Usucha（薄茶）

Usucha (薄茶), or “thin tea,” is the light, faintly foamy bowl of whisked matcha. It’s what most people picture when they imagine Japanese tea. You whisk it briskly with a bamboo chasen until the surface turns pale green and lightly frothy. Then you drink it straight from the bowl. Usucha sits at one end of a pair of traditional matcha preparations. The other is koicha, or thick tea: a dense, syrup-like style for formal occasions. Usucha isn’t just koicha with extra water, and it isn’t simply “matcha before you add milk.” It is its own preparation, with its own ratio, its own tools, and its own etiquette. This guide covers what usucha is and how it compares with koicha. It also explains the traditional tools, how to make a good bowl at home, and the basic etiquette for drinking it. For the general history of matcha, tencha production, and Japan’s major growing regions, see the complete Matcha guide. For advice on choosing matcha to drink straight or to cook with, see the Ceremonial Matcha and Culinary Matcha guides. TOCWhat Is Usucha? To make usucha, you whisk matcha with a relatively large amount of water compared to the amount of powder. This produces a light-bodied bowl with a thi...