Tea Culture | August 19, 2021 | Y. Morita

Ultimate Green Tea Guide: Types of Japanese Green Tea

Green tea remains one of the most popular choices among tea drinkers. Originally rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, it gained recognition for its numerous health benefits, natural energy boost, and refreshing taste. Over time, its popularity spread, especially in Japan, where it became an integral part of daily life. Now, with our comprehensive Japanese Green Tea Guide, you can dive deeper into the world of green tea. Learn about its rich history, unique varieties, and cultural significance in Japan, where it remains one of the most widely consumed beverages.

Japanese tea leaves in big plates outside - green tea guide

Part 1 of the Green Tea Guide - Green tea history in Japan

For the most part, Sencha green tea is the most popular tea in Japan that is available in nearly every restaurant, store, vending machine, and in most homes. However, Japan’s love for green tea started with matcha green tea powder, was introduced during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and consumed by the upper class during Japanese matcha tea ceremonies, known as Chanoyu (茶の湯) or Chado (茶道).

Today, Japan ranks as the second-largest producer of green tea, renowned for its craftsmanship and dedication to creating some of the most unique and highest-quality varieties. Over centuries, Japanese tea farmers have refined their techniques, ensuring each cup delivers exceptional flavor and benefits.

Discover the journey of green tea—from cultivation to cup. Learn how it’s made, explore its numerous health benefits, dive into the different types of Japanese green tea, and master the art of brewing the perfect cup.

green tea guide - tea farmer inspecting quality of fresh fukamushicha sencha green tea leaves

Part 2 of the Green Tea Guide - What is green tea?

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same source for other teas like black tea, oolong tea, pu-erh, and white tea. While these varieties share the same origin, their differences come from unique processing methods. Known as “true teas,” they are the only ones made directly from tea leaves, setting them apart from herbal teas, which use flowers, herbs, or other plant parts instead.

Other types of tea often use stems, flowers, roots, and leaves of other botanicals and plants, creating blends or herbal teas that vary in flavor, aroma, texture, and benefits.

green tea guide - shizuoka tea farmers working in the tea fields to pick ichibancha

Part 3 of the Green Tea Guide - How is green tea made?

Thanks to Japan’s climate and geographical conditions, several regions have become well known for producing high-quality green tea. The top tea-growing areas include Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Mie, and Kyoto. Among them, Uji, Kyoto, remains famous for its premium, high-end teas, while Shizuoka Prefecture, home to Mount Fuji, leads in production, accounting for 40% of all sencha in Japan.

The process of making classic Japanese green tea begins with harvesting leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. Immediately after picking, the leaves are steamed to prevent oxidation and fermentation, a crucial step that helps preserve their vibrant green color, nutrients, and fresh flavor. Once steamed, the leaves cool to remove excess moisture before undergoing an initial rolling and drying process, where hot air applies strong pressure. Afterward, the leaves are pressed and rolled repeatedly with heat, gradually shaping into the thin, needle-like form characteristic of Japanese green tea. Finally, the tea goes through a last round of drying, completing the process and locking in its signature aroma and taste.

Part 4 of the Green Tea Guide - What does green tea taste like?

The taste of green tea varies depending on its origin, cultivation, and production process, often described as vegetal, grassy, and mild. In particular, Japanese green tea offers a wide range of flavors, from smooth and mellow to bold and robust, with varying levels of astringency and bitterness. This diversity comes from differences in processing methods, growing conditions, and the specific tea cultivar used.

When brewed, most green teas take on a light yellow to pale green color. However, depending on the variety, the infusion can range from deep emerald green to light brown. Matcha green tea powder, on the other hand, stands out with its distinctive color, taste, and texture. High-quality matcha brews into an opaque, vibrant green with a rich, creamy consistency. Unlike other green teas, matcha is known for its bold umami flavor, balancing natural sweetness with a hint of bitterness.

gyokuro health benefit healthy benefits shade grown green tea brewed

Part 5 of the Green Tea Guide - What are the health benefits of green tea?

