Usucha (thin matcha)
Whisked with more water: light, frothy and slightly bitter. If a menu simply says matcha (抹茶), this is usually what you get, often with a small sweet.
Matcha in Japan is easier to order than it looks. Most cafés in Tokyo have picture menus or English menus, and pointing always works. But knowing a few words helps you get exactly what you want, from a light, frothy bowl to a rich iced latte.
Whisked with more water: light, frothy and slightly bitter. If a menu simply says matcha (抹茶), this is usually what you get, often with a small sweet.
Made with much more powder and less water, almost like paint. Rich and intense, and mostly served at specialist tea houses.
Matcha with milk, hot or iced. Most cafés offer oat or soy milk, and many are sweetened by default.
Roasted green tea: brown, toasty and low in caffeine. Great in the evening or if matcha tastes too grassy.
Buy Me a Matcha helps you meet new people in Tokyo one at a time over a coffee or matcha. In English, friends only, free on iPhone.
Matcha rate (抹茶ラテ). Staff will understand "matcha latte" in English too.
Usucha is thin matcha whisked with more water: light and frothy. Koicha is thick matcha made with much more powder: rich, intense and mostly served at tea houses.
Traditional matcha is not sweetened and comes with a small sweet on the side. Matcha lattes are often sweetened, so ask for less sweet (amasa hikaeme) if you prefer.
Our free Tokyo Matcha Map shows matcha cafés across the city by area, with a Google Maps link for each one.
Buy Me a Matcha is a free, friends-only app for meeting people in Tokyo one at a time over a matcha or coffee, in English.