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.

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 with stone mills or grinders, it becomes matcha with vivid color and layered umami. Usucha, koicha, and lattes each reveal a different expression depending on preparation.
Best Moment
For focused mornings or moments when you want a lingering cup with sweets.
How to Read It
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.
Best Moment
For slow conversation or a quiet evening reset.
How to Read It
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.
Best Moment
Morning cups, post-meal resets, and everyday drinking.
How to Read It
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.
Best Moment
When you want a full-flavored cup even on a busy day.
How to Read It
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.
Best Moment
For casual drinking and daily meals.
How to Read It
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.
Best Moment
Busy mornings, workplaces, travel, or any moment that needs convenience.
How to Read It
Even when the format changes, raw material and finishing remain the core of flavor.

After reading, choose the cup

Matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and tencha each suit different moments and vessels. Start with the type that fits your mood.

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