One plant, many teas
Nearly all Japanese green tea comes from a single species, Camellia sinensis, the same plant that yields black and oolong tea elsewhere. The differences among the green teas of Japan come from how the plants are grown, which part of the plant is picked, and how the leaves are processed afterward. Japanese green tea is usually steamed shortly after picking, which stops oxidation and keeps the leaves green. This gives it a fresh, grassy and sometimes slightly marine character that many people distinguish from the pan-fired teas of China.
Tea came to Japan from China, and the details of its early spread are debated, but it was known at the court and in temples by the Heian period. A monk named Eisai is traditionally credited with bringing back tea seeds and writing about the drink after travels in China in the late twelfth century. Over the centuries, tea moved from monks and the elite to townspeople and farm families, and a wide range of forms developed.
The main varieties
Sencha is the everyday standard, and by many accounts the most commonly drunk Japanese tea. The plants are grown in the open and the young leaves are steamed, rolled and dried. It is brewed by steeping the leaves in hot water in a small pot and poured into cups. The flavor is usually a balance of freshness, sweetness and mild bitterness.
Gyokuro is a shaded tea. Several weeks before harvest, the bushes are covered to block much of the sunlight. This is commonly understood to slow the development of bitter compounds and keep more savor, so gyokuro tends to taste rounder and sweeter, with a strong savory quality. It is usually brewed at a lower water temperature than sencha, in smaller amounts of water.
Matcha is a fine powder made from shaded leaves. The leaves, usually grown in the shade and called tencha after being steamed and dried without rolling, are ground into powder. Unlike steeped teas, matcha is whisked into water, so the drinker consumes the whole leaf in suspension. Powdered tea has a long place in Japanese culture and appears in the tea ceremony, where preparation follows a set form.
Bancha is a more casual tea made from larger, more mature leaves. It is often lighter in flavor and regarded as an everyday drink. The name is applied somewhat loosely and differs by region.
Hojicha is made by roasting green tea, usually bancha or sencha, at high heat. The roasting turns the leaves brown and gives a toasty, mellow flavor with less bitterness. Many people drink it in the evening, and it is commonly served at casual meals.
Genmaicha blends green tea with roasted rice, often popped. The rice gives it a nutty aroma and a gentler taste.
Kukicha is made from stems and stalks left over from processing other teas, and it tends to taste light and slightly sweet. Other styles also exist, and regional makers experiment with their own blends.
Cultivation and place
Tea is grown in a range of regions in Japan. Shizuoka and Kagoshima are commonly cited as major producing areas, and Uji, near Kyoto, is historically famous, especially for high-grade shaded teas. Each area has its own climate, soil and traditions, which affect flavor. Harvest timing also matters: the first picking of the year in spring, known as shincha, or new tea, is generally prized for its freshness. The idea that the first of the season is special belongs to a wider habit of attention to the best moment of seasonal ingredients, and shincha is a familiar example.
How the teas are used
Different teas suit different settings.
- Sencha and bancha are everyday drinks at home, offered to guests and served with meals.
- Gyokuro is often kept for special occasions or for quiet tasting, since it is usually considered a refined tea.
- Hojicha and genmaicha are popular casual drinks that pair easily with food.
- Matcha is used for the tea ceremony, but also appears in cooking, ice cream, baked goods and drinks in Japan and elsewhere.
Tea is often served with sweets. In ceremonial settings, a sweet comes before the bowl to balance the bitterness of matcha, and similar pairings are common in daily life with wagashi sweets. The relationship between food and tea is one more link between the table and tea culture.
Teaware and serving
Sencha and gyokuro are traditionally brewed in a small teapot, often a kyusu with a side handle, and poured into small cups. Matcha uses a bowl, a bamboo whisk and a scoop. Many Japanese households use everyday tableware that includes handleless cups, and in some regions the choice of cup and pot reflects local pottery, such as the wares of regional kilns. These choices are practical, but they also reflect the care people take with ordinary objects.
A note on caffeine and health
Green tea contains caffeine, and people who are sensitive to it, who are pregnant or who have medical conditions may wish to ask a qualified professional about how much is suitable for them. Claims about the health effects of tea vary and are not promised here.
Beyond the ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony is the most famous setting for tea, but most tea in Japan is drunk in far less formal ways, in kitchens, offices and at the end of a meal. Looking at the ordinary varieties shows that tea culture is as much about daily habit as ritual. A pot of sencha on the table can be as much a part of Japanese life as a formal bowl of matcha.