Matcha set: give it ready-made or build it piece by piece
By the LBDT Sommelier · published on · 6 min read
Reviewed and approved by the La Boutique du Thé team
A matcha set brings together the bowl, the bamboo whisk and the scoop used to whisk powdered tea; as a gift, you can choose our ready-made Set de Matcha or build your own piece by piece. Here is the role of each utensil, our selection arranged by budget, three options depending on the recipient, and the steps for the first bowl.
What does a complete matcha set contain?
A complete matcha set brings together five utensils and a tea: the wide bowl in which the powder is whisked (chawan), the bamboo whisk (chasen), the measuring scoop (chashaku), the sieve that catches lumps and the whisk holder used for drying. Depending on the set, matcha may or may not be included: the one in our shops does not contain any, and the tea is added in a tin. The table below gives the role of each piece and the item from our shops that fulfils it.
| Piece | What it is for | Our item |
|---|---|---|
| Bowl (chawan) | Giving the whisk room to raise the froth without the water spilling over | Bol à Matcha Japonais Efude, 450 ml, Bol à Matcha Japonais Madara en Céramiques, Bol Shizuka, 300 ml |
| Whisk (chasen) | Emulsifying the powder and water into a fine froth | Chasen de Bambou pour Matcha |
| Scoop (chashaku) | Taking the powder from the tin, about two scoops per bowl | Cuillère en Bambou Chashaku 180 mm |
| Sieve | Sifting the powder before whisking, for a cup without lumps | Tamis Manche Bambou |
| Whisk holder | Drying the chasen tines upwards so that it keeps its shape | Matcha Porte-Balai en Bambou |
| Matcha | Powdered green tea, in a 40 g tea tin | Matcha Uji, Matcha Midori |
These tools come from the Japanese tea ceremony. The chasen is carved by hand from a single piece of bamboo, split into fine tines. The chashaku is a thin strip of bamboo about 18 cm long, curved at its tip, which carries the powder from the tin to the bowl. The whisk holder, called kusenaoshi, takes the still-damp chasen so that it regains its shape as it dries.
The ready-made set: €40 to €60
The Set de Matcha brings together four pieces in one box: a 400 ml bowl with open sides, a bamboo whisk, a scoop and a whisk holder. It is the simplest gift to give, because the pieces already go together: the person who opens it can whisk their first bowl as soon as it arrives, without looking for anything other than the tea.
The Set de Matcha currently comes in two available versions, Daidaiiro and Haiiro. For a complete gift, add a tin of matcha and, if you wish, a sieve: these two pieces are presented in the following sections.
Utensils under €20
Putting the set together yourself lets you choose each piece and give it in several instalments. The Chasen de Bambou pour Matcha is the piece to buy first: no spoon or kitchen whisk creates the same froth. It is used with a quick flick of the wrist, in an M or W shape, without touching the bottom of the bowl.
Three small pieces complete the whisk:
- the Cuillère en Bambou Chashaku 180 mm, carved from a single piece, which measures matcha more precisely than an ordinary spoon;
- the Tamis Manche Bambou, 55 or 58 mm in diameter, for sifting the powder over the bowl;
- the Matcha Porte-Balai en Bambou, available in Yuri (brown and turquoise) or Yuma (brown and white), which extends the life of the whisk.
On a small budget, the Bol Shizuka, 300 ml also does the job: its open sides leave room for the whisk, and it serves just as well for a cup of tea. It comes in four available designs: blue and white, yellow and white, green, or blue, black and white.
The bowl and the matcha: €20 to €40
The bowl is the piece on show, the one that gives the gift its character. The Bol à Matcha Japonais Efude, 450 ml measures 120 mm in diameter: wide enough to whisk comfortably, it also holds a matcha latte. The Bol à Matcha Japonais Madara en Céramiques, in ceramic, is generous and warm in the hand. Choose the one that suits the person who will receive it.
