Chapter 1
The monk who brought matcha
Chapter 2
The science of shade and stone
Chapter 3
The ritual of chado
Chapter 4
The global green wave
YOUR GOAL
Master of The story of matcha
Ch 1 · The monk who brought matcha
diego The volcanic soil and morning mists of Uji, near Kyoto, made it the perfect birthplace for high-quality matcha.
diego In 1191, the Japanese monk Eisai returned from China with Zen teachings and the very first green tea seeds.
Fun Fact
Zen monks: Zen monks drank matcha to stay awake during 12-hour meditation sessions, thanks to the combination of caffeine and calming L-theanine.
Glossary
eisai (noun)
A Japanese Buddhist priest credited with founding the Rinzai school of Zen and popularizing green tea. In 1191, he returned from China with tea seeds to cultivate the powdered beverage in Japan.
A Japanese Buddhist priest credited with founding the Rinzai school of Zen and popularizing green tea. In 1191, he returned from China with tea seeds to cultivate the powdered beverage in Japan.
Quiz
In which Japanese region near Kyoto were the first premium tea seeds planted in the 13th century?
Quiz
Which Chinese dynasty first popularized pressing tea leaves into bricks and grinding them into powder?