Japan gives a wealthy number of inexperienced teas, from basic sencha and nutty genmaicha to heavenly gyokuro. Study the completely different ways in which Japanese inexperienced teas are grown, harvested, and processed to create the varied flavors and kinds of this basic beverage.
Japanese inexperienced tea is available in many types, every with its personal distinctive traits. The methods that tea growers use to domesticate, harvest, and course of the tea leaves all play an important position in shaping its closing style and aroma. On this put up, we’ll discover the favored kinds of Japanese inexperienced tea and the primary components that go into creating them.
For a deeper dive, learn Your Information to Japanese Inexperienced Tea and be taught Methods to Make Japanese Inexperienced Tea.
What’s Inexperienced Tea?
Inexperienced tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, the identical type that produces black, white, and oolong teas. What units Japanese inexperienced tea aside from the remaining is its minimal oxidation course of. This preserves its signature recent and pure taste and aroma. It additionally helps retain a excessive antioxidant and nutrient content material that make Japanese inexperienced tea one of many healthiest drinks accessible.
Rising and Harvesting Japanese Inexperienced Tea
Japanese tea growers use a number of strategies to domesticate several types of Japanese inexperienced tea. In doing so, they will create a broad vary of high quality and tastes. With experience honed by custom and expertise, producers make use of these various methods that fall into a number of classes:
1. Overlaying course of
Shading the tea vegetation controls the flavour and high quality of the leaves. The extra it’s shaded, the richer and deeper the umami. Overlaying additionally protects the vegetation and prolongs harvest. Following are the completely different levels of shading used:
- tencha (てん茶): absolutely shaded for 20–30 days earlier than harvest, as with gyokuro and matcha
- kabusecha (かぶせ茶): shaded for as much as 3 weeks earlier than harvest; additionally referred to as shade-grown sencha
- unshaded: grown in full solar, as with common sencha
2. Harvest season
Farmers decide tea leaves from spring by autumn, relying on the local weather and area. The sooner the harvest, the higher the aroma, taste, and vitamins. These are the three major classes of tea primarily based on harvest periods:
- shincha (新茶): tea leaves celebrated as the primary decide of the yr, harvested in early April; most scrumptious simply after harvesting
- ichibancha (一番茶): first flush tea leaves, together with shincha, harvested in spring (April and Might); greatest taste, aroma, and vitamins
- nibancha (二番茶): second flush tea leaves harvested in summer season (June and July)
- sanbancha (三番茶) and yonbancha (四番茶): third and fourth flush crops in sure rising areas solely
3. Rising area
Japanese inexperienced tea’s traits are also formed by the places of the farms. Sure areas are famed for his or her local weather, rising situations, and lengthy custom of tea manufacturing. A couple of well-known ones embrace:
4. Cultivar sort
Japan grows a whole bunch of Camellia sinensis cultivars. Some widespread Japanese cultivars are:
- Yabukita (やぶきた): most sencha comes from this cultivar
- Benifuuki (べにふうき)
- Fushun (ふうしゅん), Kanayamidori (かなやみどり), Meiryoku (めいりょく), Saemidori (さえみどり), and Okumidori (おくみどり): different widespread cultivars
Steaming vs Roasting Japanese Tea Leaves
As soon as the tea leaves are harvested, producers will both steam or roast the Japanese tea leaves.
1. Steaming
Most Japanese tea leaves are steamed. It takes a excessive diploma of experience to find out the precise temperature and steaming time that lasts simply 10–60 seconds. The talent used drastically impacts the flavour and aroma of the completed product.
There are three steaming ranges:
- asamushi (浅蒸し): flippantly steamed for 10–30 seconds
- futsu(mushi) (普通[蒸し]): usually steamed for 30 seconds
- fukamushi (深蒸し): deeply steamed for 60 seconds
2. Roasting
Hojicha is the one number of roasted Japanese inexperienced tea. This comparatively new course of was found by chance within the Twenties by a Kyoto tea service provider who charcoal-roasted some leftover tea from the final harvest.
Roasting produces the next traits:
- diminished caffeine content material
- reddish-brown shade
- sweeter, barely smoky taste
- much less bitterness and astringency
Standard Forms of Japanese Inexperienced Tea
Inexperienced tea is usually referred to as o-cha by the Japanese. Nevertheless, the precise phrase for all sorts or inexperienced tea is ryokucha (緑茶, りょくちゃ) with ryoku which means “inexperienced” and cha which means “tea.”
Under are the most typical kinds of Japanese inexperienced tea, their distinctive qualities, and methods to get pleasure from them.
