How long has Matcha been in existence?

The history of Matcha green tea dates back several centuries. In 1271, tea cultivation began in Hishio, Japan by a priest named Shoichi.  Shoichi’s temple was in constant competition with the neighbouring temple over rights to the nearby tea plants for more than 400 years. These two temples fought for ownership of the land, until 1692, when the coveted plants were awarded to the decedents of the temple Shoichi oversaw.

Nearly two hundred years later, Matcha production was finally embraced in major areas of Japan and its use increased.