Japan Matcha Market Updates

Uji Tea Trading Hits Record $81.4 Million in 2026

Aug 24 2026

Uji tea trading reached a record value of approximately USD 81.4 million in 2026, exceeding the previous year’s approximately USD 60.6 million. The result came as the global matcha boom continued and the volume of tencha, the raw material processed into matcha, reached its highest level since the market opened in 1974. For US buyers using matcha wholesale Japan supply channels, these figures offer a useful reference for reviewing purchasing schedules, quotation terms, and inventory plans.

The original figures were reported in Japanese yen. For US readers, the amounts in this article have been converted at a rounded reference rate of USD 1 to JPY 159, based on the Bank of Japan’s August 21, 2026 exchange-rate data. All USD values are approximate and may differ from actual transaction or settlement amounts.

Uji Tea Trading Reaches $81.4 Million

The season-ending tea market, known as tome-ichi—the final tea auction of the season—was held at the JA Zen-Noh Kyoto Uji Tea Distribution Center in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture. The first market of the season took place on April 24, while the final market was held on July 31.

The principal product traded during the season was ichibancha—the first tea harvest of the year. Total Uji tea transactions reached approximately USD 81.4 million, compared with approximately USD 60.6 million in the previous year. The increase between the two reported totals was approximately USD 20.8 million.

This total represents the overall Uji tea market rather than finished matcha alone. The market figures also cover tea categories such as gyokuro, sencha, kabusecha, and bancha. Buyers should therefore not interpret USD 81.4 million as the transaction value of Uji matcha wholesale products or finished matcha powder.

Uji Matcha Wholesale Supply and Tencha

Tencha—shade-grown, unground tea leaves processed into matcha—played a central role in the season’s results. Combined hand-picked and machine-harvested tencha volume reached 595 metric tons. According to the report, this was the largest quantity recorded since the Uji tea market opened in 1974.

Machine-harvested tencha transactions totaled approximately USD 63.5 million. Its reported average price was approximately USD 108.50 per kilogram, the highest average recorded since comparable records began in 1996.

The simultaneous rise in volume and average price is particularly relevant to businesses sourcing wholesale matcha from Japan. A record quantity of tencha entered the market, but the average price of machine-harvested tencha also reached a record. Buyers should therefore avoid assuming that higher production volume will automatically result in lower procurement prices.

The approximately USD 108.50-per-kilogram figure is an average market price for machine-harvested tencha. It is not the wholesale price of finished matcha. The source article does not state finished-matcha prices, individual quality grades, grinding costs, packaging costs, export expenses, or prices for specific suppliers.

For procurement discussions, the tencha average should be treated as a broad market reference rather than a direct price benchmark for a particular matcha product. Comparing it directly with a finished matcha quotation could create a misleading impression because the reported figure concerns raw tencha traded through the market.

Other Uji Tea Categories Also Affected

The expansion of tencha production affected other tea categories. The report states that production of gyokuro, sencha, kabusecha, and bancha declined as tencha production expanded. Their average prices rose by approximately 30% to more than double their previous-year levels.

The article does not provide separate production volumes or exact average prices for each of these categories. It therefore does not support conclusions about which category experienced the largest reduction or how the changes affected individual wholesale quotations.

From the perspective of a matcha wholesale supplier in Japan, this reinforces the importance of identifying the precise product behind each quotation. Buyers should distinguish between raw tencha market data and finished matcha offered for export. They should also confirm the requested quantity, product specifications, quotation period, and the period for which a supplier can hold the quoted terms.

In day-to-day export transactions, a market average cannot replace a supplier quotation for a defined product and quantity. The Uji market figures provide evidence of strong trading conditions, but they do not establish one uniform price across all Uji teas or all Japanese matcha wholesale products.

Procurement Lessons for US Buyers

For cafes, restaurants, importers, and distributors, the clearest practical lesson is to separate supply volume from procurement cost. The reported figures show that tencha volume reached 595 metric tons while the average price for machine-harvested tencha rose to approximately USD 108.50 per kilogram.

US buyers can use these confirmed market indicators when discussing upcoming requirements with a matcha supplier in Japan. Rather than relying on the assumption that increased production will reduce prices, buyers can request written quotations for clearly defined quantities and confirm how long each quotation will remain valid.

Inventory planning can also separate committed demand from optional demand. A buyer may identify the quantity required for regular menu sales first, then evaluate additional inventory independently. This does not predict future prices; it simply reduces the risk of basing a purchasing decision on an unsupported expectation of lower costs.

The record market value also raised concerns within the Kyoto tea trade. Naoharu Yano, the 48-year-old chairman of Kyoto Midorikai, an organization formed by tea wholesalers in Kyoto Prefecture, expressed concern that consumers might move away from tea if they could no longer purchase it at an appropriate price.

For US businesses considering Uji matcha wholesale procurement, the 2026 figures provide a factual basis for supplier discussions: approximately USD 81.4 million in total Uji tea trading, 595 metric tons of tencha, approximately USD 63.5 million in machine-harvested tencha transactions, and an average machine-harvested tencha price of approximately USD 108.50 per kilogram. They do not, however, provide a forecast for future availability or finished-matcha pricing.