Matcha Stand Maruni: Step Into the World of Green Tea at This Specialty Store in Tsukiji

*This article was written in collaboration with Matcha Stand Maruni.

What Is Matcha Made From?

Matcha is a type of green tea cultivated in a unique way. Before being picked, the tea plants are covered to shade them from sunlight and enhance the flavor of the final product. After harvesting, the tea leaves are steamed at a high temperature, dried whole, and finally grounded into powder.

Matcha powder is bright green, has a deep aroma, and boasts a range of bitter and sweet flavors depending on the type of tea leaves and the fineness of the powder. During a Japanese tea ceremony, matcha is prepared using delicate movements with a "chasen" bamboo whisk, which brings out the tea’s complex and rich flavors. Matcha can be broadly classified into two types: koicha (rich tea) and usucha (fine tea), depending on the amount of powder used.

Today, customers are offered a wide variety of instant matcha mixed with sugar or nonfat milk powder to make it easier to drink. Simply add water or milk according to the directions on the packaging, stir well, and you’ll have yourself a cup of delicious green tea!

Matcha and the Japanese Tea Ceremony

Matcha was first imported to Japan from China in the 12th century. Originally reserved for the nobility, the custom of drinking green tea gradually grew into a ceremony as more attention was given to the aesthetics of tea utensils, decorative tools, manners, and even the places where the drink was consumed. The Japanese tea ceremony is not simply the act of drinking tea, but a ritual that enriches the mind and soul. It’s a form of meditation based on the ideas of harmony, tranquility, and purity, which creates a bond between the ceremony master and their guests.

Matcha might have a firm, millennia-old foothold in Japanese culture, but it’s also known outside the country after a 2010 matcha boom that made the tea one of the symbols of Japan abroad. The popularity of matcha has grown due to the convenience of its instant variety, perfect for busy, modern people on the go. However, while instant matcha is convenient, it doesn’t have the same rich flavors as freshly-brewed matcha and none of the charm of the traditional tea ceremony.

If you want to know the difference between instant matcha and freshly-made matcha, or if you would like to explore the world of matcha but don't know where to start, continue on and read about our visit to Matcha Stand Maruni, a matcha specialty store in Tsukiji, Tokyo.

Matcha Stand Maruni: A Hidden Green Tea Treasure Trove in Tsukiji's Outer Market

Matcha is known around the world, but many people may not be familiar with how to properly prepare it. 2018 saw the birth of Matcha Stand Maruni at the Tsukiji Outer Market, whose goal is to introduce matcha culture for a new generation. Unlike ordinary tea shops, this specialty store offers a full lineup of tea-related products, including powdered tea, tea leaves, and various tea utensils.

A Dual Master of Matcha Green Tea and Nori Seaweed

Store owner Shingo Ito is a double threat.

On top of running the matcha store, as the son of a proprietor of a "nori" seaweed specialty shop, he has been helping out the family business through actions such as serving customers in Tsukiji on his days off since he was a junior high school student. After 15 years of training, he officially followed in his father's footsteps and became the fourth-generation head of the 100-year-old store. Today, he devotes a portion of his time to spreading knowledge about Japanese seaweed by giving lectures at elementary schools and community centers.

At first glance, nori and matcha may seem unrelated, but for Shingo, the two are equally beautiful Japanese traditions that should be preserved and promoted. Also, they actually have a few things in common, like how both are moisture-sensitive products that require specialized care. For this reason, many traditional seaweed stores in Japan actually also sell tea, and vice versa.

A Chic Store Reminiscent of an Art Gallery

Shingo established Matcha Stand Maruni on the same street as the Tsukiji branch of his seaweed store, Ito Nori Store. This neatly-arranged specialty store resembles an art gallery, with everything related to matcha on full display, including matcha powder used in tea ceremonies and cooking, as well as tea whisks, tea bowls, tea strainers, and other utensils. In addition, the store sells Japanese tea leaves and tea bags for green tea, "hojicha" roasted green tea, "genmaicha" brown rice tea, and other Japanese teas.

