Japanese green tea: a guide to sencha, gyokuro, matcha and hojicha

Japan produces around 100,000 tonnes of green tea per year. Within that number sit teas of extraordinary range: the grassy, bright quality of a good sencha, the deep umami intensity of shaded gyokuro, the vivid green powder of ceremonial matcha, the toasty warmth of hojicha. These are not variations on a theme - they are distinct experiences that require different brewing temperatures, different vessels and different approaches. Understanding each one makes the choice of teaware considerably easier.

Sencha: Japan's everyday tea

Sencha accounts for roughly 60 percent of all Japanese tea production. It is grown in full sunlight, harvested in spring, and steam-processed immediately after picking to prevent oxidation - the step that keeps it green rather than brown. The flavour is fresh, slightly grassy with a clean astringency that fades quickly. Brew at 70 to 80 degrees Celsius for 60 to 90 seconds - water that is too hot makes sencha bitter and sharp. A Tokoname kyusu is the traditional vessel; its iron-rich clay is said to soften the tannins and round the flavour.

Gyokuro: shade-grown intensity

Gyokuro is shaded for three weeks before the spring harvest, which increases the concentration of chlorophyll and L-theanine amino acids while reducing catechins (the compounds responsible for bitterness). The result is one of the most complex teas produced anywhere: intensely sweet and umami-rich, with almost no bitterness and a deep green colour. Brew at 50 to 60 degrees Celsius - considerably lower than sencha - for 90 seconds. Use less leaf than you think necessary; gyokuro is concentrated. At premium prices, a little goes a long way.

Matcha: powdered and whisked

Matcha is the stone-ground powder of shade-grown green tea leaves. Ceremonial grade matcha is deep, vivid green with a smooth, complex flavour and no bitterness. Culinary grade is lighter in colour and more bitter, appropriate for baking and lattes but not for drinking straight. To brew: sift 1.5 to 2g of matcha powder into a warmed, dry chawan. Add 70ml of water at 70 to 75 degrees. Whisk in a rapid W-motion with a bamboo chasen until a fine froth forms across the surface. Browse our tea ceremony collection for the right tools.

Hojicha: roasted and caffeine-light

Hojicha is bancha or kukicha (lower-grade tea or stems) roasted over charcoal. The roasting destroys most of the caffeine and much of the astringency, producing a warm, toasty flavour with notes of caramel and wood. Brew at 90 to 100 degrees for a full minute - hojicha is one of the few Japanese green teas that benefits from near-boiling water. Its low caffeine makes it appropriate for evening drinking. It pairs particularly well with sweet and starchy foods: mochi, sweet potato, Japanese shortbread.

Storage

All Japanese green teas are sensitive to light, heat, air and moisture. Store in an airtight tea canister away from direct light. Gyokuro and ceremonial matcha benefit from refrigeration after opening - seal the container tightly before refrigerating and allow it to come to room temperature before opening, to prevent condensation from forming inside.

Explore our green tea selection and browse our teaware collection for the right equipment to brew each style well.