For the tea, two Mariage Frères matchas in 40 g tea tins. Matcha Midori comes from Miyazaki: its cup is dense and vegetal, with a marine note and pronounced umami. Matcha Uji comes from Uji, near Kyoto, the cradle of tea in Japan: its deep umami is accompanied by a silky sweetness, with a delicate bitterness and an almond finish. Both come from the Yabukita cultivar and are Jardin Premier selections, free from pesticide residues.
Which option to give, depending on the person?
The right set depends on what the person already owns and how keen they are to get started. These three options cover the most common cases; all the pieces mentioned are in stock in our Nice shop and online.
| For whom | What you give |
|---|---|
| Someone discovering matcha | The Set de Matcha, Matcha Midori and the Tamis Manche Bambou |
| Someone who likes to choose their own objects | The Bol Efude or the Bol Madara, the Chasen, the Cuillère Chashaku, the Porte-Balai, the sieve and Matcha Uji |
| An enthusiast who already has a bowl | A new Chasen, its Porte-Balai and a tin of Matcha Uji |
For a gift that requires no equipment, green teas enhanced with matcha in cotton muslin tea sachets are another option, presented in our matcha section. And if you are torn between several bowls, our matcha accessories section shows them side by side.
How to prepare the first bowl with the set?
Preparation comes down to four steps, using the settings from the product pages for Matcha Midori and Matcha Uji:
- Sift about two chashaku scoops, or 1 to 2 g of matcha, into the bowl.
- Pour in about 40 ml of water heated to 80 °C, never boiling.
- Whisk briskly for around thirty seconds, in an M or W shape, until you have a fine froth.
- Enjoy, then rinse the whisk in clean water.
To go further, thin tea and thick tea, matcha latte and choosing a matcha, our complete matcha guide covers each step in detail.
How to make the set and the matcha last?
A well-maintained set lasts a long time. After each use, the Chasen de Bambou pour Matcha is rinsed in clean water then dried on its Matcha Porte-Balai en Bambou, tines upwards, so that they are not crushed. The Cuillère en Bambou Chashaku 180 mm is cleaned dry or with a quick rinse, then left to air-dry.
Matcha, for its part, is sensitive to air and light. The tea tin of Matcha Uji, like that of Matcha Midori, is designed to protect it: close it tightly after each bowl and store it away from light. Sift only the amount for the next bowl, and leave the rest in the tin.
The sommelier's selection
Frequently asked questions
How do you use a matcha kit?
Sift 1 to 2 g of matcha into the bowl, about two chashaku scoops, pour in about 40 ml of water at 80 °C, then whisk briskly with the chasen for around thirty seconds, in an M or W motion, until a fine froth forms. Then rinse the whisk in clean water and place it on its whisk holder, tines upwards, so that it dries without losing its shape.
What do you need to make matcha?
At the very least, you need a bowl wide enough to whisk in, a bamboo whisk (chasen), matcha and water heated to 80 °C. The bamboo scoop (chashaku) measures more accurately than an ordinary spoon, and the sieve prevents lumps. Finally, the whisk holder keeps the chasen in shape between uses. A set brings these pieces together; depending on the model, the tea may or may not be included, and it is not included in ours.
Where can you buy a matcha whisk?
Our Chasen de Bambou pour Matcha is on sale on our website and in our Nice shop, along with the bowls, chashaku scoop, sieve and whisk holder that go with it. You will also find it in the Set de Matcha, with a bowl, a scoop and a whisk holder. Delivery times and shipping methods are listed on our Delivery page.
To go further
Sources
How we write our guides
Our guides are prepared by La Boutique du Thé, Mariage Frères stockist in Bordeaux and Nice since 1999, drawing on our product sheets, the experience of our shops and the sources cited. Each text is checked and approved by the team before publication. The teas and accessories featured are on sale at the time you read the page. The LBDT Sommelier · A question? Write to us
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