Tea Journal

Types of Japanese Tea

Leaves from the same tea plant can become entirely different teas depending on shading, steaming time, rolling, firing, and grinding. ICHIZEN reads these tea types through the lens of Uji tea and modern daily life.

お茶を読むために

日本茶はすべて同じ茶樹（チャノキ）から生まれます。違いを生むのは、栽培方法と加工技術。被覆の有無、蒸し時間、揉みの強さ、火入れの温度、そして粉砕するかどうか。これらの組み合わせが、抹茶・玉露・煎茶・ほうじ茶といった個性を形作ります。

抹茶・碾茶

20日以上の被覆栽培で育てた茶葉を蒸し、揉まずに乾燥させたものが碾茶。それを細かく挽いたものが抹茶です。L-テアニンが豊富で、深い旨味と鮮やかな翡翠色が特徴。

玉露・かぶせ茶

被覆期間の長さで区別される高級緑茶。玉露は20日以上、かぶせ茶は7〜14日。渋みが抑えられ、繊細な甘みと旨味が際立ちます。

煎茶

日本で最も飲まれている緑茶。露地栽培で太陽の光を浴びて育ち、蒸し・揉み・乾燥の工程を経ます。カテキンによる爽やかな渋みとバランスの良い味わい。

ほうじ茶・玄米茶

ほうじ茶は煎茶や番茶を高温で焙じたもの。香ばしい香りとすっきりした味わいが特徴。玄米茶は煎茶に炒った玄米を混ぜたもので、独特の香ばしさがあります。

まとめ

お茶の個性は「被覆」「蒸し」「揉み」「焙煎」「粉砕」の5つの工程で決まります。それぞれの違いを知ることで、自分に合ったお茶選びができるようになります。

How To Read Tea

Flavor differences come from cultivation and finishing choices

Sencha, gyokuro, tencha, and hojicha are not different plants. Whether the leaves are shaded before harvest, how long they are steamed, whether they are rolled, and how they are fired all change aroma, umami, astringency, and finish.

At the finishing site, quality is designed through raw material evaluation, sorting, roasting, and grinding. Understanding these choices makes product names much easier to read.

Shading

Reducing sunlight before harvest emphasizes soft umami and sweetness. This step strongly shapes gyokuro and tencha.

Steaming and Rolling

Longer steaming can soften the mouthfeel. Rolling or not rolling also changes extraction and aroma.

Sorting and Firing

Sorting stems, buds, and fine particles, then designing the firing, roasting, or grinding process, can change the cup dramatically.

Core Tea

Matcha / Tencha

MATCHA / TENCHA

Tencha, shade-grown and dried without rolling, is the starting point of matcha.

When dried tencha is ground into a fine powder, it becomes matcha with vivid color and layered umami. Usucha, koicha, and lattes each reveal a different expression depending on preparation.

おすすめの時間: For focused mornings or moments when you want a lingering cup with sweets.
読み解きの視点: Like gyokuro, it belongs to the shaded-tea lineage, but the final grinding step gives matcha its distinctive texture.

Shaded Tea

Gyokuro / Kabusecha

GYOKURO / KABUSECHA

Softening sunlight before harvest brings out sweetness and gentle umami.

Lower water temperatures create a dense, lingering cup, while slightly warmer water can lift aroma. The level of shading and finishing style can make the tea feel refined or powerful.

おすすめの時間: For slow conversation or a quiet evening reset.
読み解きの視点: Do not rush the brew; this tea rewards attention to time.

Everyday Classic

Sencha

SENCHA

A benchmark Japanese tea style built on the balance of fresh aroma, sweetness, and astringency.

Sencha pairs easily with meals or snacks, and extraction temperature and timing can make it light or more layered. It is one of the most versatile daily teas and a useful comparison point.

おすすめの時間: Morning cups, post-meal resets, and everyday drinking.
読み解きの視点: Origin and firing style show clearly, making sencha rewarding to compare.

Deep Steamed

Fukamushi Sencha

FUKAMUSHI SENCHA

Longer steaming creates a softer mouthfeel and deeper liquor color.

Fukamushi sencha expresses umami readily and can produce a coherent cup even with shorter extraction. It suits people who want a gentler impression from everyday sencha.

おすすめの時間: When you want a full-flavored cup even on a busy day.
読み解きの視点: Steaming time affects not only color, but also texture and roundness.

Selected Parts

Karigane / Konacha

KARIGANE / KONACHA

Stems, buds, and fine leaf particles selected during finishing have a lighter aroma and character than whole-leaf tea.

Karigane brings a clean stem-derived fragrance, while buds and fine particles can release umami quickly. These formats are practical for daily use and easy to pair with food.

おすすめの時間: For casual drinking and daily meals.
読み解きの視点: Different parts of the same raw material can create surprisingly diverse cups.

Modern Format

Tea Bags

TEA BAGS

Even without a kyusu, a modern tea-bag format can still show the character of the leaves.

Single-cup, large-format, and cold-brew styles each serve different routines, from the office to travel. Tea bags suit people who want to keep the habit while reducing equipment.

おすすめの時間: Busy mornings, workplaces, travel, or any moment that needs convenience.
読み解きの視点: Even when the format changes, raw material and finishing remain the core of flavor.