Matcha's Quality Differences Based On Three Harvesting Times

JAKARTA - Matcha is known as a typical Japanese powder green tea, which has a distinctive taste and a thick green color. The quality of matcha can be determined based on the harvest time.

In the Japanese tea industry, matcha is usually distinguished into three types based on the harvest process of its crops. Starting from first harvest, second harvest, and third harvest, which provides the following quality for matcha.

1. First harvest

Quoted from Maison Koko, on Monday, October 20, 2025, the first harvest is also known as Ichibancha, which is the first harvest to be carried out in early Spring, from April to May.

At this harvest time, tea leaves were young, softer, and rich in amino acids such as L-theanine, which is a typical sweet and umami flavoring compound in matcha.

With its high quality, the first harvest match is usually used for ceremonies or ceremonial grades. The matcha color of the first harvest tends to be bright and bright green, which indicates a high chlorophyll content due to the growth process under the auspices or valleys.

2. Second harvest

After two months of the first harvest, the tea plant will grow again and ready to be harvested again. This harvest time is referred to as second harvest or Nibancha.

Tea leaves during this harvest period are slightly older, so amino acid levels decrease while the content of katein, a compound that gives a bitter taste increases. As a result, matcha from second harvest has a more balanced taste between sweet, bitter, and umami.

In terms of color, matcha second harvests is not as bright as the first harvest, but still maintains a natural green color. The texture is also a little rougher, so it is suitable for matchhamas, smoothies, or desserts.

3. Third harvest

The third harvest time or holiday harvest is known as Sanbacha, which is held in the summer towards the end of the harvest year. The tea leaves this harvest season are quite old and get more sunlight.

This makes L-theanine levels lower, while katekin increases higher, so matcha is more bitter and smells stronger. The color of matcha in this third harvest is usually less dull or yellowish green, showing a decrease in chlorophyllic levels.

Makcha texture is also rougher, which makes it less ideal to drink directly like the matchha ceremony. Matcha from the third harvest season is more suitable to mix as a mixture of cakes, and has the most economical price compared to the other two types.