---
title: "How a Warlord Almost Destroyed Matcha"
description: "Meet Oda Nobunaga, 16th century, a military genius who turned Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) into a political currency !"
image: "https://best-matcha.com/wp-content/uploads/maxresdefault.webp"
---
# How a Warlord Almost Destroyed Matcha

> Meet Oda Nobunaga, 16th century, a military genius who turned Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) into a political currency !

Source: https://best-matcha.com/videos/how-a-warlord-almost-destroyed-matcha/
Created: 2026-07-10T10:53:46+00:00
Modified: 2026-07-30T07:44:55+00:00
Author: Emilie Schol

## Transcript

Transcript

One of the most ruthless warlords in Japanese history was obsessed with matcha. Nobody can blame him, but it almost ruined it for everybody, including you and me. Meet Oda Nobunaga, 16th century. This guy was basically trying to conquer Japan by force. He was good at it. This brutal genius also a massive matcha nerd. Not in a cute way though. See, Nobunaga figured out something clever. The tea ceremony or chanoyu was a huge deal among the Japanese elite back then. You know, owning the right tea bowl, the right utensils, the ultimate flex. Like a Lamborghini but in the 1500s. So, we're talking about tea kettles here. So, Nobunaga started collecting the most famous prized objects in the country aggressively. He would take them as tribute or rewards or sometimes just because he could. And then he weaponized them. Instead of paying his war generals with lands or gold, he would reward them with famous tea utensils. And get this, he would give permission to certain warlords to even hold a tea ceremony. You needed Nobunaga's blessing. No permission, no tea ceremony. Crazy this one. So, he turned all the matcha tea culture into a tool of control. Tea became a political currency locked behind the most powerful man in Japan. So, why and how does matcha still exist today? Because this guy was kind of ruining it. Well, this guy died. Everyone dies at some point. And the guy who took over, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, went completely opposite direction. He threw massive public tea gathering open to everyone. Rich, poor, didn't matter. Bring a cup, you're invited. Matcha went from a locked up status symbol to back to the people. And honestly, I think that I have a little bit of this Toyotomi Hideyoshi spirit in me because I don't want to gatekeep anything. Not the story of matcha, not the knowledge, not the good stuff. Matcha for all. No, actually, good matcha for all. Because gatekeeping didn't really went away. It just changed shape. Now, you know, it's confusing labels, fake ceremonial grade tags, and price that really do not make sense. So, consider me team Iide Yoshi. >> [music]

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## FAQ

### How did Oda Nobunaga use the Japanese tea ceremony for political control?

Oda Nobunaga made chanoyu a tool of political control by collecting prized tea objects, distributing famous utensils as rewards, and deciding which warlords could hold tea ceremonies. His permission became essential, turning matcha culture and elite tea practice into political currency controlled by a powerful military leader.

### Why were tea utensils politically valuable under Oda Nobunaga?

Tea utensils carried status because chanoyu was important among the Japanese elite. Nobunaga collected the country’s famous, prized tea objects and used them as tribute or rewards. Instead of compensating his generals only with land or gold, he could reward them with prestigious utensils connected to elite tea culture.

### Did warlords need Oda Nobunaga’s permission to hold a tea ceremony?

According to the transcript, Nobunaga granted selected warlords permission to hold a tea ceremony. His blessing was presented as a requirement: without permission, they could not conduct one. This control over access to chanoyu helped him transform tea ceremony participation into a privilege tied directly to his political authority.

### How did Toyotomi Hideyoshi change access to matcha culture?

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is described as taking the opposite approach from Nobunaga. He organized large public tea gatherings that welcomed people regardless of whether they were rich or poor. This moved matcha away from being a restricted status symbol and returned tea participation to a much broader public audience.

### What forms of matcha gatekeeping does the video identify today?

The video says gatekeeping has changed rather than disappeared. Instead of a warlord controlling permission to hold tea ceremonies, modern barriers include confusing product labels, allegedly fake ceremonial-grade tags, and prices that do not appear to make sense. The speaker advocates sharing matcha history, knowledge, and good matcha rather than restricting them.

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# How a Warlord Almost Destroyed Matcha
Meet Oda Nobunaga, 16th century, a military genius who turned Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) into a political currency !

[Emilie Schol](https://best-matcha.com/community/emilie-schol/)

## Speaker: Emilie Schol
Emilie Schol founded Best Matcha after a biotechnology career, bringing a methodical, transparent and enthusiast-led approach to matcha discovery.

[View profile of Emilie Schol](https://best-matcha.com/community/emilie-schol/)

## About this video

Meet Oda Nobunaga, 16th century, a military genius who turned Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) into a political currency !

Statistiques

792 vues | 15 likes

Duration

2 minutes, 24 seconds

Link

[Direct video link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-xnsyMzgLo)

Published

July 10, 2026

Updated

July 30, 2026

Learn more
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