What is Tamaryoku Funmatcha?

What is Tamaryoku Funmatcha?

Tamaryoku Funmatcha (玉緑・粉末茶) is our name for a new style of Japanese tea powder, made by finely grinding high-grade shaded tamaryokucha rather than traditional tencha.

Unlike matcha, which is traditionally made exclusively from tencha leaves grown and processed specifically for stone grinding, Tamaryoku Funmatcha begins with carefully selected spring-harvest tamaryokucha. These teas are shaded for around 10–14 days before harvest, developing a rich sweetness and umami, then processed using the traditional tamaryokucha method. Instead of being rolled into the familiar needle shape of sencha, the leaves are gently tumbled during the final drying stage, giving tamaryokucha its distinctive curled appearance and a softer, less bitter character.

Grinding tamaryokucha into a similar fine texture as matcha, the result is a tea that naturally sits somewhere between the worlds of tamaryokucha and matcha. It shares the vibrant colour, creamy preparation and concentrated flavour of powdered tea, yet retains the lively freshness and character of the leaf it originated from. Compared with traditional matcha, we feel Tamaryoku Funmatcha generally has a brighter, greener profile, a little less weight on the palate, and a more expressive tea character.

We chose the name Tamaryoku Funmatcha very deliberately.

The standard Japanese term for ground tea is funmatsucha (粉末茶), which simply means “powdered tea” and often refers to teas ground from finished leaves or tea by-products. Because our powders are produced from carefully selected premium spring tamaryokucha rather than lower-grade by-product material, we wanted a name that reflects their quality while clearly distinguishing them from both ordinary funmatsucha and traditional matcha.

By reading the final characters (末茶) as “matcha” rather than the usual “matsucha”, the name also acknowledges the historical roots of powdered tea in Japan while making it clear that this is its own category. It is not intended to replace traditional matcha, but to celebrate another expression of finely ground Japanese green tea.

All of our Tamaryoku Funmatcha can be prepared in the same way as usucha using a bamboo whisk, and they also perform exceptionally well in lattes, iced drinks, desserts and modern tea recipes. Their bright, expressive flavour stands up beautifully to milk while still allowing the character of the tea itself to shine through.

Produced in Nagasaki—one of Japan’s smallest and least-known tea regions—Tamaryoku Funmatcha offers a unique way to experience the region’s signature tea in an entirely new form.

We currently have 3 different Tamaryoku Funmatcha in stock: