About

I'm Kenta. I live in Japan, and I drink matcha just about every day.

Matcha Honne exists because of a gap I kept noticing: the matcha conversation in English and the matcha conversation in Japanese barely overlap. Overseas, people argue about "ceremonial grade." Here, tea shops talk about harvests, regions, and whether a blend can stand up to koicha. Overseas, people wonder if the shortage is hype. Here, the purchase-limit signs have been taped to counters since 2024.

Honne (本音) means what you actually think, as opposed to what you say to be polite. That's the editorial policy in one word. I read the Japanese sources, I walk into the shops, and I write down what holds up.

Some guides on this site contain affiliate links, always disclosed at the top of the page. No brand pays for placement, reviews, or rankings, and the brands I link to are ones I would tell a friend to buy from. Details in the affiliate disclosure.

Questions or corrections are welcome. I'd rather fix a page than defend it.