino-acid content. It is widely grown in southern Japanese tea regions, including Kagoshima.

Higher amino-acid content is particularly relevant to Japanese green tea because compounds such as theanine contribute to the umami character associated with quality tea.

Saemidori is therefore often valued in teas where sweetness, colour and umami are important.

Okumidori is another widely grown Japanese tea cultivar.

It buds later than many common cultivars, helping spread the harvesting workload across the season.

Okumidori is used across a range of Japanese green teas, including matcha, and can contribute balance, colour and depth when used as part of a carefully selected blend.

Sakimidori is also used in Eupouria’s current First Harvest Matcha blend.

As with any cultivar, its contribution to the finished cup depends heavily on how the tea is grown, harvested, processed and blended.

This is one reason blended matcha can be useful: different cultivars can be brought together to create a more consistent aroma, colour, texture and flavour profile from batch to batch.

Kagoshima and Uji are both important names in Japanese tea, but they represent different tea-growing histories and production environments.

Uji, in Kyoto Prefecture, has a particularly famous historical association with Japanese tea and matcha.

Kagoshima, by contrast, has developed into one of Japan’s largest modern tea-producing regions and has become increasingly important for tencha production.

The question of which region is “better” is therefore not particularly useful. A high-quality Kagoshima matcha can be better than a lower-quality tea from Uji, and the reverse can also be true.

When choosing matcha, it is more useful to consider cultivar, harvest period, shading, processing, freshness, colour, aroma and intended preparation.

Region is one part of the picture, not the whole story.

Eupouria’s Organic First Harvest Matcha is sourced primarily from Kagoshima, Japan.

Rather than relying on the name of a single region or farm alone, our matcha is carefully selected, graded and blended to create a consistent flavour profile.

The current blend combines Sakimidori, Saemidori and Okumidori cultivars, with an emphasis on natural sweetness, creamy texture, deep umami and gentle bitterness.

The matcha is designed to be versatile enough for traditional preparations such as usucha and koicha, while still having enough flavour and body for hot and iced matcha lattes.

For us, the goal is not simply to say that a matcha comes from Kagoshima. It is to select tea that delivers the balance, texture and flavour we want in every cup.

Kagoshima matcha can be prepared in the same traditional ways as matcha from other Japanese regions.

For a standard bowl of usucha:

1. Sift approximately 2g of matcha into a chawan or bowl.
2. Add around 60mL of water at approximately 80°C.
3. Whisk briskly with a bamboo chasen until smooth with a fine layer of foam.
   

For a stronger bowl or matcha latte, increase the amount of matcha according to your preferred strength.

Avoid boiling water, as very high temperatures can increase bitterness and astringency.

When choosing Kagoshima matcha, look beyond the location alone.

A useful product description should ideally tell you something about:

• where the tea was sourced
• harvest period
• organic certification where applicable
• cultivars used
• processing
• intended preparation
• tasting profile
  

Colour, aroma and freshness are also important.

Matcha naturally loses colour, aroma and flavour after exposure to air, heat, light and moisture, so packaging and storage continue to matter after the tea leaves leave Japan.

Matcha is particularly sensitive to air, light, heat and moisture.

Keep matcha tightly sealed and away from direct sunlight. After opening, refrigeration can help preserve freshness.

If storing matcha in the refrigerator, allow the sealed container to return toward room temperature before opening it. This helps reduce the chance of condensation forming inside the container.

Use opened matcha while it is fresh rather than leaving the tin open for long periods.

We’ll cover this in more detail in our dedicated How to Store Matcha guide.