Green tea is widely known for its impressive health benefits. Studies suggest that when combined with regular exercise and a balanced diet, drinking green tea can support longevity. Research also indicates that green tea helps improve blood flow, lower cholesterol, enhance brain function, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

The powerful compounds in green tea contribute to its health-boosting properties. Polyphenols help reduce inflammation, while catechins like EGCG protect cells from damage. Additionally, L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, supports brain function. Beyond these benefits, green tea is rich in antioxidants, essential nutrients, and minerals. Some additional health advantages include:

Anti-inflammatory properties
Anti-bacterial properties
Anti-aging properties
Protect against cancer
Prevention of neurodegenerative diseases
Prevention of virus infections
Aid in weight-loss
Prevention of tooth decay

Part 6 of the Green Tea Guide - How much caffeine is in green tea?

Ultimately, the caffeine level varies depending on the type of green tea, but overall one serving of loose leaf green tea or matcha (30-80mg) is less caffeinated than a cup of coffee (95-165 mg of caffeine). On the other hand, Gyokuro shade-grown green tea has nearly double the caffeine content of a cup of regular coffee.

The natural caffeine in green tea is a powerful stimulant for mental clarity to keep you alert and focused. Coupled with the amino acid, l-theanine which boosts dopamine and alpha wave production in the brain, research shows that green tea is a particularly powerful brain booster with anti-anxiety effects, minimizing the jitteriness that may occur from drinking coffee. Many green tea drinkers report more stable energy and productivity levels, compared with coffee.

organic Japanese teas matcha sencha hojicha genmaicha soba tea kuromame tea classic green tea roasted green tea brown rice green tea soba buckwheat tea black soybean tea close

Part 7 of the Green Tea Guide - What are the types of Japanese green tea?

Sencha - Classic green tea

Sencha is the most common classic green tea with a bright green color. Green tea is now an important part of Japanese culture, where it is present in almost every home, restaurant, or office. With a moderate amount of caffeine, a cup of hot or cold sencha is perfect to start your day with or to enjoy during or after meals to cleanse your palate.

Fukamushi Sencha - Deep steamed green tea

Fukamushicha or Fukamushi (深蒸し) sencha is a deep steamed green tea, the signature style of green tea in Shizuoka. In other words, while typical sencha is steamed for 60 seconds, fukamushicha is steamed for longer, usually 90-120 seconds. As a result, the tea leaves break down into smaller pieces with some fine powder, brewing a dark vibrant green hue with a deep, rich taste with no astringency.

Kukicha / Boucha - Twig green tea

Kukicha (茎茶), also known as bōcha (棒茶), is a Japanese tea blend made from stems, stalks, twigs, and tea leaves left over after processing sencha or matcha. Unlike other green teas, kukicha has a naturally mild, nutty flavor with a subtle sweetness. Additionally, it contains less caffeine, making it a great choice for those seeking a gentler tea experience.

Genmaicha - Brown rice green tea

Genmaicha (玄米茶) is a Japanese tea blend made from mixing green tea leaves with roasted brown rice. It is often made with sencha or bancha green tea and roasted rice. Some blends may mix in matcha green tea for a boost in flavor, nutrients, and color, known as matcha iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶). This mild green tea is popular for its toasty flavor and fragrant rice aroma from the popped roasted brown rice, which mellows out any astringency or bitterness from the green tea.

brewed Hojicha in a cup with teapot behind

Hojicha - Roasted green tea

Hojicha (ほうじ茶) or houjicha, a roasted green tea, made by slow-roasting dried green tea leaves, stems, stalks, or twigs. The high heat roasting changes leaf color from green to reddish-brown,creating a low-caffeine, toasty green tea. Hojicha flavor ranges from toasty, nutty, and earthy to lightly sweet and caramel undertones. Hojicha powder is popular for its simplicity: just whisk it into water.

