The Best Water for Matcha: Why It Changes the Taste and How to Choose

Clear glass of soft water in a calm Japanese lifestyle setting, emphasizing purity and everyday hydration with ONSENSUI99

What kind of water makes matcha delicious? The conclusion

If you want to enjoy delicious matcha, choosing the right water is very important.
In particular, using "soft water" with a smooth mouthfeel makes it easier to bring out the gentle, natural flavor of matcha.

Even with the same matcha, changing the water can make it taste "bitter" or "difficult to drink," or "mellow and easy to drink."

Japanese tea ceremony preparation using soft water, showing how water quality impacts matcha taste and experience

Why water changes the taste of matcha

Matcha is a drink made by grinding tea leaves into a powder.
Therefore, when drunk with water, the taste and aroma can be felt directly.

What affects this is the minerals contained in the water.
Depending on the amount of calcium and magnesium, the impression of bitterness and mouthfeel can change.

In other words, water is not just "something that dissolves" but an important factor that influences the taste.

Glass of pure water in a natural Japanese stream setting, symbolizing clean soft water and premium hydration quality

Differences between soft water and hard water | Water suitable for matcha

Water is broadly divided into "soft water" and "hard water."

Hard water is rich in minerals and has a strong drinking sensation, but when combined with matcha, the flavor can be too strong.
On the other hand, soft water has fewer minerals and is characterized by a smooth and soft mouthfeel.

If you want to enjoy matcha simply,
・Bitterness and astringency are mellowed
・Light mouthfeel
・Aroma spreads naturally

For these reasons, soft water is considered suitable.

👉 For more details on the differences between soft and hard water, please refer to this article.
(What is water hardness? Differences between soft and hard water)

Tips for making matcha even more delicious

In addition to choosing the right water, a little ingenuity in how you drink it can make it even more enjoyable.

・Use water at room temperature or lukewarm
・Mix a small amount of water first to create a paste
・Mix carefully to avoid lumps

Also, the mouthfeel can be more noticeable depending on the water used.

👉 This article about the differences in mineral water available in Thailand may also be helpful.
(Comparison of Mineral Waters Available in Thailand)

How to incorporate matcha into your daily life

Matcha has an image of being a special drink, but you can easily enjoy it in your daily life.

You can incorporate it as a morning drink or as a refresher during work, making it useful in various situations.
By first enjoying it simply with water, you can experience the true taste of matcha.

Reasons why water is gaining attention for making matcha delicious

The "softness of the water" is important for bringing out the taste of matcha.

For example, Onsensui99, a natural water from Tarumizu Onsen in Kagoshima Prefecture, is ultra-soft water with a hardness of 1.7 and a smooth mouthfeel.
It is known as water that brings out the flavor of ingredients because it is alkaline with a pH of 9.9 but has littleクセ (strong, unique taste).

👉 For more details on the features of Onsensui99, please refer to this article.
(What is Onsensui99? Features of natural water from Tarumizu, Kagoshima)

Summary

To enjoy delicious matcha, choosing the right water is a crucial point.
In particular, using soft water with a smooth mouthfeel makes the taste feel more natural and gentle.

Even with the same matcha, changing the water can change the impression.

▶ For those who want to enjoy matcha even more deliciously

If you want to know more about water that makes matcha even more delicious,
please also refer to the following article.

👉 Does water change matcha? Differences in water that affect deliciousness and how to choose