KYŌ-KLUB
Stories, tea education, and rituals from our café in Amsterdam.
Matcha is often called a superfood, but what does the research actually point to? Here is a grounded look at what is in matcha and why people reach for it, without overblown promises.
Curious what actually happens at a matcha workshop? Here is an honest look at our hands-on session in Amsterdam, from grinding your own tea on a stone mill to whisking the bowl you made.
Working behind a matcha counter every day means hearing the same handful of myths on repeat. Some are harmless misunderstandings, others lead people to brew matcha incorrectly or avoid it for the wrong reasons.
The matcha shelf can be overwhelming, and price alone tells you very little. Here are the signals that actually separate a good matcha from a forgettable one, so you know what you are paying for.
A good matcha latte is smooth, naturally sweet, and never chalky. The difference almost always comes down to a few small steps most people skip. Here is how to make one properly at home.
Both give you energy, but they feel completely different in the body. Here is an honest comparison of matcha and coffee, from caffeine to focus to flavor, so you can choose what actually suits your morning.
Hojicha is roasted green tea with warm, toasty notes and naturally low caffeine, which makes it a perfect evening latte. Here is how to make a comforting one at home.
Japan is famous for green tea, but it also makes a beautiful black tea called wakōcha. Here is what it is, how it tastes, and how it differs from the black teas you already know.
You do not need a cupboard full of equipment to make great matcha. Here are the few tools that genuinely make a difference, and the ones you can skip at first.
Every bowl of matcha served at our counter has already traveled roughly 9,000 kilometers and passed through the hands of farmers, processors, and grinders who've spent generations refining a single craft.
When it is warm, few things beat a cold matcha. Here are three simple iced matcha recipes, from a clean iced usucha to a creamy iced latte, all easy to make at home.
Matcha is delicate and fades fast once it meets air, light, heat, or moisture. A few simple storage habits keep your tin vibrant and sweet for as long as possible.
Walk into most Japanese tea shops and matcha gets all the attention. Hojicha sits quietly in the back, often misunderstood as matcha's milder cousin. That undersells it considerably.
People often describe matcha as giving them clean energy compared to coffee. Alert, but without the jitters or the crash an hour later. That description isn't just marketing language. There's a real compound behind it: L-theanine.
Most people's first matcha experience involves clumps floating in lukewarm water. The difference between that and a smooth, vibrant bowl of usucha almost always comes down to technique, not the matcha itself.
Amsterdam has a vibrant matcha scene. From the quiet Jordaan to the lively Pijp, here are the places where you can expect a genuinely good cup of matcha, and what you can learn from each one.
Not all matcha is created equal. Understanding the difference between ceremonial and culinary grade will transform the way you experience Japanese green tea, and help you choose the right one for your ritual.