- Family
- 緑茶
Green tea
The family where the leaf is never allowed to oxidize.
Green tea is tea whose oxidation is stopped right after harvest, in Japan almost always with steam. That preserves the leaf's green color, freshness and umami, and makes green tea the backbone of the whole Japanese tea culture: from everyday sencha to shade-grown gyokuro, roasted hojicha and stone-ground matcha.
Sensory analysis
Pyramid and character
Aroma
dry leaf and freshly brewed
- greenery
- steam
- ocean
Cup
mid-sip
- umami
- sweetness
- brisk bitterness
Finish
what lingers
- clean
- cooling
Background
Facts
- Method
- steaming (mushi) stops the oxidation within hours of harvest
- Contrast
- Chinese green tea is pan-fired rather than steamed, which gives a nuttier, rounder character
- Proportion
- nearly all tea produced in Japan is green tea
Members of the family
Varieties in the family
Sort by
- BanchaThe everyday coarse leaf: hardy, light and low in caffeine.dry hay 55%Grassmild sweetness 40%Sweetnesslight astringency 35%Bitternessmineral 30%Mineral
GenmaichaTea with roasted rice, warmth in everyday form.roasted rice 85%Roastnutty 65%Roastpopcorn 60%Roastround sweetness 50%Sweetness
GyokuroThe tea of the shade, close to broth.umami 95%Umamibroth 80%Umamithick sweetness 70%Sweetnesskelp 55%Ocean
HojichaThe evening cup: roasted, round and almost coffee-like.roasted 90%Roastnutty 70%Roastround sweetness 55%Sweetnesscocoa 50%Roast- KonachaThe sushi bar's tea: everything dissolves in thirty seconds.astringency 70%Bitternessdense greenness 65%Grassumami 55%Umamicloudy fullness 55%Texture
- KukichaThe quiet sweetness of the stems.smooth sweetness 65%Sweetnessfresh hay 55%Grasscreamy greenness 50%Texturelow bitterness 15%Bitterness
MatchaThe whole leaf, whisked to a foam.green intensity 90%Grassumami 85%Umamicreamy 80%Texturesweetness 55%Sweetness- MechaThe buds that were sorted out, and taste the most of all.concentrated umami 75%Umamidense greenness 60%Grassgreen astringency 60%Bitternessmineral 40%Mineral
SenchaJapan's everyday tea, the cup you serve without asking.grassy 75%Grassumami 65%Umamisweetness 50%Sweetnessbrisk bitterness 45%Bitterness- ShinchaThe year's first harvest, and the only one that is perishable.spring greenery 80%Grassumami 75%Umamisweetness 60%Sweetnessmild bitterness 35%Bitterness
- TamaryokuchaKyushu's curly leaves, berry-toned and rounder than sencha.berry tartness 55%Aciditycitrus greenness 55%Grassround sweetness 55%Sweetnessalmond 40%Roast
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