The Beauty of Japanese Green Tea

Japanese green teas are among my favorites.  They have such rich, savory flavors and magnificent color.

There are important differences in the processing of Japanese green teas and Chinese green teas that result in very different flavor profiles. The biggest difference in their creation is that Japanese teas are steamed before they rolled.  The steaming preserves the brilliant green color.

It is also interesting to note that while much of the preparation of Chinese tea is done by hand, nearly the entire process of Japanese tea manufacturing is mechanized.  The tea bushes are pruned into long rows with curved tops that can then be “plucked” using electric “shears.” This growing technique ensures that only the tender buds and newest leaves are collected.

Let’s talk about some of the most common types of Japanese green teas you might encounter:

Gyokuro

Gyokuro is the highest quality green tea produced.  Its name means “Jade dew,” reflecting the lovely pale green color of the steeped tea. For the last three weeks before the tea is harvested, the bushes are shaded under bamboo, rice straw, canvas, or plastic mesh.  The shading causes the plant to make more chlorophyll, giving the leaves an even deeper green color.  This is generally the most expensive Japanese green tea.

Sencha

Sencha, meaning “New tea,” is the 1st or 2nd flush green, harvested in late April to mid May.  This is the most commonly produced and consumed Japanese green tea.  Unlike the gyokuro, the shrubs are grown in direct sunlight.  The tea leaves are rolled into a long and flat shape that has a rich green color. *Fukamushi is a type of sencha steamed two to three times as long as other senchas.

Bancha

Bancha is a low grade Japanese green, plucked after sencha picking is done for the season.  It is harvested in the summer and autumn and the leaves are larger and a bit tougher.

Shincha

Shincha is the first tea harvested in the year.  It can be Sencha or Gyokuro and it is highly prized.

Tencha

Tencha is tea that is shade grown like Gyokuro, but the leaves are not rolled after harvesting. The stems and veins are taken out of the leaves and the leftover leaf is chopped.  This is used to produce matcha.

Matcha

MATCHA: Tencha is very finely ground to make matcha.  Matcha is the powdered tea that is used in the Japanese tea ceremony.  It is also frequently used in cooking.

Kukicha

Kukicha is made from the stems, stalks, and twigs that remain after sencha, bancha, and tencha production.

Hojicha

Bancha, or sometimes sencha, is combined with kukicha twig tea and then roasted over charcoal

Genmaicha

Bancha, or sometimes sencha, is combined with roasted brown rice creating an amazingly warm, nutty, flavor.