MATSUThe short answer
Buyers researching wholesale matcha routinely budget 10–20% for customs that never applies. Green tea — including matcha — is duty-free under the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (heading 0902) at current 2026 rates. That is why the MATSU checkout shows "$0 (0%)" for duty on United States orders: we are not absorbing a tariff, there simply is none to collect.
Why tea enters duty-free
Tea has been duty-free in the US general tariff column for decades — it is one of the classic "free" agricultural lines alongside coffee. Matcha classifies as green tea under HS heading 0902, and no additional matcha-specific tariff applies at the time of writing. As with anything tariff-related, rates can change with trade policy; for a large formal entry your customs broker will confirm the current line. For planning in 2026: zero.
A worked landed-cost example
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Matcha — Kagoshima Standard, 1 kg | $390 |
| Tracked EMS from Japan | ≈ $46 |
| US import duty | $0 |
| Estimated landed total | ≈ $436 |
Volume discounts (10% at 5 kg, 15% at 10 kg) apply on top, and the same $0 duty line holds at every order size we sell by card. The calculator on our order page runs this arithmetic live for any grade and quantity.
Small orders vs formal entries
For the $99 Tasting Kit and small wholesale parcels, shipments clear as ordinary postal imports — buyers in practice pay nothing at delivery. Card orders on our site run up to 10 kg; above that we quote by pro-forma invoice, and at larger commercial volumes a licensed customs broker files a formal entry for you. Even then the duty line on tea remains zero — the broker's fee and the FDA layer (Prior Notice, facility registration) are the items to budget instead. We cover those in Importing matcha into the USA.
One honest distinction: import duty is not sales tax. Your state's sales or use tax obligations are a bookkeeping matter for your business and are unrelated to customs — nothing is collected at the border on duty-free tea.
How MATSU ships to the US
Producer-direct sourced matcha from Uji, Kagoshima and Izumo, shipped from Japan by tracked EMS. The Tasting Kit arrives in about 7 business days; wholesale orders arrive within 7–10 days of cleared payment. Prices run $390–$1,050 per kilogram before shipping, minimum 1 kg per grade, and the $99 Kit is credited in full to your first order.
Frequently asked questions
Is there import duty on matcha from Japan to the US?
No — at current 2026 rates, green tea including matcha is duty-free under the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (heading 0902). Buyers pay the product and shipping only.
Will I pay customs fees on the $99 Tasting Kit?
In practice, no. Small parcels clear as ordinary postal imports and the duty rate on tea is zero, so nothing is collected at delivery.
Do I still need a customs broker?
Not for small parcels. For larger commercial volumes a broker files the formal entry and confirms classification — the duty line on tea remains zero, so you budget the broker's fee and FDA compliance, not a tariff.
Is sales tax charged at import?
No. Import duty and state sales/use tax are separate things. Nothing is collected at the border on duty-free tea; your state tax treatment is your own bookkeeping matter.
Could the duty rate change?
Tariff policy can always change, which is why we say 'at current 2026 rates' and show the duty line transparently at checkout. For a large formal entry, your broker will confirm the live rate.
