At Rikyu, we believe the true potential of Japanese matcha is only beginning to be realized — not just as an ingredient, but as a living culture, one that deserves both deep respect and fresh expression. That belief is what drew us to Senkyu, and it's what makes their story one we're proud to be part of.

A Brand Rooted in Tradition, Built for Today

Since 2019, Senkyu has been on a quiet but determined mission: to honor the depth and integrity of Japanese matcha culture, while making it genuinely accessible to the modern world.

This isn't about simplifying matcha, or packaging tradition for convenience. It's about understanding what makes matcha remarkable — the craftsmanship, the seasonality, the nuance of Uji's terroir — and finding the right forms to carry those qualities forward. New formats. New contexts. New audiences. All without losing what matters.

That philosophy is visible in everything Senkyu does, from their twin ball-shaped stores in Ginza to the sweets they craft using their own original blends of Uji matcha. Their concept — 

 — captures something essential: that matcha, at its best, is not just a drink or a dessert. It's a pause. A small ritual of care.

 — one of the city's flagship luxury hotels, situated beside Tokyo Tower in the greenery of Shiba Park — for a special 

 experience running from May 1 through June 30, 2025.

Now in its second year, the collaboration has deepened. Building on the success of last year's debut, Senkyu and the hotel have pushed the concept further: every item on this year's menu, both sweets and savories, is entirely 

 — achieved through rice flour, shiratamako, and other thoughtfully chosen ingredients — without any compromise on the quality or pleasure of the experience.

The menu brings together seven matcha sweets, including Senkyu's signature 

 wrapped in rice flour with lemon marmalade, and a delicate 

 with house-made Shine Muscat butter. Savory offerings include a 

 with crab and shrimp, and a salmon caviar salad — fresh and light, befitting the season. The full experience is accompanied by 19 drink options anchored by Senkyu's own 

All of this, enjoyed from the hotel lobby lounge, with Tokyo Tower framed in the window.

Collaborations like this one sit at the heart of what Rikyu does.

Senkyu had already built something exceptional. What this partnership created was a stage worthy of it — a setting where their matcha philosophy could speak to a broader audience, including international visitors and guests who might be encountering Japanese matcha culture in depth for the very first time.

That's precisely the kind of moment Rikyu exists to help create. We work alongside Japanese matcha brands and connect them with the partners, platforms, and markets that allow their story to travel further — while ensuring that the authenticity of the matcha, and the culture behind it, is never diluted in the process.

Senkyu's vision — to honor tradition and expand its reach — is one we share deeply. And as they continue to grow, we look forward to helping carry that vision beyond Japan, and into the world.

Rikyu is proud to support Senkyu as part of our broader mission to bring authentic Japanese matcha culture to a global audience.

When Matcha Meets a Landmark: How Senkyu Is Redefining Matcha Culture for a New Generation

Selecting the right matcha involves understanding various factors including origin, processing methods, and harvest timing. At Rikyu Matcha Company, we help you find the perfect matcha for your business needs and applications.

Japan's major matcha-producing regions each offer distinctive flavor profiles:

In the global market, matcha is categorized as "Ceremonial," "Premium," "Culinary," or "Baking Grade." It's important to understand that 

these classifications indicate intended use, not quality hierarchy

Rikyu Matcha Company recommends specific matcha profiles based on your product applications.

: Low bitterness with strong umami, light body

Flavored Matcha Latte (Vanilla, Caramel, etc.)

: Balanced bitterness and umami, full body

To enhance your brand value, we can also propose matcha with compelling narratives:

Rikyu Matcha Company is more than a matcha supplier. As your business partner, we provide:

"I'm not sure which matcha suits my business" "I'm looking for matcha that matches my brand image" "I want to develop a new matcha product"

Whatever your needs, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our experienced bilingual Japanese team is ready to support your business success.

Finding the Perfect Match for Your Business

We receive inquiries from around the world every week — from café owners, importers, product developers, and entrepreneurs who are exploring matcha sourcing for the first time. And right now, as Japan enters its matcha harvest season, that volume is at its highest. Buyers and distributors globally are making decisions about who they'll work with, and Japanese producers are doing the same.

