Update-date: May 29 2020
Categories:
Japanese Cuisine
Have you ever tried Japanese green tea? Whether it is the freshly aromatic ryokucha or the slightly bitter matcha, Japanese green tea has a lot of fans all over the world. With its rise to fame in recent years, Japanese green tea has evolved from merely a beverage into a delicacy bringing new flavors to the table. This article introduces the history and common types of Japanese green tea, as well as special green tea dishes that have been gaining popularity lately.
Full of Health Benefits! A Precious Drink with Antibacterial Properties That Originated in China
Japanese green tea can be traced back to the Nara Period (710 - 794), when Japan sent several diplomatic missions to China and brought back the first tea seeds. The oldest historical document about tea in Japan is the "Nihon Koki", officially commissioned in the year 815. According to the book, after its introduction into the country, tea became a precious medicine reserved for monks and nobles, and tea leaves were usually compressed into tea cakes for easy storage.
Around 400 years later during the Kamakura Period (1185 - 1333), "matcha" powder stone-ground from dried leaves was brought to Japan, but it was not until another 400 years had passed, in the Edo Period (1603 - 1868), that tea really became a common drink among civilians. At that time, drinking matcha was a privilege of the nobles, while the commoners would only drink crudely processed tea. Later on, with the improvement of tea making techniques, Japanese "sencha" was born. It has since become the most common drink among households.
Nowadays, green tea is not only a drink, but also a main ingredient of many health supplements and disinfectants.
Around 400 years later during the Kamakura Period (1185 - 1333), "matcha" powder stone-ground from dried leaves was brought to Japan, but it was not until another 400 years had passed, in the Edo Period (1603 - 1868), that tea really became a common drink among civilians. At that time, drinking matcha was a privilege of the nobles, while the commoners would only drink crudely processed tea. Later on, with the improvement of tea making techniques, Japanese "sencha" was born. It has since become the most common drink among households.
Nowadays, green tea is not only a drink, but also a main ingredient of many health supplements and disinfectants.
These Are All Green Tea! A Look Into Common Japanese Green Tea
The traditional method of processing green tea involves steaming, rolling, and drying the tea leaves. Depending on the tea type, the resulting tea color will vary from light green to yellowish green. Still, it might be hard to identify the tea type with the naked eye. Here are some commonly found green tea in Japan – see if you can tell which is which the next time you try them out!
Matcha
"Matcha" refers to processed green tea leaves milled into a fine powder. It is the most well-known type of Japanese green tea, and is used in all kinds of desserts in recent years. It is dark green in color and slightly bitter in taste, which is why it is usually served with wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) to complement the bitter tea flavor.
Sencha
Sencha, the most commonly consumed green tea by the Japanese, comes in many different varieties. Generally speaking, non-fermented tea leaves that are steamed directly after being picked are called "sencha". More specifically, the word "sencha" refers to tea prepared with the first month's harvest of tea leaves. Different from Taiwanese tea, Japanese sencha is usually brewed with hot water below 90°C or even cold water.
Bancha
"Bancha" is very similar to sencha, except that older leaves are used to make it, and the leaves are generally coarser and larger. Bancha tastes slightly more bitter but has less caffeine than sencha. In certain places, it is brewed the same way as "hojicha" (covered later in this article), and some may just call hojicha "bancha".
Hojicha
"Hojicha" refers to roasted tea, and it is Japan's new favorite tea. It is now even more popular than the bitter matcha! This tea is characterized by its special roasted aroma. Reddish brown in color, people may mistake it for black tea, but it is in fact a green tea that is easy on the stomach, and so it is often paired with food.
A Delicious Japanese Take on Western-style Cuisine Using Green Tea
Most green tea dishes in Japan are sweet, but recently the Japanese have been approaching green tea dishes in a completely new way, bringing modern twists to traditional flavors. Here are four restaurants with novel green tea dishes that you should not miss!
Ryukyuan Cuisine NUCHIGAFU
Specializing in Okinawan food and culture, Ryukyuan Cuisine NUCHIGAFU is a restaurant where guests can enjoy traditional Okinawan hospitality in a quaint Okinawan townhouse. Aside from experiencing Okinawa's dining culture, you can also try on Hanagasa (traditional flower hat) and traditional Ryukyuan dance costumes, as well as Bukubuku tea, a must-drink traditional Ryukyuan beverage.
Bukubuku tea is what Okinawan people drink during festivals like the New Year's. Made by boiling roasted rice with jasmine tea and bancha, the foamy tea has a rich aroma and distinct taste. This traditional beverage is available only in Okinawa, so remember to savor its marvelous taste along with the special Ryukyuan dishes served at Ryukyuan Cuisine NUCHIGAFU.