brewed Gyokuro in a cup with kyusu teapot and Gyokuro tea leaves in a plate

Gyokuro - Shade-grown green tea

Gyokuro (玉露) is a rare, delicate, and premium quality green that is grown in the shade. It translates to “jade dew”, named after the pale green liquor that is buttery smooth with a delicate sweetness. Each yearly harvest yields small quantities of this fragrant high-quality green tea. The shading process on Gyokuro tea leaves increases the theanine, caffeine, chlorophyll, and nutrients in the tea leaves. In fact, this results in an energizing green tea that is naturally sweeter, grassier, and rich in umami.

brewed Matcha in cup with matcha tea tin and bamboo whisk

Matcha - Green tea powder

Matcha (抹茶) is a finely ground green tea powder from tencha tea leaves grown in the shade for three to four weeks. Since matcha uses shade-grown tea leaves, it is rich in amino acid theanine and naturally high in caffeine. Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies serve matcha green tea and focus on the meditative preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. "Ceremonial grade" indicates that the matcha powder is of a high enough quality for the tea ceremony practice. Nowadays, matcha is in desserts and baked goods, and popular drinks such as matcha lattes and cocktails. Matcha is popular for its rich consistency and grassy umami taste.

Organic loose Japanese green tea sencha shincha fukamushi sencha loose tea kyusu teapot pouring cup tea cannister

How to brew loose leaf green tea?

Since green tea is delicate, most varieties taste best when steeped for one minute or less. In particular, over-steeping or steeping too hot results in a bitter and astringent brew. Indeed, to brew a perfect cup of loose leaf green tea, you’ll need a teapot or fine mesh tea strainer. Now, most tea varieties are conveniently available in tea bags too. Just look for tea shops that fill the teabags with whole leaf tea.

At Senbird, we offer organic whole leaf tea from family-run Japanese tea farms, packaged in sustainable refillable tea tins. We recommend using a traditional Japanese kyusu teapot for brewing since they are designed for green tea. The kyusu teapot provides enough room for the tea leaves to expand, releasing more flavor and nutrients into every cup.

Sencha - Classic green tea

Color – Light yellowish-green
Flavor – Fresh vegetal, aromatic, and mildly sweet
Brew time – 45 seconds to 1 minute
Brew Temperature – Tempered hot water (not boiling) at 70-80 °C (158-176 °F)
Tea Leaves Amount: 1 teaspoon per cup

Genmaicha - Brown rice green tea

Color – Light yellowish-green
Flavor – Toasty, vegetal, and mildly sweet with rice aroma
Brew time – 1 to 1.5 minutes
Brew Temperature – Tempered hot water at 82°C (180°F)
Tea Leaves Amount: 1 teaspoon per cup

Hojicha - Roasted green tea

Color – Golden brown to dark brown
Flavor – Roasty, earthy, toasty aroma
Brew time – 1 to 1.5 minutes
Brew Temperature – Boiling water at 95°C (180°F)
Tea Leaves Amount: 1 tablespoon per cup

Gyokuro - Shade-grown green tea

Color – Pale green to bright jade green
Flavor – Delicate, grassy, smooth umami
Brew time – 2 to 3 minutes
Brew Temperature – Tempered warm water at 50°C to 60°C (122°F to 140 °F)
Tea Leaves Amount: 1 teaspoon per cup

Matcha - Green tea powder

Color – Emerald green to vibrant green
Flavor – Rich grassy, umami
Brew time – 1 to 1.5 minutes
Brew Temperature – Tempered hot water (not boiling): 80 °C (176 °F)
Tea Amount: 1 teaspoon (3g) per serving

Overall

You can brew all loose leaf green tea up to three times. Sip slowly and enjoy the subtle changes in texture and flavor in each steep. Do you want to enjoy your green tea iced or as a cold brew? Here is our guide for cold brew Japanese tea.

Our mission at Senbird is to you high-quality organic green tea and herbal tea from family farms in Japan. We hope you experience a moment in every cup.