What tencha means
Tencha is the unmilled raw material for matcha. After shading and steaming, the leaves are dried flat without rolling, then stems and veins are removed so only the soft leaf tissue remains. Producers such as Marukyu Koyamaen and Ippodo grade their matcha based on the cultivar, region, and quality of the tencha used.
Also called
Tencha also appears as aracha.