Kagoshima finally dethroning the nation's top tea-growing prefecture sent shock waves through local producers.

Tencha leaves are hand-picked only a few days in early spring before being dried and ground. Different tencha leaves are then combined to create varying flavors. Currently, it's mostly smaller ...

Kagoshima prefecture is stepping up efforts to expand overseas sales channels for its "tencha" tea leaves to meet booming ...

Matcha begins as shade-grown tea leaves known as tencha, and the highest-grade tencha leaves are harvested only once a year, typically between mid-April and the end of May, explains Mangan.