In sushi shops, “Agari” is a word used for the same hot green tea that everywhere else is called “Sencha.” Originally, the shops served Agari after the meal, but now it is served whenever the customer wishes during the meal. Language Notes Agari is that word that doesn’t actually mean tea, and that has many…
Green Tea
Ban-Cha Tea
“Ban-Cha” means common or ordinary tea in Japanese. It is an everyday tea, less expensive than many other Japanese teas. It is made from coarser, less tender grades of leaves harvested later (e.g. summer and autumn, as opposed to spring.) Its full flavour allows it to go well with food. It has a tinge more…
Genmai-Cha Tea
Genmai-Cha is a very common, everyday tea in Japan. It is made from Ban-cha tea and Sancha tea blended with roasted rice gains (which are called “Genmai”, thus this tea’s name.) The aroma and taste of the roasted rice helps to mask the slight bitterness that Ban-cha tea has, and gives the brewed tea a…
Green Tea
Green Tea is a term used to describe a category of teas. They are made from tea leaves that are steamed or roasted right after being picked, bypassing the fermentation process that is used to make black teas, which would make the taste stronger. Instead, Green Teas have a lighter, grassier taste. The Japanese are…
Gyokuro Tea
Gyokuro Tea is a very high grade of tea made from the tips of leaves from tea bushes that have been sheltered from direct sun by bamboo screens (now, black nylon nets more likely to be used.) Growing in the shade makes the taste sweet because it inhibits chlorophyll development. The leaves are harvested after…
Houji-Cha Tea
Houji-Cha Tea is a green tea with hardly any bitterness in its taste. It is an inexpensive tea and very common, yet it is light, refreshing, and aromatic. To make it, tea leaves are steamed, dried, then pan-roasted at a high temperature. The leaf colour changes from green to red. The more it is roasted,…
Hukamushi-cha Tea
Hukamushi-cha Tea is sencha tea that is steamed for a long time. This reduces bitterness, and makes it milder. It is a fragrant, green tea with full flavour. When brewed, the tea will be somewhat cloudy. Cooking Tips To make tea for 5 people: use 5 teaspoons of tea to 3 cups (750ml) boiling water….
Kabuse-Cha Tea
Kabuse-Cha Tea is a very high grade of Japanese tea made from tips of leaves from tea bushes that have been sheltered from direct sun by bamboo screens, but not covered as long as the leaves for Gyokuro Tea are. The leaves are harvested after 14 days of growth, from the time when the leaves…
Kamairi-Cha Tea
Unlike Sencha tea, leaves for Kamairi-Cha are not steamed first. They are toasted in pans in heat of up to 575 F / 300 C, shaken often. It tastes very much like Chinese green tea. It is available as leaves or pellets. Sechibaru and Ureshino in southern Japan are well-known for their Kamairi-cha. Cooking Tips…
Koi-Cha Tea
Koi-Cha Tea is a type of tea beverage made from Matcha Tea. It is a strong, thick beverage. The Matcha used is made from the first seasonal harvest of leaves from tea bushes that are at least 30 years old. The drink called “usucha” is also made in the tea ceremony from Matcha, but to…
Mat-cha Tea
Mat-cha Tea is a bright green powdered Japanese tea used in the Japanese tea ceremonies. It does not taste like Westerner’s expect tea to taste like. It has a bitter taste. It is made from leaves that have been shaded for 20 days, like gyokuro. The leaves are harvested, and then steamed, not fermented, and…
Sencha Tea
Sencha is a Japanese dark-green tea. It’s more of a grade of tea that has been processed a certain way, than a tea from a particular cultivar of tea bush. The flavour, colour and taste will vary based on who has made it and where. For all, though, the leaves will be harvested in the…