What is Japanese tea?
Green tea, white tea, black tea and roasted tea all come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The differences between these teas are due to the production, manufacturing, oxidation, fermentation and roasting processes, which vary from one type of tea to another. There are about fifty varieties of tea in Japan derived from Camellia Sinensis. Most of the tea grown today comes from the Yabukita variety, which is ideal for Sencha. Okumidori and Samidori are other varieties used for Gyokuro and Matcha.
Tea bushes are planted in hedges, 2 by 2, almost back to back, becoming productive after 4 years. They are pruned to give them the curved shape necessary for mechanical harvesting and cultivation.
Organic cultivation techniques are meticulous and require constant care from January to December: formative and regeneration pruning (every 5-6 years), weeding, pest control (many insects love tea), fertilization, tree care and harvesting.
New tea, 1st harvest, 2nd harvest, 3rd harvest, 4th harvest
The tea from the first harvest of the year is called Shincha, or "new tea". It marks the beginning of the tea harvest.
First flush teas ( ichibancha ), harvested in late spring in Japan, are teas made from mild leaves that are rich in flavor, tender, less astringent than late summer sunny teas, and very refreshing.
Nibancha , second flush (summer) tea, is harvested in June.
Sanbancha , the third harvest (late summer) tea, is harvested between late July and late August.
Yonbancha , the fourth harvest tea, is harvested in October.
The leaves of the first harvest are softer and richer in amino acids and caffeine. The tea has a soft green color. The flavor is more intense (Umami), sweeter and greener. The nutrients stored in the plant during the winter are more easily released by the softer leaves.
The leaves from the second harvest are healthy, sunny and richer in nutrients, with a balanced flavor of tannin and fullness. They can also be covered with a shade net to produce Tencha, rich in amino acids (Umami flavor).
The leaves of the following harvests are richer in tannins (rich in antioxidants) and therefore more bitter and less sweet, with less caffeine than those of the second harvest. The second and third harvests are used to produce Aracha, the base of Sencha (the most consumed tea, representing 80% of production).
Japanese Tea Jargon
Infusion: infusion is the immersion of wet leaves or flowers in water.
Liqueur: Tea liquor is the liquid obtained by infusing tea leaves! The term liquor is used to visually describe the "mantle" of tea.
Fragrance: Tea fragrance refers to the smell and flavors of the tea.
Umami: Japanese term that refers to the sensation of fullness and roundness in the mouth. This flavor is found in Japanese teas.
Aracha: This is the green tea used to make Sencha. After blending the different Arachas to get the right balance, the Sencha is packaged.
Tencha: Tea leaves from the 1st and 2nd harvests, grown in the shade, without the stems and stalks. They are the base of Matcha.
Ochagara: These are the tea leaves after they have been infused.
The Japanese Tea Industry
In Japan, nearly 50,000 hectares of tea plantations produce about 100,000 tons of tea per year, or nearly 2 tons per hectare. Most of the tea produced is consumed locally and less than 2% is exported.
Organic tea in Japan accounts for less than 1% of the tea growing area, or about 500 hectares (0.25% of Japan’s agricultural area is cultivated organically), half of which is exported (400 tonnes per year). The Japanese place more trust in a personal relationship of trust with the producer than in the biological control system, which is why it has been so difficult to expand certified organic production in Japan. The organic sector developed in Japan in the 1970s, based on ancestral know-how and in reaction to the dominant model of the post-war Green Revolution, which, as in the rest of the world, led to the widespread use of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides, and even additives in tea (dyes, sweeteners).
The terroirs of Japanese tea
Uji: This tea-producing region accounts for only 3% of the tea produced in Japan. However, together with the Shizuoka region, it is the best known! The Uji region was the source of teas intended for the emperors and the imperial court. Together with Fukuoka, it is the region that produces Gyokuro and together they share almost all the production of this exceptional tea. The Uji region is particularly well suited to growing quality tea, thanks to its humid subtropical climate with mild winters and rainy summers. The orchards are concentrated on hills protected from the influences of the ocean. Growing on slopes encourages the formation of dew, which has a significant impact on the tea, excellent drainage and favourable exposure to the sun.
Shizuoka: Shizuoka accounts for 41% of Japan's tea production. It is the region that produces the most tea, particularly for export.
Kagoshima: With 20% of Japan's tea production, Kagoshima tea is still little known. It is only recently that the region has diversified in terms of tea flavors.
Miyazaki and Kumamoto: these regions are still little known, despite the quality of their tea.
