'Nihoncha' means Japanese Tea in Japanese and deeply rooted in the daily life of the Japanese
Nihoncha (日本茶) is the Japanese term for "Japanese tea." It refers to a variety of traditional tea preparations and styles that have developed in Japan. The most well-known type of Nihoncha is green tea, which is highly regarded and widely consumed in Japan and around the world. Generally, it wouldn't be incorrect to say that Japanese tea refers to green tea.
All tea is made from the
tea plant, Camellia sinensis
Not only Japanese green tea but also Chinese tea and black tea are made by picking leaves from the same plant, commonly known as the "tea plant" or Camellia sinensis.
The significant differences in their characteristics arise from the processing methods, particularly the degree of fermentation.
As soon as tea leaves are plucked, fermentation begins. This is due to the action of oxidizing enzymes present in the fresh leaves.
While most black tea and Chinese tea involve fermentation, green tea is categorised as "non-fermented tea" and is characterised by the absence of fermentation. By stopping the fermentation process, the natural green color, refreshing taste, and aroma of the tea leaves are preserved.
How is fermentation stopped in tea production?
The types of Japanese tea are determined by cultivation methods and manufacturing processes
The unique Japanese method involves a "steaming" process. The freshly plucked leaves are subjected to airflow and humidity to control the heat generated by fermentation, preserving moisture and freshness. Subsequently, steaming stops the activity of oxidizing enzymes, maintaining the green colour.
This process, known as "steaming heat" or "steam fixation," determines the fundamental characteristics of taste, aroma, and colour in green tea, playing a crucial role in influencing its quality. Despite the short duration of 20 to 120 seconds for steaming, subtle variations, such as "light steaming" or "deep steaming," result in a rich variety of flavour profiles.
After steaming, the tea leaves are kneaded and
then dried
The steamed tea leaves are shaped through a kneading process, then undergo drying and finishing processes to be processed into tea.
The manufacturing process varies depending on the type of green tea, and there are differences in cultivation methods, especially for teas like Gyokuro and Kabusecha.
In Japan, green tea is mainly categorised into the following types. There are further detailed classifications for each type, and regional variations contribute to the rich diversity of Japanese tea.
The various types of Japanese green tea include a wide range of variations due to these factors.
I love green
tea
Types of Nihoncha
These teas have distinct flavours and aromas,each enjoyed in
various cultures and occasions.
Touch the colour circle. You can see the colour of the tea.
煎茶
1. Sencha
"Sencha" is the most commonly consumed and representative type of green tea among all green teas.
Commonly consumed at home, sencha is a type of Japanese green tea. It is categorised into regular sencha, lightly steamed asamushi sencha, and deeply steamed fukamushi sencha based on the degree of steaming. Lightly steamed asamushi sencha has a refreshing taste, while deeply steamed fukamushi sencha, with a steaming time two to three times longer than usual, reduces bitterness and results in a rich and robust flavour.
深蒸し煎茶
2.
Fukamushi
Sencha
Steaming the tea leaves for approximately twice the usual time compared to regular sencha
The tea known as 'fukamushi sencha' or 'deep-steamed green tea' is made by steaming the tea leaves for about twice as long as regular sencha. This extended steaming ensures that the steam heat penetrates deep into the leaves, resulting in a powdery appearance, but also bringing out a rich flavour and a deep green colour in the tea infusion.
Further more, please refer to the featured page on this website.
3. Matcha
抹茶
"Matcha" is tea that has been ground from "tencha" using either a stone mill or a micro-milling machine
Matcha is finely powdered tea obtained by grinding tencha leaves with a tea mill. Whisked with a bamboo tea whisk (chasen) and consumed in the tea ceremony, Matcha features a refined umami flavour within its bitterness. It allows the full intake of the nutritional components of Japanese tea and is nowadays used as an ingredient in various confections.
4. Gyokuro
玉露
Through special cultivation methods, results in a flavour profile with lower astringency and abundant umami
The highest grade of Japanese tea, produced by cultivating fresh tea leaves in shaded plantations known as 'oishitaen' for approximately 20 days from the time the first buds of the first tea leaves emerge. Processed using the same method as sencha, this tea is cherished for its richness and aroma. Its distinctive feature is the 'oikami' or 'covered fragrance.'
玄米茶
5.
Genmaicha
Genmaicha offers the savory aroma of roasted rice along with the refreshing taste found in bancha or sencha
This is a blend of tea and roasted rice in a 1:1 ratio, with the distinctive aroma of roasted rice. While it is commonly combined with bancha, blends with sencha or those incorporating matcha also exist, offering a variety of flavours depending on the blend.
6. Hojicha
ほうじ茶
Tea roasted over high heat until it turns a reddish-brown colour, bringing out a toasty and fragrant flavour
This Japanese tea is produced by roasting lower-grade sencha or bancha until it turns brown, imparting a delightful roasted aroma. Because it is roasted at a high temperature, the tea contains fewer amino acids (umami) and catechins (astringency), resulting in a toasty and refreshing flavour.
7. Kabusecha
かぶせ茶
Cultivated by covering the tea bushes with cloth for one week, In comparison to Gyokuro for around 20 days
Using fresh leaves (namaha) cultivated by covering tea bushes with cloth or similar material for about 7 days before the first tea picking of the season, this tea is processed using the same method as sencha. Brewed with lukewarm water for an extended period, it offers an elegant flavour reminiscent of gyokuro, while brewed with hot water, it provides a taste similar to sencha with lingering astringency.
8. Tencha
碾茶
"Tencha" is the dried, unfurled tea leaves that have been processed without kneading,
Matcha is made from Tencha
Similar to Gyokuro, this tea is cultivated in shaded plantations ('oishitaen') and is processed by steaming the leaves before drying without rolling, excluding stems and veins. Like Gyokuro, it is a high-quality Japanese tea, cultivated and processed with great care. Grinding it with a tea mill results in Matcha, a powdered form of tea.
9. Tamaryoku
cha
玉緑茶
Tea leaves are rolled into round, ball-like shape, resulting in a tea with minimal bitterness and a smooth, mellow flavour
The tea known as 'Tamaryokucha' is shaped into a rounded, coiled form because it undergoes a drying process without the final rolling (straightening the leaves into a long and narrow shape). The tea leaves are placed in a rotating drum, where hot air is used for drying. This method results in a tea with a smooth, round shape, minimal astringency, and a mellow flavour.
10. Bancha
番茶
"Bancha" refers to 'non-mainstream' teas, and it encompasses various meanings based on factors
This type of Japanese tea is generally produced using newly sprouted, hardened leaves, or older leaves, stems, and other raw materials. Some varieties use large tea leaves sorted during the finishing process of sencha production. Additionally, there are regional teas like 'jihō bancha,' made using local methods such as in the case of Kyoto Bancha.
11. Kamairi
cha
釜炒り茶
After the leaves are harvested, undergoes pan-firing to halt fermentation instead of steaming
Kamairicha is a type of tea where the fermentation process is halted by pan-frying the tea leaves, offering a unique aroma and flavour not found in regular sencha. In contrast to sencha, where the leaves are rolled into needle-like shapes, kamairicha is dried while being stirred in a kettle, resulting in curled bead-shaped leaves.
How to
Brew
Nihoncha
Please refer to the brochure above which provides detailed instructions on how to brew various types of tea according to the variety of tea leaves, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Japan.
Want to know more about
Nihoncha?
If you want to understand everything about Japanese tea,
the history, the production processes, the way to prepare, etc... please refer to the publication 'Let's enjoy Nihon Cha'
issued by the Japan Tea Export Council (JTEC).