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All tea produced in Japan is green tea (ryokucha 緑茶). It is mostly cultivated is low altitude zones, near the rivers, streams and lakes, mainly in regions of the center and west of the Honshu island, so as in the south-west of the Kyushu island. The produced tea has a fresh and nice scent, dark green coloured and beautiful leaves. The special process that these leaves are put into makes Japanese tea it's distinctive style. Just picked, the leaves are exposed to steam and then dried with air to keep its fragrance, colour and flavour.
 The tea plant
The plant is an evergreen from the family of the Camellia, native from China, Tibet and north of India. There are two great varieties of the green tea plant:
- The little leaves one (Camelia sinensis) it grows about the high and cold mountainous regions of the center of China and Japan.
- The big leaves one (Camelia assamica) grows about the wet and tropical regions of north-east India and the provinces of Szechuan and Yunnan in China. The plant has shiny dark green leaves and little white flowers.
According to a popular Chinese saying "the best tea comes from high mountains". The mountain's altitude and fog offers a protection against excessive sunlight and provide the correct amount of temperature and humidity for the leaves to develop slowly and remain tender. Similar to wine, the quality and flavour of a particular tea are influenced by its environment (soil, weather and altitude) and because of the tea producer (who decides how and when the leaves are harvested and in what way they are processed).
Most tea plants have a growth period and a stationary one, specially during winter. The leaves are collected while they are blooming. In warmer weathers, plants have several bloomings and can be harvested during the year. In colder condition high zones there are marked collecting periods. The first blooming leaves, mainly in spring, give the best quality tea.
Types of tea
There are four main types of tea:
- green tea (not leavened)
- black tea (leavened)
- oolong tea (half leavened)
- white tea
They all come from the same plant. The specific variety of the plant and the way in what leaves are processed after the harvesting, determine the tea type. Green tea also divides in many sub-types, according to which part of the leaf is used, what time it is harvested, the way of its cultivation and it's production method. Almost all types are processed with steam to remove the enzyme activity from the leaves..
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Sencha: is the most common type in Japan. It is produced from the first leaf collecting, choosing only the best ones. It made itself very popular for having a refreshing taste and a green tonality. |
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Bancha: It's a low quality choice from Sencha, produced with the remaining leaves and stems. The leaves are bigger than Sencha's. |
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Houjicha: It's another type of low quality, done from roasted Bancha at 200 Cº degrees for a couple of minutes. It is chestnut-coloured in a natural state, and it's infusion has a roasted flavour, golden coloured similar to beer. |
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Genmaicha: It's a blend of Bancha with Genmai (roasted and peeled rice grains). It produces a light chestnut infusion, very tasty. |
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Gyokuro (Jade Dew): In Japan it is considered a luxurious and expensive tea. Its the finest of all with a tender and astringent taste, very tasteful. This tea is cultivated in the shadows throughout two weeks. |
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Matcha (Tencha): This energetic tea is produced from Tencha (specially harvested Gyokuro) that has been pulverized until having a green powder. It makes lots of foam while serving it. This is the tea used in the tea ceremony. It is produced pulverizing the dried leaves called "Tencha" until making them a refined powder. Tencha is made in the same way as Gyokuro, but the leaves are dried without being rolled. |
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Tamaryoku cha (Guricha): After the vaporization, leaves are dried and rolled with a special machine. It is mainly produced in the Kyushu district. |
| Fukamushicha: it's a variety of Sencha. It differs cause it's leaves are vaporized for a longer amount of time. The infusion is dark green, and the taste is bitter. |
| Mugicha: Done from roasted wheat. It is served cold. |
| Hyakunen cha: Herbs tea that is quickly growing famous for its flavour and as a good health elixir. |
| Chinese tea : Oolong, Jasmine, etc. |
| Kocha: English tea. |
Production Methods
Black tea comes from China, where it's known as red tea, but at present time is cultivated in other regions throughout the world. The traditional processing method consists in 4 stages: withered, rolling, oxidation and drying.
The leaves are first spread out in bamboo tray stalks or interweaved hay until they are withered enough to be rolled without tearing them apart. They are then rolled to extract certain chemical essences
and contribute to the good flavour and scent of tea. The rolling determines the way the leaves will have and has a direct impact in its flavour and bitterness. The leaves are then spread out previously rolled in fresh and wet chambers
and are exposed to oxygen for several hours, which produce a chemical change in them, changing its green colour to copper red (oxidation). Finally these leaves are dried to stop the oxidation process.
Traditionally these leaves are dried in China using frying pans. In other places, the drying is made in ovens.
During spring time, in China and in Japan the finest green tea is hand made. Green tea is also known as "not leavened". The purpose is to maintain the natural elements of the fresh leaves in its leaf ,
which are good for health. The traditional method consist in withering (although not quite always),
heating, rolling and drying. After harvested, the leaves are spread out in bamboo trays and exposed to sunlight or hot air for one or two hours. The leaves are then heated to prevent oxidation and keep its freshness. Finally they are rolled in many ways and then dried. The rolling helps control the release of natural oils when the infusion is made. In China, green tea is heated in huge frying pans and then rolled by hand in several styles: braid, plain, curling or spherical.
In Japan the harvested leaves are quickly vaporized in bamboo trays or in vaporizing machines easing then the rolling process, which is made by hand or by machine, and afterwards are dried.
