HISTORY

Matcha’s story begins in ancient China, during the Tang and Song dynasties, where tea leaves were first steamed, dried, and ground into powder. This powdered tea was whisked into hot water, valued for both its flavour and its ability to sustain focus and clarity.

In the 12th century, Zen Buddhist monks carried this practice from China to Japan. There, matcha was refined, ritualised, and elevated. Japanese tea masters perfected cultivation techniques, introduced shade-growing, and formalised the tea ceremony, transforming matcha into a practice of presence, precision, and philosophy. Over centuries, matcha became woven into the fabric of Japanese culture, not as a beverage alone, but as a discipline. Every step intentional. Every movement considered.

Hōujicha emerged much later in Japan, born from innovation rather than ceremony. Roasting green tea leaves was initially a practical solution, but its warm, low-caffeine profile quickly earned devotion. Hōujicha became the tea of everyday life. Comforting, accessible, quietly elegant. Together, they tell a complete story.
From focus to rest. From ritual to ease. From China to Japan.

WHAT IS MATCHA ?

Matcha is a finely milled powdered green tea, distinguished by its vivid green colour, layered umami flavour, and calm, sustained energy. Unlike traditional green tea, where leaves are steeped and discarded, matcha is consumed whole. The entire leaf becomes the experience. This is what gives matcha its depth, its nutritional density, and its unmistakable presence.

Sourced from the Camellia sinensis plant, matcha is shaped by both environment and intention. Tea plants are shade-grown to intensify chlorophyll and L-theanine, hand-selected for tenderness, and stone-milled slowly to preserve purity and flavour.

Matcha is not hurried.It is designed.

WHAT IS HŌUJICHA ?

Hōujicha is green tea transformed by heat. After harvest and steaming, the leaves are roasted at high temperatures, turning them from vibrant green to warm amber. This process softens the tea, reducing caffeine and bitterness while introducing toasted, caramelised notes. The flavour is smooth, grounding, and quietly indulgent. Naturally low in caffeine and gentle on the body, hōujicha offers comfort without heaviness.
Where matcha awakens, hōujicha settles.

THE PROCESS

The quality of matcha and hōujicha is determined long before the cup. Weeks before harvest, matcha tea plants are shaded from direct sunlight. This slows growth and concentrates chlorophyll and L-theanine, creating the signature colour and umami depth. Only the youngest, most tender leaves are selected for matcha, while hōujicha often uses later harvest leaves or stems chosen for their strength and flavour potential.

After harvesting, leaves are gently steamed to prevent oxidation, then dried and refined. For matcha, the resulting tencha is stone-milled slowly between granite wheels into an ultra-fine powder. Heat is carefully controlled. Time is respected. Hōujicha follows a different path. The leaves are roasted at high temperatures, transforming both flavour and caffeine content, producing a tea that is warm, mellow, and deeply soothing.
This is not mass production.This is craftsmanship.

MATCHA vs HŌUJICHA

Matcha brings clarity, focus, and energy. Hōujicha offers warmth, ease, and calm.
Matcha is best enjoyed in the morning or early afternoon, when the mind is beginning or building.
Hōujicha belongs to later hours, when the day softens and stimulation is no longer needed.

Different expressions. Same origin. Both essential.

THE KIE RITUAL

At KIE, tea is not a habit. It is a choice.
Matcha for momentum. Hōujicha for balance.