basic information

Tea (ocha) is one of the most popular beverages in Japan. The following is a list of some of the most popular kinds of tea drunken in Japan:

• Gyokuro, Sencha, Bancha:
  Common Japanese green tea made of dried tea leaves (three quality levels in descending order).

• Houjicha:
  Common green tea made of roasted tea leaves (brown coloured tea).

• Matcha:
  Matcha is a quite bitter green tea made out of tea leaf powder. It is the tea used in the tea ceremony.

• Chinese Tea
  Oolong tea, Jasmine tea, etc.

• Kocha
  English tea.

H.I.S. Experience Japan Tours Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Participate in a tea ceremony, prepare matcha powdered green tea by yourself and ask your questions.

Green tea is drunken everywhere and at any time of the day. Unlike English tea, Japanese green tea is served in cups without a handle and is never drunken with sugar or creme. The most polite way of drinking green tea is to hold the cup with one hand and support it from below with the other hand.

Vending machines that can be found all over Japan, offer various kinds of cold and hot tea.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

english links

product links

The Book of Green Tea Book by Diana Rosen All About Green Tea Book by Victoria Dolby Toews The Book of Tea Book by Kakuzo Okakura

japanese links

Green Tea from O-Cha.com