Same Region, Same Cultivar—So Why Isn't All Matcha the Same?

Same Region, Same Cultivar—So Why Isn't All Matcha the Same?

Published: September 30, 2026
Last Updated: September 30, 2026

You find two tins of matcha.

Both say “Uji.”
Both say “Okumidori.”

But one costs twice as much as the other.

So is one of them simply overpriced?

Not necessarily.

Origin and cultivar tell you where the tea came from and what kind of tea plant it is. They don’t tell you how the tea was grown, picked, processed, or finished.

And those steps can make a big difference in both flavor and price.

This guide explains what can make two matcha with the same origin and the same cultivar very different.

Origin and Cultivar Are Only the Starting Point

Origin matters. Cultivar matters.

A region’s climate, soil, and tea-making traditions shape the tea. A cultivar such as Okumidori, Samidori, or Gokō has its own natural tendencies in color, aroma, and flavor.

But think of it this way:

Two restaurants can buy the same variety of tomato from the same region and still serve very different dishes.

It depends on which tomatoes were picked, when they were picked, how they were handled, and who cooked them.

Matcha works the same way.

Within the same region and the same cultivar, producers make many different choices. Each one affects the tea in the cup and the cost of producing it.

Hand-Picked vs. Machine-Harvested Matcha

One of the biggest differences is how the leaves are harvested.

Hand-picked (tezumi)

With hand-picking, skilled pickers select only the young, tender new shoots.

Tea plants grown for hand-picking are often left to grow in a more natural shape instead of being trimmed into flat, even hedges. Pickers work plant by plant, choosing the leaves they want and leaving the rest.

It is slow, physical work. It also requires experienced people, and fewer and fewer people are available to do it.

That is why hand-picked tea is much more expensive to produce.

Machine-harvested (kikai-zumi)

With machine harvesting, the tea bushes are trimmed into even rows, and a harvester cuts the leaves at a set height.

This is far more efficient and allows much larger volumes to be harvested.

But a machine cannot choose leaf by leaf. Depending on the timing and the height of the cut, the harvest may include more mature leaves and stems along with the young shoots.

Why it matters in the cup

Young, tender leaves generally contribute to a softer texture, more umami, and a more refined flavor.

Machine harvesting is not “bad.” It is an important part of how Japanese tea is produced today, and skilled farmers manage it carefully.

But the leaves going into the tea are not the same, and neither is the cost of getting them.

Tana Shading vs. Jikagake: How the Tea Plants Are Covered

Before harvest, tea plants grown for matcha are shaded from direct sunlight.

Shading reduces photosynthesis, which helps the leaves keep more amino acids such as L-theanine. This is closely connected to matcha’s deep green color and umami.

But not all shading is done the same way.

Tana shading (overhead trellis)

With tana shading, a frame is built above the tea plants, and the covering is placed on top of that structure.

The covering does not touch the leaves directly. The plants grow under a roof, with space and air around them.

Traditionally, this was done with honzu: reed screens topped with layers of rice straw. Today, synthetic covering materials are also widely used on tana structures.

Building and maintaining the frame, putting the covering on, adjusting it, and taking it down all require significant labor and materials.

Jikagake (direct covering)

With jikagake, the covering is placed directly over the tea bushes.

This is simpler, faster, and less expensive, which makes it practical for larger-scale production.

Why it matters

The shading method, the covering material, how much light is blocked, and how long the plants are shaded all affect the tea’s color, umami, bitterness, and aroma.

Shading periods commonly run around three weeks, though this varies by producer, season, and the tea being made. Longer shading does not automatically mean better tea. It depends on the plants, the weather, and the producer’s goals.

Two teas can both be called “shade-grown” while being shaded in very different ways.

Which Harvest Did the Leaves Come From?

Tea plants in Japan can be harvested several times a year.

The first harvest of the year, called ichibancha or first flush, takes place in spring. After resting through winter, the plants put their stored nutrients into the new shoots.

First-harvest leaves tend to contain more amino acids, which can contribute to a sweeter, richer, more umami-forward flavor.

Later harvests generally produce tea with more astringency and a different character. That tea is often used for culinary or everyday matcha.

The timing within a harvest matters too. Leaves picked early in the season, while they are youngest and most tender, are different from leaves picked later.

So even “first harvest” can cover a range of quality.

From Leaf to Tencha: Processing Makes a Difference

Matcha is made from tencha, not from ordinary green tea leaves.

After harvest, the leaves are steamed to stop oxidation. Unlike sencha, they are not rolled. They are dried flat, traditionally in a tall brick drying oven.

Then the stems and veins are removed, leaving the soft leaf material.

This step makes a big difference.

The more carefully the stems and veins are removed and the leaf material is sorted, the smoother and more refined the tea can become. But less usable tea remains from the same amount of leaves.

In other words, higher quality often means a lower yield, and a lower yield means a higher cost.

Even from the same farm in the same season, one batch of leaves can become several different grades of tencha.

How the Tencha Is Ground

The final step is grinding tencha into a fine powder.

Stone mills grind slowly and gently. A single mill produces only a small amount of matcha per hour, which makes stone grinding time-consuming and costly.

Grinding slowly helps limit heat, which can affect aroma.

Machine grinding methods can produce much larger volumes much faster.

Stone grinding can be a positive sign, but it does not guarantee quality on its own. The quality of the tencha going into the mill still matters most.

Who Finishes the Tea

Even with excellent raw material, someone has to decide how to bring out its best expression.

In Japanese tea, skilled tea professionals and Tea Masters (chashi) evaluate each lot and may blend different teas, a skill known as gōgumi, to balance umami, sweetness, bitterness, aroma, and finish.

The same leaves can end up tasting quite different depending on the judgment of the person finishing the tea.

To learn more, read What Makes Matcha High Quality? A Buyer’s Guide.

Same Label, Different Tea: A Side-by-Side Example

Here is how two matcha could both be labeled “Uji Okumidori” and still be very different teas.

Both labels are accurate.

But they describe two very different teas.

This example is simplified. In reality, producers combine these choices in many different ways, and each combination creates a different tea.

Does This Mean More Labor Always Means Better Matcha?

No.

More labor-intensive methods often lead to higher production costs, and they can lead to higher quality. But quality is not simply a checklist.

A skilled farmer using machine harvesting and direct covering can make very good tea. A hand-picked tea that is poorly processed or poorly stored may disappoint.

Different methods also suit different purposes. Matcha made for baking or blended drinks does not need to be made the same way as matcha meant to be enjoyed on its own.

The point is not that one method is right and the other is wrong.

The point is that “same origin and same cultivar” does not mean “same tea,” so the price alone does not tell you whether a matcha is overpriced or a good value.

For how distribution can also affect the final price, read Behind the Price of Matcha in America.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

When two matcha look the same on paper, these questions can help:

1. Was the tea hand-picked or machine-harvested?
2. How were the tea plants shaded: overhead (tana) or direct covering (jikagake)?
3. Which harvest did the leaves come from?
4. How was the tencha ground?
5. Who evaluates and finishes the tea?
6. Does the seller describe the actual flavor and aroma, not just the region and cultivar?

Not every brand will share every detail, and that is okay.

But the more clearly a seller can explain how the tea was made, the easier it is to understand what you are paying for.