Seasonal Tea — Japan

Yame, located in western Fukuoka Prefecture, is one of the oldest tea producing regions in Japan. It is renowned for its tea famous shaded green teas. The micro-climate there is perfect for kabuse sencha, gyokuro, and matcha. And its small-scale production is conducive to quality. Matcha was brought from China to Japan nearly 1000 years ago where it has been adopted and perfected. Quality is determined by the following factors -  when it was harvested, which cultivars were used, how it was processed, how it was ground, and the color. Ideally the matcha was harvested during the first harvest of...

Kagoshima Prefecture is located on the south end of the southern island of Kyushu in Japan. Since it is located so far south, the weather is warmer, and as a result tea harvests early compared with other Japanese growing regions. Not too long ago, Kagoshima had a reputation for producing inexpensive, commodity teas. In the past 10 years, Kagoshima has shed this reputation by not only improving quality, but through experimentation. I see a wider range of cultivar and processing style coming from Kagoshima compared to other growing regions such as Yame, Uji, and Shizuoka, which tend to follow tradition....

Similar to Part 1, this guide is intended to be an overview focusing on growing regions, a small list of popular cultivars, and harvest seasons for Japanese green tea. Notable Tea Producing Regions Tea is mostly grown throughout southern and central Japan. In the north the climate is too cold to produce great tea. Uji- Located in the Kyoto prefecture, Uji is the most historically significant growing region in Japan. This is the prefecture where tea originally landed when it came from China to Japan. It is the birthplace of such styles as Gyokuro and Matcha but also produces excellent quality...

This is the first of two posts outlining Japanese green tea. It is not intended to be a complete guide to every type of style, cultivar, or growing region, but a general reference explaining the relationships between the different aspects of tea grown in Japan. Part 1 addresses history, and the different styles of Japanese green tea, while Part 2 looks at cultivars, producing regions, and harvest seasons. History Tea was originally believed to have been brought to Japan from China around 590 AD.  It was in 1191 however that tea really rooted itself in Japan when a Buddhist monk...

Matcha dates back to the introduction of tea to Japan from China. Slowly grinding green tea creates a fine powder which simultaneously suspends and steeps in hot water. The texture, color, and flavor are intensified since the whole leaf is being consumed. On the flipside, matcha can be tricky to prepare properly. The slow grinding of the leaf prevents friction and heat that could damage the leaf, but is time-consuming and adds to the final cost. Another cost factor is the shading and fertilization that occurs before harvest, which is a labor-intensive way to boost the color and umami content...