Japanese Tea
Tea production in Japan began several centuries after it was first produced commercially in China. Originally consumed exclusively by priests and aristocrats, tea did not become popular in Japan until the practice of Buddhism took hold in the 11th and 12th centuries. The first book ever written on the health benefits of tea was penned in Japan in 1211. Today, Japan is the second largest producer of Green tea in the world, after China.
Because of extremely high land and labor costs, tea production in Japan has been highly automated and involves many impressive technical advancements. In extreme cases, the sorting of leaf size and grade is done by machines that visually analyze each leaf and direct it to the appropriate storage container. Tea workers in Japan are considered skilled labor and are highly paid.
The highest volume of quality teas come from mountainous regions in the southern part of Japan with the best growing areas found in Shizuoka and Kyushu. Most gardens in Japan yield three or four harvests of high quality tea. The first harvest is called the Shincha, or "new tea". This is the smallest harvest and produces some of the world's finest and most expensive teas. In fact, it is rather difficult to find true Shinchas outside of Japan.
Instead of being pan-fired like the Chinese green teas, Japanese tea producers briefly apply steam to the leaves to freeze the oxidation process. The leaves are then dried and rolled to reduce the moisture content and create the desired shape. The best Japanese green teas will have a deep green color, a slight luster, and a uniform leaf.
Famous Japanese Teas
Sencha Seventy five percent of Japan's tea production is in the form of Sencha green tea, but don't assume that all Sencha's are created equal. Quality grades range from fair to finest, and the flavor profiles range dramatically. Look for a yellow-gold to deep green cup with a briny, vegetal flavor and mild astringency. Better Senchas will offer finishing notes of sweet melon. Example: Sencha Overture.
Genmai Cha This most unusual Japanese Green tea is made by combining Sencha leaves with roasted rice and popcorn. For centuries tea was a luxury and peasants found that by mixing in a little roasted rice (which was abundant and cheap), the flavor was not too dramatically altered and their tea supply could be significantly extended. This unique blend is now popular around the world. Expect the briny vegetal flavors of the tea base to be offset nicely by sweet, nutty, roasted notes of the rice (the pieces of "popcorn" are actually popped rice). Example: Genmai Cha.
Kukicha The only tea where the leaf stems are intentionally included, Kukicha is distinguished quickly by the combination of deep green Sencha leaves and light yellow stalk. The leaves and stalk should be cut to a uniform length, and the flavor should be milder than a Sencha and lightly creamy or nutty. Example: Kukicha.
Gyokuro Less than one half of one percent of all Japanese green tea produced is Gyokuro, or "Jade Dew". This incredible tea is created by shading the plants with bamboo mats for the final 3-4 weeks prior to harvest. Shading slows the growth of the leaves and forces the plant to focus greater nutrients on creating fewer leaves. As a result, these small, precious leaves offer extremely high contents of antioxidants, L-theanine, caffeine, and FLAVOR! A good Gyokuro should yield a brilliant yellow-green cup with a full-bodied flavor and bright, sweet, floral finish similar to honeydew melon. Example: Gyukoro.
Matcha Traditionally a ceremonial tea, powdered Matcha is made from shade-grown Tencha Green tea that has been stripped of all leaf stem and ribbing and ground fine. Because you consume the entire leaf, Matcha offers the highest concentrations of antioxidants, L-theanine and caffeine of any tea.