Is ceremonial grade matcha an official Japanese grade?

No. Ceremonial grade matcha is not an official Japanese grading system. It is a Western marketing term brands use in different ways.

How does Rebel Bunny choose matcha?

Rebel Bunny chooses matcha by origin, cultivar, tasting notes, and purpose, including direct work with farmers, tea masters, merchants, mills, and single-estate tencha lots.

THE REAL STORY

Ceremonial Grade Matcha (isn't a thing)

Ceremonial grade matcha is not an official Japanese grade. It is a Western marketing term anyone can use, not a regulated standard in Japan.

The phrase sounds useful because it promises a simple answer: this one is good. The problem is that matcha quality is not that simple.

That's why we don't label our matcha as ceremonial grade.

Instead, we label matcha like wine: cultivar, origin, and tasting notes. Those details tell you more about the matcha in front of you than a generic grade ever could.

Our approach

We choose matcha by origin, cultivar, tasting notes, and purpose.

How region and prefecture shape taste

Deep producer relationships built on trust

Cultivar and blend structure

Tasting notes

How the matcha performs for its intended purpose

From the source

The sourcing matters more than the label.

Rebel Bunny is a New York-based matcha brand on the ground in Yame and Kagoshima, Japan. We work directly with farmers, tea masters, merchants, and mills, sourcing tencha for single-estate lots and managing a dedicated cold chain. Every matcha is chosen for origin, cultivar, tasting notes, and purpose.

Skip the marketing

Ceremonial grade can mean different things depending on the brand. It is not a regulated Japanese standard.

What's more useful

Origin, cultivar, processing, milling, storage, tasting notes, and intended use tell you more about the matcha itself.

The Rebel Bunny standard

We work directly with farmers, tea masters, merchants, and mills, source tencha for single-estate lots, and manage a dedicated cold chain.

How to shop

Discover the matcha that fits your palate.

Start with tasting notes. They are more useful than a vague grade because they give you a real way to compare matcha: fruit, florals, nuts, creaminess, umami, sweetness, finish, and intensity.

The right matcha is not universal. It depends on the flavors you notice, the textures you like, and how you prepare it.

That is why we talk about origin, cultivar, tasting notes, and purpose instead of reducing everything to one grade.

We are also building Chasen, our upcoming iOS app, to help people follow recipes, build their palate through tasting notes, and learn where great matcha comes from.

If you want to go deeper, To the Source is our program for learning how great matcha is made, visiting Rebel Bunny's operations in Yame, Japan, and meeting the people behind the tea.

Shop the matcha lineup Read the FAQ Learn about Chasen Go to the Source

CULT CLASSIC