The greener matcha is, the smoother and more complex its flavor. But not all matcha is the same. Matcha at its highest quality is referred to as ceremonial-grade, because of the central role it plays in Japanese tea ceremonies. And while this bright green powder takes a few seconds to dissolve in water, it takes an entire year to grow. Jintaro Yamamoto runs a 180-year-old tea farm, one of the oldest in Uji, Japan. We visited his farm to find out what makes ceremonial-grade matcha so exceptional? And why it's so expensive.

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