Japanese Tea, Tea or お茶（おちゃ/ocha）is one of the things that Japan is well-known for. The most commonly known tea in Japan is green which is also the most consumed kind of tea. Tea has always played an important role in Japanese Food culture for a long time.
In Japan, when you say just お茶（おちゃ/ocha）or tea, it will always be referring to “green tea” which is the most common type tea in Japan. It is also the central element of the Tea Ceremony.
Besides their famous Green Tea, there are other types of tea that you can try when you go to Japan.
Matcha
Matcha is a type of green tea made from the highest quality leaves of the tea plants. It is made by steaming then drying and finally, by milling them into a fine powder. Tea plants that are used in making matcha tea are grown under shade which causes them to produce more chlorophyll that makes it in green color. Matcha is the type of tea that is used in the tea ceremony.
Ryokucha
The general name for green tea is Ryokucha which have also different types. Gyokuro is the highest grade, Sencha is next and finally, the Bancha. It is a non-powdered green tea, unlike Matcha.
- Gyokuro (玉露)
- It is the highest and expensive grade of green tea. Under the shade, it is grown for at least 20 days which gives it a darker green color and a sweeter taste than the other green teas.
- Sencha (煎茶)
- If Japan has its standard tea, it would be the Sencha. It is the most common variety of green tea in Japan. Unlike matcha and gyokuro, it is grown fully under the sun which gives it a darker color and a more bitter flavor.
- Bancha (番茶)
- It is considered the cheapest and lowest grade of green tea. The leaves are obtained and harvested from the later rounds of harvesting which gives it a stronger and more bitter flavor and less caffeine.
Konacha
Another low grade of tea that primarily consists of tea dust and small parts from sencha or gyokuro processing. Even if it is a lower grade tea, Konacha complements certain foods like sushi, that is why is it often serve at sushi restaurants.
Genmaicha
Genmaicha is a combination of green tea and roasted brown rice. The roasted flavor of the brown rice reduces the bitter taste of the green tea and gives yellowish color to the tea. Genmaicha has a unique grassy flavor and roasted aroma. It is the cheapest variety of tea historically speaking.
Hojicha
Hojicha is a type of Japanese tea made from the stems and leaves of Bancha plants which are roasted over charcoal at high temperature. This roasting gives the tea a reddish-brown color, a sweet taste, and good aroma.
Kocha
Kocha or also known as Black Tea in English but Kocha really means “red tea”, which refers to the color of the tea. It is made with kocha leaves that are oxidized which gives it a dark color.
Oolongcha
Oolongcha is a type of Chinese tea which is served in dining restaurants in Japan. It is less oxidized than kocha which gives it a brown color.
Mugicha
Another roasted Japanese tea is the Mugicha. It is made from roasted barley into the water, which means that it is not made using tea plant leaves. It doesn’t contain caffeine and no bitter flavor which makes it more suitable for children.
Sobacha
Like Mugicha, Sobacha is not produced using tea leaves but it is produced from roasted buckwheat kernels which is the same grain used to make soba noodles. It also doesn’t contain caffeine, has wheaty flavor, provides dietary fiber and contains antioxidants.
Gobocha
Gobocha is a type of Japanese tea produced from roasted shavings of burdock (gobo) root. Burdock root is a type of vegetable root that is used in cooking. It is popular in Japan because it is believed that it gives anti-aging benefits.
