The Japanese side of matcha supply, for European buyers
Customs data, tea-market prices, producer notices and EU/GB residue rules — read in Japanese, checked against the source, and written up in English.
Coming soon: 12 questions to ask a matcha supplier
This season in three numbers
¥17,797/kg — Kyoto tea-market average for first-flush tencha in 2026 (to 19 June), up from ¥5,402 in 2024.
0.05 mg/kg — the EU limit for clothianidin and thiamethoxam in tea since 7 March 2026 (previously 0.7 and 20).
31 Dec 2026 — end of the current EU–Japan organic equivalence. An extension to 2036 is agreed but not yet formally adopted.
What we publish
- Monthly table: Japan's powdered tea exports to the UK, Germany and Czechia
- 12 Questions to Ask a Matcha Supplier Before You Sign (PDF checklist)
Who we are
A small research desk in Japan run by STOKE LLC. We track Japanese producers, tea markets and regulators so that buyers in Europe can make sourcing decisions on primary data. More about us.