Ryukyuan Cuisine NUCHIGAFU
Open: [Tuesday - Sunday] Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Teatime 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
*Reservations are always required / Last entry is 8:00 pm
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 7,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: A 3-minute walk from Tsuboya Yachimun-dori Street / A 5-minute walk from Kokusai-dori Street
Address: 1-28-3, Tsuboya, Naha-shi, Okinawa Map
More Details Reservation
Average price: [Dinner] 7,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: A 3-minute walk from Tsuboya Yachimun-dori Street / A 5-minute walk from Kokusai-dori Street
Address: 1-28-3, Tsuboya, Naha-shi, Okinawa Map
More Details Reservation
RESTAURANT 1899 OCHANOMIZU
RESTAURANT 1899 OCHANOMIZU is an iconic restaurant in Tokyo serving novel tea cuisine. It has combined Japanese and Western flavors by incorporating first-rate green tea from Japan into various Western dishes. Their signature dish would be the [Sencha Cheese Fondue] that is very popular with young customers. With the addition of sencha, the otherwise greasy cheese base becomes the perfect match for fresh vegetables, making people fall in love at first bite.
In addition, their specially-made matcha red wine, matcha white wine, and matcha beer are excellent accompaniments to their food, especially their German sausages that come in three different flavors – sencha, black tea, and bancha. Sip your tea-based alcoholic drink after taking a bite of the delicacy to savor the various blends of tea aromas and experience a whole world brought by green tea cuisine.
RESTAURANT 1899 OCHANOMIZU
Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm), Tea 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm (L.O. 4:00 pm)
Closed: Open all year round
Average price: [Lunch] 1,200 JPY
Access:
Address: 3-4, Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Map
More Details
Closed: Open all year round
Average price: [Lunch] 1,200 JPY
Access:
Address: 3-4, Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Map
More Details
Creative Japanese Confectionery Studio BASHOAN
At Creative Japanese Confectionery Studio BASHOAN, not only can you enjoy yummy matcha sweets and frozen desserts, but also taste their famous [Honzukuri Warabi-Mochi]. These bracken starch dumplings are sprinkled with powder you grind yourself using top-grade black beans and a stone mill!
Take a bite of the [Honzukuri Warabi-Mochi] and you will surely fall in love with its mild sweetness and chewy texture. You might want to enjoy the confectionery along with a bowl of matcha. This way, you can fully immerse yourself in the perfect balance of sweet and bitter brought by Japanese tea cuisine.
Creative Japanese Confectionery Studio BASHOAN
Open: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY / [Lunch] 600 JPY
Access: 10 minutes walk from JR [Osaka] Station / 10 minutes walk from [Umeda] Station on Subway Midosuji Line or Hankyu Main Line
Address: Takimi-koji, B1F, Umeda Sky Bldg., 1-1-90, Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka city, Osaka Map
More Details Reservation
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY / [Lunch] 600 JPY
Access: 10 minutes walk from JR [Osaka] Station / 10 minutes walk from [Umeda] Station on Subway Midosuji Line or Hankyu Main Line
Address: Takimi-koji, B1F, Umeda Sky Bldg., 1-1-90, Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka city, Osaka Map
More Details Reservation
Malebranch Kyoto Tower Sando Branch
Malebranch, specializing in matcha desserts with a rich flavor, is a widely popular shop located in the Kyoto Tower. Here you can buy various kinds of matcha confectionery as souvenirs, and also relish in the Kyoto Tower-only [Fresh Cha No Ka Ice Cream Bar]!
The [Fresh Cha No Ka Ice Cream Bar] is made with Malebranch's popular [Nama Cha No Ka], which are fondant chocolates made with koicha (thick green tea). The frozen dessert lacks matcha’s astringent taste, but dipping it into slightly bitter matcha sauce can give it a deeper flavor. If you like the ice bar, you might want to try the [Nama Cha No Ka] as well. The Mt. Fuji-shaped chocolate has a silky texture that melts in the mouth and rich matcha aroma without any bitterness. Adults and children both love this!
Malebranch Kyoto Tower Sando branch
Open: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed: Follows Kyoto Tower Sando's schedule
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station, in Kyoto Tower
Address: 721-1, Higashishio-Koji Cho, Karasuma Dori Shichijo Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map
More Details Reservation
Closed: Follows Kyoto Tower Sando's schedule
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station, in Kyoto Tower
Address: 721-1, Higashishio-Koji Cho, Karasuma Dori Shichijo Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map
More Details Reservation
After reading all these recommendations on innovative Japanese green tea cuisine, aren’t you itching to go to Japan to try them all? There are plenty more green tea beverages and foods waiting for you, so prepare your stomach for a fulfilling feast!
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.
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