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Types of Japanese Green Tea

With all the information out there regarding the health benefits and correct preparation of green tea, rarely is a distinction made between Japanese green tea and Chinese green tea.  In reality, the two are processed in two very different ways, and have completely distinct flavor profiles.

Green TeaLike Chinese green tea, Japanese green tea is considered un-oxidized. This means the tea leaves are given as little interaction with oxygen as possible, preventing their enzymes from reacting chemically and changing the characteristics of the leaves.  To prevent oxidation, Japanese tea leaves are steamed very soon after plucking.  The heat of the steam kills the enzymes of the tea leaves and arrests any chance of oxidation.  The steaming also allows the leaves to keep their deep green coloration.

Next, Japanese green tea undergoes drying and rolling.  The drying process occurs at lower heat than steaming, and the rolling breaks the leaves’ cell walls to release the flavors so they come out easily during steeping.  Some people believe that Japanese green teas get their needle-like shape and sometimes broken appearance because they are chopped, but in fact this appearance is due to repeated kneading.  Traditionally, the teas were hand-kneaded, but modern rolling technology allows considerably more tea to be processed.  Today, a small number of premium hand-kneaded teas are still produced, but they are generally extremely expensive and rarely leave Japan.  Depending on the region, Japanese teas are harvested as many as seven times per year, although premium teas are produced only once or twice per year.green tea

Japan produces a surprisingly large number of different tea types, but the most famous are Genmaicha, Sencha, and Gyokuro.  Genmaicha is produced by combining Summer-harvested tea called Bancha with toasted and popped rice.  The taste combines the classic grassy flavor of Japanese green tea with a savory, toasty flavor that pairs extremely well with food.  Sencha is the most popular green tea in Japan and is characterized by sweet, grassy flavor, full body and slight pleasant bitterness.  Since Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan and harvesting occurs several times throughout the year, quality can vary from premium to everyday grades.  Gyokuro is the most premium Japanese green tea produced.  The leaves are grown in shade, which produces a tea with an extreme sweetness, delicate flavor and minimal bitterness.

Join me for the sequel to this article, in which I’ll discuss the processing of Chinese green tea.

[Editor’s note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]

© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.



9 responses to “Types of Japanese Green Tea”

  1. […] Tea Bags: This design seems particularly appropriate for a Japanese tea such as Sencha or Gyokuro, as origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. Seeing […]

  2. is there any website or any link that give me information how to make a tea……..

    1. Hi, Harold, do you mean how to steep tea or how to grow and process tea? If you mean steeping, our blogs has lots of articles on this. If you mean growing and processing, a quick online search will pop up lots of options. Thanks for reading.

  3. […] in men. The study was looked at more than 40,000 Japanese people aged 40 to 79. In Japan, where green tea is more common than any other type, age-adjusted mortality from heart disease and stroke is about […]

  4. […] teas in this case were Japanese greens: Kabuse Sencha and Houjicha. One taste and I could tell why these were popular teas in Japan. They […]

  5. […] other research has found that the high antioxidant levels in green tea helped to reduce tumors, the Japanese study found no clear connection between tea consumption and […]

  6. Thanks for giving the names of the tea. This defintely helps.

  7. I usually make a cup of green tea from a tea bag in a cup of cold water cooked for 2 minutes in a microwave the same as I make black tea. Is this a bad practice?

  8. candyce paulson Avatar
    candyce paulson

    Would you be be able to tell me the name of the green tea that is served at the San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden? My grandmother would take me there sixty years ago and we had a wonderful time together, I believe that we just had their regular tea as I don’t recall her ordering the tea by a particular name. I loved the tea that was served. My daughter will be coming home for a visit and I would like to have some of that Japanese tea to serve her when she visits. Thank you. Candyce Paulson

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