Japan offers a rich variety of green teas, from classic sencha and nutty genmaicha to heavenly gyokuro. Learn the different ways that Japanese green teas are grown, harvested, and processed to create the diverse flavors and types of this classic beverage.
Japanese green tea comes in many varieties, each with its own unique characteristics. The techniques that tea growers use to cultivate, harvest, and process the tea leaves all play a crucial role in shaping its final taste and aroma. In this post, we will explore the popular types of Japanese green tea and the main factors that go into creating them.
For a deeper dive, read Your Guide to Japanese Green Tea and learn How to Make Japanese Green Tea.
Table of Contents
What is Green Tea?
Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, the same kind that produces black, white, and oolong teas. What sets Japanese green tea apart from the rest is its minimal oxidation process. This preserves its signature fresh and natural flavor and aroma. It also helps retain a high antioxidant and nutrient content that make Japanese green tea one of the healthiest beverages available.
Growing and Harvesting Japanese Green Tea
Japanese tea growers use several methods to cultivate different types of Japanese green tea. In doing so, they can create a broad range of quality and tastes. With expertise honed by tradition and experience, producers employ these varying techniques that fall into a few categories:
1. Covering process
Shading the tea plants controls the flavor and quality of the leaves. The more it’s shaded, the richer and deeper the umami. Covering also protects the plants and prolongs harvest. Following are the different degrees of shading used:
- tencha (てん茶): fully shaded for 20–30 days before harvest, as with gyokuro and matcha
- kabusecha (かぶせ茶): shaded for up to 3 weeks before harvest; also called shade-grown sencha
- unshaded: grown in full sun, as with regular sencha
2. Harvest season
Farmers pick tea leaves from spring through autumn, depending on the climate and region. The earlier the harvest, the better the aroma, flavor, and nutrients. These are the three main categories of tea based on harvest sessions:
- shincha (新茶): tea leaves celebrated as the first pick of the year, harvested in early April; most delicious just after harvesting
- ichibancha (一番茶): first flush tea leaves, including shincha, harvested in spring (April and May); best flavor, aroma, and nutrients
- nibancha (二番茶): second flush tea leaves harvested in summer (June and July)
- sanbancha (三番茶) and yonbancha (四番茶): third and fourth flush crops in certain growing regions only
3. Growing region
Japanese green tea’s characteristics also are shaped by the locations of the farms. Certain regions are famed for their climate, growing conditions, and long tradition of tea production. A few famous ones include:
- Shizuoka
- Uji
- Kagoshima
4. Cultivar type
Japan grows hundreds of Camellia sinensis cultivars. Some common 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): other common cultivars
Steaming vs Roasting Japanese Tea Leaves
Once the tea leaves are harvested, producers will either steam or roast the Japanese tea leaves.
1. Steaming
Most Japanese tea leaves are steamed. It takes a high degree of expertise to determine the right temperature and steaming time that lasts just 10–60 seconds. The skill used greatly affects the flavor and aroma of the finished product.
There are three steaming levels:
- asamushi (浅蒸し): lightly steamed for 10–30 seconds
- futsu(mushi) (普通[蒸し]): normally steamed for 30 seconds
- fukamushi (深蒸し): deeply steamed for 60 seconds
2. Roasting
Hojicha is the only variety of roasted Japanese green tea. This relatively new process was discovered accidentally in the 1920s by a Kyoto tea merchant who charcoal-roasted some leftover tea from the last harvest.
Roasting produces the following characteristics:
- reduced caffeine content
- reddish-brown color
- sweeter, slightly smoky flavor
- less bitterness and astringency
Popular Types of Japanese Green Tea
Green tea is commonly called o-cha by the Japanese. However, the actual word for all types or green tea is ryokucha (緑茶, りょくちゃ) with ryoku meaning “green” and cha meaning “tea.”
Below are the most common types of Japanese green tea, their unique qualities, and how to enjoy them.
1. Sencha: The Everyday Favorite
Sencha (煎茶) is Japan’s most popular green tea, known for its bright and refreshing flavor. With its well-balanced combination of acidity and sweetness, sencha makes an excellent choice for daily enjoyment.
