Japanese Tea

Buy Japanese Tea Online

Tea is said to have been introduced to Japan by a Buddhist monk who had learned of it during travels in China. It was drunk by scholars for an extra boost of energy to stay awake during meditation sessions. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 A.D.), the bamboo whisk was introduced from China, and monks began grinding the tea into a fine powder, which is the origin of matcha tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony. Since then, the beverage has been intertwined with Japanese spiritual and cultural customs.

Initially, tea was grown and enjoyed in Kyoto’s Uji district, but tea culture has since spread across Japan. Today, Shizuoka and Kagoshima, along with Kyoto, produce the most significant quantities and qualities of Japanese tea, although the crop is also grown in most other prefectures besides Hokkaido to the north.

Looking to shop Japanese tea online? For a crash course (or refresher) on the variety of Japanese green tea, there are 6 types to be aware of: sencha, tencha, matcha, gyokuro, genmaicha, and hojicha.

Sencha is the most popularly consumed type of Japanese tea, made form the “first flush,” the first pick of the harvest season. Tencha are the high-quality leaves that are ground up to make matcha, a Japanese tea powder that has a higher caffeine content and must be prepared in a tea bowl with a bamboo whisk. Gyokuro is a premium variety of Japanese tea, considered by some as the best Japanese green tea type (though we think your tastebuds should dictate this for yourself!). It has been shaded in the fields for 3 weeks for a deeper color and higher amounts of caffeine. Genamaicha is made of a blend of sencha and toasted rice, for a nuttier, earthier flavor and less caffeine. For those who are watching their caffeine intake, hojicha (roasted green tea) is a safe choice for an evening tea, as well.

While they don’t fall under the category of green tea, there are several other caffeine-free Japanese teas made from other plants. These include mugicha, barley tea that’s commonly served chilled in the summer months; sobacha which is made of roasty-toasty buckwheat; and kuromamecha, or black soybean tea. And at special occasions like weddings, you might see sakuracha, a Japanese tea that’s made of pickled cherry blossom leaves.

Crash course complete, feel free to browse this Japanese tea online shop and taste the types for yourself!