Fukuoka: region famous for its Yame tea.
Saitama: region famous for its Sayama tea.
The Tea Ceremony - Chanoyu
In the 16th century, Sen no Rikyu codified and unified the use of tea in the Chanoyu tea ceremony. The fundamental principles of this "form of tea" are as follows: Harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. The style sought is sober and unpretentious, close to nature, seeking beauty in simplicity, even in the imperfections of things: rust, cracks in ceramics - this is the notion of Wabi.
Japanese green tea and Chinese green tea
Japanese green tea leaves are steamed for a few seconds to preserve the original components and prevent fermentation. In China and India, green tea is roasted in large metal wok-type vats. The classic "withering" operations are known to the Japanese as "massaging". With Japanese know-how and perfection, no less than 6 successive drying operations by massaging are carried out, gradually reducing the moisture content of the leaves and preparing the components for infusion. In Japan, green tea is the almost exclusive preparation method (very few teas are produced differently), which guarantees a very high standard.
Cultivation, harvesting, preparation and storage practices: at each stage, multiple precautions are taken in a continuous and imperative concern for perfection. The Japanese consumer, who is knowledgeable about green tea and uncompromising when it comes to quality, is given an additional incentive to favour a quality that far surpasses that of other origins in terms of organoleptic quality and properties of green tea. Given these fundamental differences, the abusive use of the names Sencha, Matcha and even Gyokuro for teas from China or India is particularly dishonest and misleading.
The different Japanese teas
Matcha
Matcha is certainly one of the most popular Japanese teas in France today. Used in baking, as a hot or cold drink, in gourmet cooking or even as a condiment, matcha has many uses!
But how is matcha made?
The leaves used in our organic matcha tea powder are of the highest quality: Tencha leaves from the 2nd harvest. Yes, “Tencha”, with a “T”. Tencha is a variation of Gyokuro tea (which grows under cover). The difference lies in the way it is harvested (the oldest and largest leaves are chosen to produce Tencha) and the way it is prepared. The leaves used to make Tencha are dried flat so that the stems and veins can be easily removed, unlike Gyokuro. Then, after final drying to remove all traces of moisture, the Tencha leaves are ground very slowly using small granite millstones... to finally become Matcha! Matcha powder is an electric green, creating a deep green drink. The particularity of matcha tea is that it is not drunk as an infusion: it is “eaten” by ingesting all the leaves that have been ground into powder.
You can find Aromandise Matcha tea in our store.
Gyokuro
A tasting tea with a controlled designation, Gyokuro green tea is a top-of-the-range Japanese tea, renowned as synonymous with the best quality green tea.
How is it different from Japanese Sencha green tea?
Gyokuro is a marvel of craftsmanship. The tea bushes are protected from the sun’s rays for at least 20 days before harvesting, using shade nets to prevent the amino acids from converting into tannins. This results in an exceptional concentration of amino acids and chlorophyll in the tea leaves (which explains Gyokuro’s beautiful emerald green colour), intensifying the tea’s flavour. The low tannin level of this quality tea explains its smooth, rounded flavour. Our Gyokuro is an organic tea: insects love these delicate leaves, which makes organic cultivation very technical and demanding in terms of care and labour. The installation of shade nets (using various methods that affect the quality of the tea) and the work under the nets are more demanding, and the cultivation practices and care of the tea bush take up every month of the year. As a result, this exceptional tea is only harvested once a year. Gyokuro is distinguished by its intense green colour (deeper green than Sencha) and its needle-like leaves. After infusion, the tea has a beautiful chlorophyll green colour, unlike Sencha, which tends more towards yellow. Its flavour is lighter, fresher and less bitter than Sencha. It has a particularly long and intense finish.
Sencha tea
Sencha is the most widely consumed tea in Japan and, at the same time, the best-known tea in the West, with constant growth in France. In Japan, it is drunk on many occasions, at the end of three meals or during the busiest hours of the day. In France, it is drunk from morning to afternoon, hot or iced!
History of our organic Sencha tea
Our Sencha is harvested in the Uji region. The producers, who have been practicing organic farming for about twenty years, have developed meticulous cultivation techniques that require constant care from January to December: weeding, pest control (many insects love tea), fertilization, tree care, harvesting and processing. The tea leaves are harvested mechanically, but "to the millimeter". Sencha tea is mainly the second harvest, supplemented by leaves from the first harvest. The leaves are healthy, full of sunlight and nutrients.