This article is for anyone at that stage. Before you send your first message, here's what we think is worth understanding.

Why Japanese Producers Care About More Than Price

The tea farmers and producers we work with have dedicated years — often generations — to their craft. When they take on a new partner, what they're looking for first isn't volume or margin. It's understanding.

They want to know that the person on the other side of the relationship genuinely values what they've made. That starts with knowing what actually determines the quality of matcha.

What Makes Matcha, Matcha: The Factors That Matter

Most people know that origin matters — Uji, Nishio, Yame each carry distinct profiles. But origin is only one dimension. Here's what serious producers pay close attention to:

 Different tea plant varieties — Okumidori, Samidori, Gokou, and others — yield meaningfully different flavor profiles. Some are sweeter, some more umami-forward, some more suited to drinking straight, others to culinary applications.

 Tencha, the shade-grown leaf that becomes matcha after grinding, requires careful management of light, timing, and canopy. How long the plants are shaded, and how that shading is done, directly affects the chlorophyll content, amino acid profile, and the depth of flavor in the final product.

 First harvest (ichibancha) produces the most prized leaves, but not every application calls for first harvest. Understanding the season and timing behind your matcha helps you make the right choice for your product.

 Some producers move leaves into processing within hours of harvest. Others have found that allowing tencha to rest and age before grinding — in some cases, up to a full year — produces a matcha with a rounder, more complex character. This kind of aged or vintage matcha is rare, and not widely understood, but it exists.

 For brands where organic sourcing is a core value, we can connect you with certified producers. This is a growing segment, and we have relationships with farmers who meet international organic standards.

When someone reaches out to us, before we talk varieties or pricing or volumes, we ask: 

What do you care about, and how do you want to use this matcha?

That might sound simple, but the answer shapes everything. A specialty café building a single-origin ceremonial matcha program needs something very different from a wellness brand formulating a daily supplement. A chocolatier working matcha into ganache needs different flavor characteristics than a tea room serving traditional usucha.

There is no single "best" matcha. There is the right matcha for what you're trying to create.

Through our network of producers and trading partners in Japan, we're able to source across a genuinely wide spectrum:

If you're serious about building a matcha brand, the most important thing you can do right now is get clear on your own values — what you want this matcha to mean to your customers, and why it matters to you.

Bring that to us. We'll take it from there.

Thinking About Launching a Matcha Brand? Here's What You Should Know Before You Reach Out

Rikyu Matcha Company is a B2B partner that brings Japan's traditional matcha industry to the global stage, supporting matcha businesses worldwide.

Strong Partnerships with Japan's Premier Tea Regions

 We have established trusted relationships with Japan's most renowned matcha-producing regions: Kyoto, Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and Nishio. This enables us to provide a stable supply of high-quality, traditional Japanese matcha to customers around the world.

Behind-the-Scenes Support for Global Matcha Businesses

 We serve as the backbone for matcha business owners internationally, providing comprehensive support for their success.

Our experienced bilingual Japanese team provides powerful support for matcha business owners in each country. We are professionals who combine deep understanding of Japanese traditional culture with practical global business experience.

Rikyu Matcha Company operates as a subsidiary of FRIENDS CORP.

FRIENDS CORP. is a global conglomerate startup operating software, BPO, and agriculture businesses across Japan, the United States, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. With the mission of sustainably developing Japan's traditional matcha industry and passing it on to the next generation, we launched and continue to expand the Rikyu business.

About Rikyu Matcha Company

Matcha has two distinct preparation styles: "koicha" (thick tea) and "usucha" (thin tea). This distinction originated from the traditional tea ceremony culture that developed primarily in Kyoto, reflecting not merely a difference in concentration but profound historical background and spirituality.

In the tea ceremony, koicha is positioned as the "main" while usucha serves as "supplementary" or "informal." During Sen no Rikyū's era, when people simply said "tea," they meant koicha - usucha was only specified when explicitly distinguished. This demonstrates how central koicha was to the tea ceremony.

Koicha is served as the highlight of a formal tea gathering called "chaji." A chaji is the "full course of tea," consisting of charcoal preparation (sumi temae), kaiseki cuisine, and tea service. Everything is orchestrated around koicha - from adjusting the fire, serving kaiseki, to arranging the tea room.