1. Sencha: The On a regular basis Favourite
Sencha (煎茶) is Japan’s hottest inexperienced tea, recognized for its brilliant and refreshing taste. With its well-balanced mixture of acidity and sweetness, sencha makes a wonderful selection for every day enjoyment.
Tea makers harvest the youngest tea leaves after which steam, roll, and dry them to supply sencha. Sencha is accessible in mild, regular, and deep steaming ranges.
2. Gyokuro: The Luxurious Alternative
Gyokuro (玉露), also referred to as Jade Dew, is considered the highest-quality inexperienced tea. These tea leaves are grown within the shade for the ultimate 20–30 days to gradual the plant’s progress and develop increased ranges of chlorophyll. This contributes to gyokuro’s concentrated, wealthy taste.
You possibly can simply acknowledge this tea by its deep, darkish inexperienced leaves and unparalleled umami and aroma. Some describe the style as candy with a refined, seaweed-like notice. It’s scrumptious served sizzling or chilly. For tea connoisseurs and people who get pleasure from wealthy, complicated flavors, gyokuro could also be your number of selection.
3. Genmaicha: The Delicate & Nutty Mix
Genmaicha (玄米茶) is a mix of roasted brown rice with both sencha or bancha (see under). It has a gentle taste with a slight sweetness and an nearly popcorn-like style.
This tea was initially referred to as “folks’s tea” as a result of producers used rice as a filler to make genmaicha extra reasonably priced. Now, it’s loved by all for its nutty aroma and decrease caffeine content material.
4. Hojicha: The Roasted Tea
Hojicha (焙じ茶) stands out with its reddish-brown shade and distinctive roasted taste. Tea makers roast hojicha over excessive warmth as a substitute of steaming it like different inexperienced teas. The result’s a toasty, caramel-like sweetness with a touch of smokiness and little to no bitterness.
Roasting additionally lowers hojicha’s caffeine content material, making it a wonderful selection for the night. Whether or not served sizzling or as chilly brew hojicha, its low astringency makes it mild on the abdomen. It additionally is available in powdered kind used to make hojicha lattes, smoothies, and desserts.
5. Bancha: The Economical Tea
Bancha (番茶) comes from extra mature, coarser leaves that growers harvest later within the season. These bigger leaves develop nearer to the stalk and don’t roll right into a advantageous needle form through the drying course of.
Tea producers additionally use bancha to create hojicha and genmaicha. It’s thought of a lower-quality tea and is cheaper than sencha. Nonetheless, its mild physique and refined sweetness make it a preferred selection for newbie tea drinkers.
6. Kukicha: The Twig Tea
Kukicha (茎茶) or “twig tea” is produced from the stems, twigs, and leaves of the tea plant. In contrast to conventional inexperienced teas produced from youthful leaves, kukicha is crafted from numerous components of the tea plant, giving it a gentle and mellow taste profile.
Its style is usually described as nutty, woody, and subtly candy, with a refreshing high quality and minimal astringency.
7. Konacha: The Powdered Tea from Sencha
Often known as the tea of sushi eating places, konacha (粉茶) is produced from the smaller, damaged leaves and tea mud that stay after processing higher-grade teas like sencha.
Though it’s produced from smaller, much less refined components of the tea plant, konacha gives a daring, strong taste with a slight astringency and an umami-rich style. It brews rapidly and has a vibrant inexperienced shade.
8. Matcha: The Finely Floor Inexperienced Tea Powder
Matcha (抹茶) is a kind of inexperienced tea in powdered kind. It has a vivid inexperienced shade, candy and mellow taste, and elevated caffeine content material. Historically whisked with water in Japanese tea ceremony, matcha powder is now well-liked worldwide to get pleasure from in drinks and sweets. Study extra about this finely floor inexperienced tea powder on our Matcha web page.
Store Teaware at JOC Items
When you’re searching for a gorgeous teapot, cup, tea caddy, or matcha bowl, go to our on-line store, JOC Items! We stock a variety of teaware, from Tokoname ware and Arita ware to Kutani ware.
Consuming Inexperienced Tea: A Every day Ritual
Every sort of Japanese inexperienced tea has its personal story, taste, and place in every day life. Personally, I’ve discovered that tea choice is dependent upon the second. A cup of genmaicha is my go-to for cozy household evenings, whereas matcha appears like a small celebration each time I whisk it up.
I encourage you to discover these teas at your individual tempo, experimenting with brewing methods to seek out your excellent cup. Inexperienced tea is greater than only a drink; it’s a ritual, a consolation, and a connection to Japanese tradition that I hope you’ll get pleasure from as a lot as I do.
What number of kinds of Japanese inexperienced tea have you ever tried? Do you’ve gotten any favorites? Let me know within the feedback—I’d love to listen to about your experiences!
