In the first part of Chapter 4, we explore the enchanting world of tea production in China, the birthplace of tea. Renowned for its rich history and cultural significance, China boasts a diverse range of teas, each with its own unique story.

From the artistry of tea preparation to the deep cultural significance of every sip, we’ll explore what makes Japanese tea truly unique. Stay with us as we continue our journey through the global tea tradition!

Tea in Japan: Where Tradition Meets Precision

While green tea is beloved across the globe, Japan’s approach to its cultivation and production stands apart. In contrast to China’s traditional, hand-plucked mountain gardens, Japan has developed a highly efficient, modernized process that blends innovation with deep cultural significance. From the ancient origins of tea drinking to the precision of today’s tea manufacturing, Japan’s rich history and unique production methods have shaped a tea culture like no other. In this feature, we’ll explore the fascinating contrasts between Japanese and Chinese tea, the evolution of Japanese tea practices, and the signature characteristics that make Japanese teas so distinct—offering a taste of both tradition and modern craftsmanship.

Tea arrived in Japan in the 8th century via China and gained popularity by the Kamakura period (1192-1333), with figures like Eisai promoting its health benefits. By the Muromachi period (1392-1573), tea became central to Zen practices and the formal tea ceremony. Production later became industrialized to suit Japanese cuisine.

Japanese teas are known for their steaming process that preserves flavor and color. Popular varieties like matcha, sencha, and gyokuro feature unique methods, such as shading leaves to reduce astringency. Shincha, the first tea of the season, is prized for its fresh, grassy sweetness. Though Japan’s tea production is smaller, its focus on quality and tradition makes its teas distinct.

JAPAN'S SENCHA: A NATIONAL FAVORITE

Sencha, which follows shincha, marks the start of Japan's main tea harvest. Produced throughout the season, it is the quintessential Japanese tea. The first-flush sencha, harvested early in the season, is prized for its sweet, rich flavor and commands a price up to 30% higher than later harvests. As the season progresses, sencha's flavor becomes stronger, and its color deepens, though its quality and price decline with each successive flush. In Kyoto and Tokyo, top teashops often feature artisan teas, but they are typically sold under the shop's name rather than the producer's. For the Japanese, a well-made sencha must have three key qualities: a pleasant aroma, a rich taste, and an appealing appearance.

JAPANESE GREEN TEA PROCESSING

The production of Japanese green tea involves a series of meticulous steps, with each step carefully tailored to enhance the flavor and characteristics of the tea. The process begins with leaf plucking, followed by steaming to halt oxidation, which preserves the fresh, green flavor. The leaves then go through a series of rollers and dryers, where they are gently shaped, dried, and refined. The first six steps result in aracha (crude tea), while the final three steps, which include further drying and shaping, refine the tea into its finished form, known as shiagecha. The method of rolling and drying the leaves plays a key role in determining the flavor, aroma, and texture of the tea.

JAPAN’S CUSTOM BLENDS

In Japan, teas like sencha and gyokuro are typically blended to suit customer preferences, with most tea sold by teashops or companies under a signature brand rather than by region or estate, unlike premium teas from India or China. Japanese tea is often blended using a variety of quality levels, and prices vary based on the quality of the leaves. Customers typically taste the tea before purchasing, and once they find a favorite blend, they return to the same shop. While high-quality teas may still be hand-plucked, most are processed by machines due to efficiency. Japan's premium teas are limited in production and sold both domestically and abroad at high prices, while lower-quality teas, including bottled green tea, are supplemented by imported leaves processed in the Japanese style.

JAPAN’S TEA-GROWING REGION

Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost island, has a long tea-growing history, particularly in Kagoshima, which is known for its warm climate and cool bay breezes. It produces a variety of teas including sencha, matcha, and kamairi-cha. Kagoshima’s tea gardens are modern and highly mechanized, with large-scale production, particularly of sencha and matcha from shaded gardens. Other regions like Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Fukuoka, and Saga also contribute to Japan's tea production, with unique specialties such as gyokuro and kamairi-cha.

Uji, located south of Kyoto on Honshu, is renowned for producing Japan’s most prestigious teas, including high-quality gyokuro, sencha, and matcha. Uji’s tea gardens are among the oldest in Japan, with tea cultivation in the area dating back to the 9th century. Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan, played a key role in shaping Japan’s tea culture, and Uji remains a hub for Japan’s finest teas.

Shizuoka, the largest tea-producing region, lies along the Pacific coast near Mount Fuji. Shizuoka produces nearly 40% of Japan’s sencha and benefits from a mild climate, fertile soil, and abundant water sources. The region has a long history of tea cultivation and is home to over 39,000 private tea farmers who supply both local producers and the Shizuoka Wholesale Tea Auction.

In addition to these main areas, Central Honshu (Shiga, Gifu, Saitama, and Aichi prefectures) is known for producing earthy sencha and premium matcha, with Aichi being a key supplier for top teashops across Japan.

VARIETIES OF JAPANESE TEA

Japanese green teas are primarily steamed, with the exception of some rare pan-fired varieties. They are classified as either shade-grown or sun-grown, with popular types including Bancha, a lower-quality, stronger-flavored tea often enjoyed with food; Genmaicha, a mix of sencha and toasted rice that softens the bitterness of the tea, sometimes enhanced with matcha; Guricha, a small, elegantly shaped tea with a unique comma-like leaf; Konacha, a powdered tea made from small leaf fragments, commonly served in sushi restaurants; and Sencha, the most popular tea in Japan, which refers both to a specific style of leaf tea and the broader practice of brewing whole leaves. While rarer teas are harder to find outside Japan, these varieties are the backbone of the country’s tea culture.

Ancient tea trees, tended by local minorities, provide leaves for both pu-erh and sun-dried green tea. Pu-erh is available as loose leaf or compressed discs, in raw (sheng) and cooked (shou) varieties. Raw pu-erh ages for complex flavors, while cooked pu-erh is made for immediate consumption. Valued for health benefits, pu-erh remains popular, with local teashops offering a variety of shapes and styles.

JAPAN’S ROASTED TEAS

Houjicha is a roasted tea made from sencha and kukicha twigs, with a chestnut-brown color and a toasty flavor. Low in caffeine, it’s popular for children. Ire bancha has a smoky flavor and is brewed with a large quantity of roasted, flat leaves, often enjoyed before meals like sashimi. Kamairi-cha (or Tamaryokucha) is a Kyushu specialty, processed by pan-firing and hand-rolling the leaves, giving it a distinct flavor.

JAPAN’S TWIG TEAS

Karigane cha is a twig tea made from the stems and twigs of gyokuro, sometimes blended with sencha leaves, resulting in Karigane Sencha. Kukicha is a blended tea made from the leaf and stalk cuttings of sencha, processed separately for uniformity. Brewed in early spring, it has a bright yellow-green color and a fresh, herbaceous aroma.

DID YOU KNOW?

The custom of adding milk to tea is said to have originated in the 17th century, when the British discovered that a splash of milk not only tempered the heat of their tea but also brought out its full, creamy flavor—transforming the brew into a comforting, everyday ritual.