Preparing and tasting Sencha: Here are the golden rules for obtaining an excellent Japanese Sencha infusion:
- Use quality water with a low mineral content at around 80°C
- Leave to infuse for a very short period, no longer than 1 to 2 minutes (beyond this time, the tannins and bitterness of the Sencha will interact too much with the other components).
- Fill each cup twice to ensure uniformity.
- Do not hesitate to use the same tea leaves for two successive infusions.
You can find Aromandise Sencha tea in our store.
Hojicha Bancha Tea
Bancha Hojicha tea is a roasted green tea. It has the woody amber flavour (caramel, hazelnut) typical of roasted products, combined with the metallic iodine notes of Japanese teas and a particular sweetness. It is widely consumed in Japan due to its low theine content. Its infusion has a tan colour. It is made from tea leaves from the summer harvest (Nibancha and Sanbancha).
The Bancha tea roasting method was invented in Kyoto in the 1920s. Since then, it has been refined to develop the flavours and preserve the properties. The tea plants are grown in the same way as Sencha. The leaves are then sorted into uniform sizes before being roasted, to ensure that roasting is kept to a minimum. Roasting is done by passing the leaves for about twenty seconds through a rotating device lined with porcelain balls heated to 300°C. The leaves are then immediately cooled. This process develops the typical amber, woody flavour and reduces the bitterness of the tea. This tea is extremely popular in Japan. It is often served in sushi restaurants, which the Japanese believe it pairs very well with. It is also drunk before bedtime, due to its low caffeine content.
Kukicha tea
Kukicha tea is also known as 3-year tea because it is made from the branches of 3-year-old tea harvests.
Yes, it is mainly the twigs of the tea plant and some roasted leaves. The low theine content (<0.6%) of our Kukicha and its pleasant woody-amber flavour make it a tea that can be drunk from morning to night, to accompany meals and by everyone.
How is it done?
It is made from branches harvested in autumn and winter to keep the caffeine level as low as possible. The branches are steamed, then dried and cut into sections before being stored for several years in paper bags to encourage slow maturation. This is why it is called 3-year-old tea.
The Kukicha tea roasting method was invented in the 1920s in Kyoto. Since then, it has been refined to develop flavors and preserve properties.
Roasting is carried out by passing the twigs for about twenty seconds through a rotating device lined with porcelain balls heated to 300°C. They are then immediately cooled. This process develops the typical woody amber flavour and reduces the bitterness of the tea.
There are several types of twig tea in Japan. Depending on the type of tea it is made from (Sencha, Bancha, or even Gyokuro) and the proportion of tea leaves mixed with twigs. Ours is made almost exclusively with twigs.
This tea is very popular in the macrobiotic diet. In his teachings, the founder of the macrobiotic movement, George Osawa, praised its yang qualities and alkalizing properties. He considered it an ideal drink to balance a macrobiotic diet.
You can find Aromandise's Kukicha tea in our store.
AROMANDISE and Japanese teas
Our packaging
Meticulous care is taken from the field to the cup. The high organoleptic quality and the richness of health-giving components of our teas must be protected throughout their shelf life (chlorophyll, catechins and vitamins are fragile). Simple “standing-pouch” packaging (the most common packaging in France), which combines an ultra-thin layer of aluminium with one or two ultra-thin layers of printable plastic, is not enough. Not to mention laminated paper or plastic packaging, which is all unsuitable. The packaging of our Japanese tasting teas is designed to ensure maximum preservation of the tea from the field to the cup. Unfortunately, this packaging cannot be recycled, as the packaging must guarantee optimal organoleptic preservation!
We have, however, managed to develop our range of Sencha blends in sachets, in plastic-free packaging! Its protective sachet is lined with a layer of cellulose and the box is made of cardboard.
AROMANDISE and Japanese tea producers
Aromandise has always had a strong connection with Japan and intends to develop these ties even further: Michel Pryet, the founder of the brand, lived in Japan for 5 years and his wife, Yumi Pryet, is Japanese.
Over the past twenty years, Aromandise has developed a close working relationship with renowned producers who are key players and historical pioneers of organic tea in Japan. The majority of the teas imported by Aromandise come from orchards in the Uji region, which is synonymous with high-quality teas. It produces the most famous teas in Japan: 3% of production by volume, but the best harvests of Gyokuro, Matcha and Sencha. Uji was the creator of the Uji method of processing Sencha.
Several trips per year and a long-term partnership guarantee a fair and well-founded quality-price ratio.