It's All About Tea — japanese tea

For those of us who are not deeply immersed in Japanese teas, it's easy to think of them all as just "green tea." But dig a bit deeper, and you quickly realize there's a lot more going on. One of the first things you'll notice is the word "cultivar," which means a particular variety (or "breed") of a tea plant that's been selected and bred for specific characteristics – things like flavor, aroma, leaf size, or how well the plant grows in certain conditions.

Japan has developed dozens of these cultivars, each with its own personality. Some cultivars produce teas with deep, rich umami flavors, perfect for high-end Matcha or Gyokuro. Others offer a lighter, fresher taste suited to everyday drinking. There are also the rarer specialty cultivars that enthusiasts and collectors hunt down.

Knowing a bit about cultivars is about understanding your tea better. It's the difference between just drinking a nice cup of tea and knowing exactly why you like that particular tea. In this article, we'll explore some of the major Japanese tea cultivars and what makes each one unique. (Read more)

Tea has been a staple in Asian culture for centuries, with various types and flavors that vary from region to region. The popularity of Chinese tea has long outgrown its borders as entrepreneurs introduced tea seeds and plants to other Asian countries. That led to the production of Chinese tea types in other countries.

In today's blog post, we'll explore some of the most popular varieties of Asian tea produced in some of China's neighboring countries. We'll explore the production specifics that vary by each country, and some teas with unique profiles, that stemmed from these bold experiments. We can even offer you some of them in our tea store, too, so make yourself a cuppa and let's dive in! (Read More)

When you want to make your matcha in the traditional Japanese style, it's essential to invest in a proper Japanese tea set. A basic tea set will include a chawan (matcha bowl), chasen (matcha whisk), and chashaku (matcha scoop). If you want a complete Japanese tea set, however, you should also get a furui (tea sift), and a kusenaoshi (chasen holder). By the way, this is only if you want to enjoy matcha at home, casually. If you're going to make matcha as per the ways of Chado, you need much more equipment. So, if you want to make a proper bowl of frothy green matcha, if nothing else, you should always have quality matcha tea powder and a chasen. So how do we take care of the matcha whisk to ensure its longevity for years of umami-rich tea bowls to come? (Read more)

We've talked about the inception of Japanese tea many times before. From tea's journey to Japan to modern-day tea practices. For example, iced matcha recipes. Believe it or not, Japan's elite class did not drink iced oat milk matcha lattes in the Edo period. Anyhow, today, we are shining a light on Uji, Kyoto, where Japanese tea was truly born. (Read more)

Out of the different types of Japanese green tea, Tamaryokucha is often left in the shade. Indeed, it's not a very common type of tea, comprising only 3% of all Japanese tea production. However, if you are a Japanese tea enthusiast, trying Tamaryokucha is a must. (Read more)