Food & Drink
VIDEO: Speakin‘ Japanese lesson: Is this Matcha?
By
Stripes Japan February 17, 2025
Luis Samayoa and Takahiro Takiguchi
Stripes Japan February 17, 2025
(Stripes Japan)
Tea is an important part of daily life in Japan and an indispensable part of washoku Japanese cuisine. When you get into a tea shop in Japan, you might be surprised to see countless variations of teas.
Remember this Japanese phrase and ask a clerk to make sure if it is a right tea that you want before buying tea for a souvenir.
“korewa matcha desuka?” これは抹茶ですか？ = Is this matcha?
“korewa .. desuka?” これは・・ですか？ = is this..?, “matcha” 抹茶 = matcha
You can also say:
“Korewa ryokucha desuka? これは緑茶ですか？ = is this green tea?
“Korewa hojicha desuka? これはほうじ茶ですか？ = is this roasted tea?
The clerk might reply to you like:
“Hai, korewa matcha desu.” = “Yes, this is matcha.”
“Iie, Korewa matcha dewa arimasen.” = “No, this isn’t matcha.”
Enjoy tasty Japanese tea either in matcha, ryokucha (green tea) or hojicha (roasted tea)!