Tea makers harvest the youngest tea leaves and then steam, roll, and dry them to produce sencha. Sencha is available in light, normal, and deep steaming levels.
2. Gyokuro: The Luxurious Choice
Gyokuro (玉露), also known as Jade Dew, is regarded as the highest-quality green tea. These tea leaves are grown in the shade for the final 20–30 days to slow the plant’s growth and develop higher levels of chlorophyll. This contributes to gyokuro’s concentrated, rich flavor.
You can easily recognize this tea by its deep, dark green leaves and unparalleled umami and aroma. Some describe the taste as sweet with a subtle, seaweed-like note. It’s delicious served hot or cold. For tea connoisseurs and those who enjoy rich, complex flavors, gyokuro may be your variety of choice.
3. Genmaicha: The Mild & Nutty Blend
Genmaicha (玄米茶) is a blend of roasted brown rice with either sencha or bancha (see below). It has a mild flavor with a slight sweetness and an almost popcorn-like taste.
This tea was originally known as “people’s tea” because producers used rice as a filler to make genmaicha more affordable. Now, it’s enjoyed by all for its nutty aroma and lower caffeine content.
4. Hojicha: The Roasted Tea
Hojicha (焙じ茶) stands out with its reddish-brown color and distinctive roasted flavor. Tea makers roast hojicha over high heat instead of steaming it like other green teas. The result is a toasty, caramel-like sweetness with a hint of smokiness and little to no bitterness.
Roasting also lowers hojicha’s caffeine content, making it an excellent choice for the evening. Whether served hot or as cold brew hojicha, its low astringency makes it gentle on the stomach. It also comes in powdered form used to make hojicha lattes, smoothies, and desserts.
5. Bancha: The Economical Tea
Bancha (番茶) comes from more mature, coarser leaves that growers harvest later in the season. These larger leaves grow closer to the stalk and do not roll into a fine needle shape during the drying process.
Tea producers also use bancha to create hojicha and genmaicha. It’s considered a lower-quality tea and is less expensive than sencha. Nevertheless, its light body and subtle sweetness make it a popular choice for beginner tea drinkers.
6. Kukicha: The Twig Tea
Kukicha (茎茶) or “twig tea” is made from the stems, twigs, and leaves of the tea plant. Unlike traditional green teas made from younger leaves, kukicha is crafted from various parts of the tea plant, giving it a mild and mellow flavor profile.
Its taste is often described as nutty, woody, and subtly sweet, with a refreshing quality and minimal astringency.
7. Konacha: The Powdered Tea from Sencha
Known as the tea of sushi restaurants, konacha (粉茶) is made from the smaller, broken leaves and tea dust that remain after processing higher-grade teas like sencha.
Although it’s made from smaller, less refined parts of the tea plant, konacha offers a bold, robust flavor with a slight astringency and an umami-rich taste. It brews quickly and has a vibrant green color.
8. Matcha: The Finely Ground Green Tea Powder
Matcha (抹茶) is a type of green tea in powdered form. It has a vivid green color, sweet and mellow flavor, and increased caffeine content. Traditionally whisked with water in Japanese tea ceremony, matcha powder is now popular worldwide to enjoy in beverages and sweets. Learn more about this finely ground green tea powder on our Matcha page.
Shop Teaware at JOC Goods
If you’re looking for a beautiful teapot, cup, tea caddy, or matcha bowl, visit our online shop, JOC Goods! We carry a wide range of teaware, from Tokoname ware and Arita ware to Kutani ware.
Drinking Green Tea: A Daily Ritual
Each type of Japanese green tea has its own story, flavor, and place in daily life. Personally, I’ve found that tea selection depends on the moment. A cup of genmaicha is my go-to for cozy family evenings, while matcha feels like a small celebration whenever I whisk it up.
I encourage you to explore these teas at your own pace, experimenting with brewing techniques to find your perfect cup. Green tea is more than just a drink; it’s a ritual, a comfort, and a connection to Japanese culture that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I do.
How many types of Japanese green tea have you tried? Do you have any favorites? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your experiences!