Putting on a Show for Customers

Matcha Stand Maruni offers matcha and authentic tea utensils for home use as well as demonstrations where you can watch matcha being prepared at the store’s chic bar.

The staff scoops up the matcha and sifts it through a tea strainer into a spouted bowl. Then, like a bartender, they slowly pour in an appropriate amount of hot water. Holding the handle of the bowl with one hand and the tea whisk with the other, the waiter whips the tea quickly and rhythmically. Every order is prepared methodically one by one like this.

All of Matcha Stand Maruni's tea is produced in Uji, Kyoto, the sacred land of matcha, with no preservatives or additives, allowing customers to fully enjoy the flavors of authentic Japanese green tea. On the other hand, if you have never had matcha before, you may not like it at first, so the store also offers matcha lattes. Just as you can normally choose the number of cups of espresso that goes into a cafe latte, Matcha Stand Maruni allows customers to choose the amount of green tea added to their matcha latte, either one or two cups.

On this particular day, we ordered a dark latte with twice the amount of matcha. The rich green tea was whipped up on the spot and poured into cold milk, creating a luxurious drink that was a joy to look at. The latte had a well-rounded flavor that’s bound to bring a smile to your face on a hot day. The elegant aroma of tea lingers in your mouth long after you finish the drink.

Japanese Tradition and Dedication in a Cup

As mentioned before, matcha culture is not only about the powder itself, but also about the tea utensils. All of the tea utensils available for purchase are actually used in the store, allowing customers to see how they’re meant to be used up close first. For example, the spouted bowl that Shingo used to make the matcha latte is a masterpiece of Tokoname ware.

Coming from Aichi Prefecture, this thousand-year-old style of pottery is one of the six most noteworthy in all of Japan. Tokoname ware is strongly influenced by Kyoto's Kiyomizu ware, and every piece is made by hand. Some pieces like "kyusu" teapots require the skills of a veteran artisan, as it takes expertise to make sure the lid and body fit perfectly as well as assemble all the parts together.

Shingo has personally visited the production areas and artisans that make these teapots and the other crafts sold at the store to gain a deeper understanding of the art as well as the Japanese tea ceremony. On top of showing off the natural characteristics of clay, the kilns cooperating with Matcha Stand Maruni produce pieces that align with Shingo's wish to bridge the gap between the traditional and the contemporary. His philosophy and attention to detail are felt throughout the entire store, from the way the matcha drinks are served to the utensils up for sale and the stories told within the shop.

Discover a Whole Different Side of Matcha

For those who want to make quality matcha at home, Matcha Stand Maruni offers a wide selection of traditional tea utensils like the "chasen" tea whisk, an indispensable tool for creating the fine bubbles that form the foundation of delicious matcha green tea.

Tea whisks are distinguished by the type of bamboo they’re made from, the shape of the tip (the bamboo tines of the whisk are called "ho"), length, and the color of the thread. Furthermore, each school subdivides chasen based on their use, type, and shape. The chasen sold at the store is a 72-hondachi (meaning that it features 72 bamboo tines), a variety suitable for both light and rich teas.

While it is important to preserve tradition, it is also necessary to make it fit the daily lives of modern people so that it can be passed down for future generations. That’s why, in addition to the traditional short-handled chasen, the store also has a more modern version of the whisk with a small tip and long handle that is as easy to hold as a stirring spoon. Not only is it easier to handle, it can also be used with mugs and other cups, making it very convenient and easy to use for beginners.

The Start of a Journey Into the World of Matcha

Japanese matcha culture is so complex and rich in history that it’s impossible to sum it up in one sentence. If you are interested in exploring that world but have had difficulty getting into it, why not visit Matcha Stand Maruni in Tsukiji? The friendly staff will answer any questions you might have, and you can also check out the famous dry foods of the Tsukiji Outer Market after enjoying freshly-brewed matcha green tea.

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