Matcha tea is distinct from other teas, because in enjoying Matcha, the whole tea leaf is consumed in a powdered form. Matcha is one of the most concentrated sources of antioxidants on the planet, and it has become popular to use Matcha in health food in the West. It may be that the health benefits of Matcha were recognized and used as an instant food of sorts by people in Japan as early as the Muromachi period, some 650 years ago, and in China before that! Though unlike a frozen dinner, the preparation of Matcha itself can bring about a state of tranquility. It could be said that the process acts as a barometer for the body and the spirit, allowing a state of introspection to develop, from the simple and gentle repetitive whisking motions required for preparation. It is for this reason that Matcha preparation and enjoyment is the pinnacle of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. (For more specific information on the preparation of Matcha, please click here. For more information about the psychological benefits of tea, please see our Philosophy of Japanese Tea  page.)

When many people think of Mochi, they think of sweets like Mochi wrapped ice-cream. In Japan too, use of Mochi, or glutinous rice, is most frequently used in Japanese pastries known as Wagashi. But Mochi has several other applications too. The origin of the Mochi rice paste is of course rice, but not just any rice, Mochi rice! We include this high quality kind of rice, slightly toasted, in our Genmaicha tea, providing it with a delicious and recognizable flavor.

Ochazuke is a very simple Japanese dish, prepared by pouring tea over rice. Traditionally, a Sencha with Karigane or Genmaicha is often used, accompanied with pressed seaweed flakes known as Nori, filet of salmon, or preserved apricot-like fruit called Umeboshi.

First defined over 100 years ago, Umami has become known as the fifth taste, the other four being sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness. The sensation of Umami comes from food rich in glutamates, such as Japanese tea. The taste of Umami itself is hard to describe, but it is a highly desirable component in tea, given a proper proportion. Tea considered to have a heightened presence of the Umami flavor is often sought. It is also sometimes said that the antithesis of Umami is bitterness, but this may be an oversimplification, given that a balance of Umami and astringency creates favorable teas, complex and stimulating. Truth be told, few Western dishes contain a noticeable amount of this pleasant flavor, and as a result, it may be hard to discern the Umami taste from a salty-sweet taste. However, please accept our assurance that given time, Umami can be experienced and enjoyed by everyone.

Wagashi are traditional Japanese pastries that accompany the Japanese Tea Ceremony, but are also regularly consumed with tea for any occasion. Common components of Wagashi include sweetened Mochi and red bean paste.

Gyokuro refers to a tea that has been cultivated under very special conditions to heighten its quality. Some of the most renowned teas of China come from areas where fog blocks the direct rays of the sun for a period of time during growth. For Gyokuro cultivation, we simulate a similar process. The tea plant is shaded with a fine screen for at least three weeks during the crucial period of growth, just before harvest. Photosynthesis provokes the transformation of Theanine, an amino acid responsible for the Umami flavor, into Catechin, responsible for the astringency of tea. Thus, in limiting photosynthesis for a short period of time, the bitter taste of this tea is heavily muted, and the Umami taste is brought into the foreground. Please see the definition of Umami for more information regarding this important aspect of Japanese tea. (For specific instructions on how best to infuse Gyokuro, click here.)

Hojicha is blended Sencha that has been evenly roasted to provide a completely different drinking experience. Roasting completely changes not only the flavor and aroma of the tea, but its naturally occurring components too. Caffeine content is significantly lessened through roasting, and thus this tea is frequently enjoyed by those sensitive to caffeine. Tannin content, responsible for the acidic aftertaste accompanying some teas, is also nullified. The result is a tea that is easy to prepare and easy to consume, hot or cold.

(For specific instructions on how best to infuse Hojicha, click here.)

Iribancha is a tea with quite a particular method of manufacturing that yields a unique, primordial taste close to the first teas ever brewed. Tea is roasted in a gigantic 5 foot wide (1.5 meter) iron pan, so that the tea leaves are slightly seared in places. Iribancha has been a traditional tea particular to the Kyoto area for hundreds of years. Please note that Iribancha differs from Houjicha in that with Houjicha preparation, tea leaves are rolled and evenly roasted. The flavors are very different, we assure you! (For specific instructions on how best to infuse Iribancha, click here.)

In a matter of speaking, all tea starts as Aracha before it is sorted. After the cleansing process, this unrefined tea matter is separated according to the shape of the tea leaf, and the desired kind of tea it is to become.

Tea picked in the later harvests of the year is known as Bancha. As it is harvested later, the leaves are more mature. It is also harvested from the lower leaves of the tea tree as well, having been less exposed to direct sunlight. Thus, from a purely scientific perspective, we consider Bancha to be a lower quality tea than its relative, Sencha. But Bancha is produced in many different ways, some quite unique and exciting. A prime example of such a Bancha is the specialty of Kyoto, Iribancha.