Matcha, the vibrant green tea powder once sacred to Japanese monks, has become a global sensation. From Tokyo to Toronto, its creamy lattes flood Instagram feeds and fuel wellness routines. With over 2 billion TikTok views and 8.5 million Instagram hashtags, matcha has evolved from ritual to trend, symbolizing health, mindfulness—and status.
But behind its picture-perfect surface lies a growing crisis in Japan, the country that gave the world matcha.
The Cost of Going Viral
The global matcha market, valued at $3.48 billion in 2023, is expected to surpass $5.78 billion by 2028. Yet, Japan—matcha’s birthplace—is struggling to keep up. Traditional matcha production is slow, meticulous, and deeply rooted in centuries-old practices. The tea leaves are shaded for weeks, hand-picked, and stone-ground at just 40 grams per hour.
But viral trends don’t wait.
Aging Farmers, Dying Fields
Here’s the problem: the average Japanese tea farmer is over 65 years old. Young people are leaving rural life behind, and once-abandoned fields are almost impossible to revive. Japan has lost three-quarters of its tea plantations in two decades. Add unpredictable weather and climate change, and the result is shrinking harvests and soaring prices.
Premium matcha makers like Marukyu Koyamaen have sold six months of stock in a single month. Some have paused orders. Others are limiting sales.
Can Tradition Survive Modern Hype?
To bridge the gap, Japan is cautiously introducing AI and modern tools to reduce the physical burden on elderly farmers. But scaling up production risks losing the very quality that made matcha special in the first place.
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A Global Wake-Up Call
Matcha’s journey from temples to TikTok shows how quickly culture can be commodified. As consumers, we need to sip consciously. Behind every frothy cup is a farmer, a tradition, and a culture struggling to survive the weight of global demand.