The best oolong tea is harvested by hand during spring time in south-east China and Taiwan. These are partially oxidated. Its process is the longest and most expensive one. The leaves are not to be harvested too early, but just when they reach its maximum
point and have to be processed immediately. They are first withered to the sunlight
and then softly shaken in bamboo to slightly wear out its outlines. Afterwards, they are dried with air in the shadows until the leaves' surface acquire a yellowish tone. This shaking and drying process is repeated several times. The oxidation period of oolong teas is shorter than the black teas one, and depends
mainly of its type. For the green oolong its of 20% and for the Formosa classic oolong about 60%. When the desired oxidation level is reached the leaves are heated at high temperatures to prevent the oxidation to go on.
Due to the high temperatures that leaves are undergone, oolong teas contain less humidity and can be saved for a longer amount of time than green teas.
White teas are the most exquisite of all. Mae mainly in China, in the Fujian province,
they are produced from leaves' cocoon. In early spring the pods are collected before they become leaves, they are then withered, and slowly dried at low temperatures. In contrast with other production methods, the rolling is not made but a slight oxidation. The result is a soft and natural sweet taste tea with a greenish tone similar to green tea.
Making of
 The making of varies depending of the type of tea. In contrast to the english one, the Japanese green tea
is served in tea cups without a handle, and no sugar or cream is added to it.
The teapot is not to be heated directly with fire. Water is heated in a separated vessel until it reaches the desired temperature (it's not convenient to let it boil). The tea leaves are poured into the teapot, and then the hot water is added. Advise: slightly wet tea with cold water before pouring hot water.
The kind of water to be used is very important. Any taste or strange odor it may have will directly go into the tea and its flavour will be altered. The correct water to be used must be soft, without chlorine taste
(not directly taken from the faucet). The ideal would be mineral spring water, or at least filtered one.
The tea health benefits
In ancient China, tea was considered as an elixir and was drunk because of its noble medical effects.
Nowadays studies show evidence that tea is a healthy beverage.
The green tea benefits are the following (although there are more still being studied):
Cancer prevention: it contains flavonoids, that act as antioxidants which protect cells against the damage caused by free radicals, the ones that are formed naturally as a result of chemical reactions
during the normal working of cells, and contribute to produce damage in a long term basis. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that the flavonoids action of tea can block the enzyme action that cancer needs to grow, and neutralize cancerigenic substances. Certain studies have shown that cancer cases are less developed in people who drink tea in a regular basis.
It is good for the heart: Some recent studies suggest that tea can help prevent heart attacks reducing blood's cholestherol, improving circulation and restraining inflammations that can produce arteriosclerosis.
Dental health: Other studies show that tea is also good to prevent caries, due to its high amount of fluor. It also increases teeth resistance against acids and bacteria.
Bone health: a study made in Taiwan showed that the everyday consumption of tea during 10 or more years
increases the average bone density in both men and women. Another study made for old women determined that tea offered more bone resistance and less risk of rib fracture.
Gastrointestinal health: the tea consumption can eliminate in a long term basis the bacteria that don't contribute to the good working of the digestive system, helping other that really are beneficial.
Lowers cholesterol.
Helps control high pressure.
Lowers blood's sugar level: Obviously, in case that tea is drunk without sugar.
Delays aging.
Freshens body: tea can be drunk hot in winter and cold in summer.
It's a remedy against food poisoning: its digestive properties help a lot in case of poisoning.
Combats viruses: It is still in study what type of viruses are blocked.
Tea Ceremony
"Tea is no more than this:
First you heat up water,
Then you make tea.
Then you drink it correctly.
This is all you have to know."
- Sen Rikyu (1552 - 1591)
The Japanese tea ceremony, known as chanoyu (literally "hot water for tea") has evolved
from the tea rituals, practiced by buddhist Zen monks. The tea ceremony is much more than an elaborated ritual to prepare tea. It's a peaceful moment during which the host and guests are gathered to accomplish spiritual purification and to be in harmony with nature. It can be practiced in any place, at home or a tea house.
The ceremony essence is reflected in it's 4 principles:
- Harmony (with other people and nature)
- Respect (towards others)
- Purity (of mind and feelings)
- Tranquility (mental peace and appreciation of nature's abundance)
In it's simplest way, taking part in a tea ceremony consist in sitting quietly with other people and
taste a small sweet offered by the host, the one that later prepares a foamy cup of green tea for each guest. The Japanese tea house atmosphere and design are specially thought for people to focus it's attention to the actual moment, and to promote a being away from the every day life feeling.
Vocabulary
Chabatake: Tea Plantation
Chaboko: Tea Box
Chaire or Chaki: Cart to carry tea and cutlery
Chanoki: Tea plant
Chanoyu: Tea Ceremony
Chasen: Gown
Chawan: Teacup without handle where tea is drunk
Futaoki: Top, or spoon-holder
Kakoi: Zone for having tea inside a house
Kensui: Vessel where the remaining water is left
Koicha: Doughy and dense tea for the ceremony
Koshikake: Bench to sit (in the inner or outer garden)
Machiai: Small door where guests wait until called to step into the tea saloon
Matcha: Type of green tea (powder)
Midsuya: Place where cutlery is washed and ordered before taken to the table
Mizusashi: Jar of water
Roji: Tea garden, or road that joins machiai with the tea saloon
SotoRoji: External garden
Sukiya: Tea saloon
Tsukubai: Bowl to put water for tea
UchiRoji: Internal garden
Usucha: Foamy green tea for Chanoyu
Yoritsuki: Waiting room
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Green tea
