How to whisk the perfect bowl of matcha

Begin with the bowl

Warm your chawan with hot water, then dry it with a cloth. The bowl should feel like a small moon in your hands — warm, still, ready.

Measure the powder

One scoop of ceremonial matcha, about two grams. Sift it through a fine strainer so no clumps survive. A smooth bowl begins with a smooth powder.

Pour the water

Water matters more than most people think. Use 80°C water — just off the boil — and pour about 60 ml. Too hot and the matcha turns bitter; too cool and it never fully opens.

Whisk

Hold the chasen gently and whisk in an “M” motion, not a circle. Within twenty seconds the surface becomes a fine, jade-coloured foam. Stop before it gets foamy enough to look like soap.

Drink it slowly

Drink immediately, in one sitting. Matcha is a pause, not a chore. Turn the bowl, take three slow sips, and feel the calm settle.