Muromachi Period Warrior Society and Tea Culture

The elevated status of koicha is deeply connected to the historical development of the tea ceremony. During the Muromachi period, the Ashikaga Shogunate and powerful provincial lords (shugo daimyo) established dedicated tea plantations in Uji, establishing tea culture within warrior society.

Initially, tea gatherings called "kaisho no cha" featured lavish displays of Chinese tea utensils (karamono) and extravagant banquets. As a culture emphasizing formality and refinement among nobility and warriors, tea ceremony became an important element demonstrating the status and wealth of those in power.

Koicha has the following characteristics:

 Koicha uses the highest quality matcha with minimal bitterness and astringency, rich in umami. The amount used per serving is approximately three times that of usucha, allowing the pure taste of the tea leaves to come through directly. This necessitates the use of sweet, high-quality tea leaves.

 For koicha, which is shared among several guests, larger, thicker tea bowls that retain heat are used. These include prestigious styles such as Raku ware and Hagi ware. The tea container is typically a ceramic tea caddy (chaire) wrapped in a silk pouch, sometimes including "karamono" - extremely valuable Chinese pieces.

During the Warring States period, these famous tea utensils were valued as highly as entire provinces, and warlords competed to collect them.

 During koicha service, guests quietly observe the tea preparation, refraining from conversation. Tea is prepared with refined utensils in a dignified atmosphere. This represents the essence of tea ceremony based on Zen principles - simplicity, profundity (yūgen), and wabi aesthetics.

In contrast, usucha is enjoyed after koicha in a more relaxed atmosphere. Guests share their impressions of the tea gathering, conversing pleasantly in a comfortable space.

Usucha favors colorful tea bowls with patterns and designs, served in a more approachable atmosphere.

The distinction between koicha and usucha transcends mere concentration differences. It represents a uniquely Japanese cultural classification nurtured within Kyoto's traditional tea ceremony culture, reflecting the formality and spirituality of warrior society.

As the most important form of hospitality in tea ceremony, koicha embodies the essence of tea culture through high-quality tea leaves, prestigious utensils, and spiritual communion in silence.

Koicha and Usucha Culture: The Deep Traditions of Japanese Tea Ceremony

As matcha gains popularity in the global market, both Japanese and Chinese matcha are available. Rikyu Matcha Company helps you understand these differences to make the best choice for your business.

Chinese Matcha: Large-Scale Production Model

Chinese matcha maintains rigorous quality control as an industrial product, capable of producing large quantities that meet consistent quality standards. However, this approach differs from the "use-based grading concept" that Rikyu Matcha Company values.

Japanese Matcha: Craftsmanship and Individuality

Kyoto, Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Nishio—each production region has its unique terroir, and producers continue crafting matcha with their own philosophies. From traditional stone-grinding methods to particular attention to harvest timing and shade-growing techniques, every process embodies artisan craftsmanship.

Tea Ceremony Culture: Japan's Unique Spirituality

The distinction between koicha and usucha, seasonal tea gathering arrangements, the spirit of ichigo ichie (one time, one meeting)—these are authentically Japanese cultural developments. Tea, originally from China, evolved uniquely in Japan, transforming from a simple beverage into a spiritual art form.

This cultural background brings profound spirituality to Japanese matcha:

Rikyu Matcha Company classifies matcha by "application":

This approach extends the tea ceremony concept of "koicha" and "usucha." The philosophy of selecting optimal matcha according to use is designed to deliver maximum value to your brand and products.

While the global market uses classifications like "Ceremonial Grade" and "Culinary Grade," their foundation lies in Japanese tea ceremony culture. Cafes and restaurants worldwide serve Japanese-style matcha lattes, and health-conscious consumers seek Japanese matcha because of this cultural depth and trusted quality.

Through strong partnerships with Japan's traditional regions—Kyoto, Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and Nishio—we deliver matcha alive with craftsmanship to the world.

We offer more than mere products. We deliver Japanese tradition, artisan skill, and matcha with cultural depth.

Matcha Guide