Tea has a far more important role in Japanese culture than its western counterpart. It’s the most drunk beverage across the country, far more than water. There exists a wide variety of Japanese tea, each serving a specific purpose.
The most well known in this regard is the Japanese tea ceremony, which revolves entirely about serving tea. If you want to take your passion to a new height, please join us in a brief journey throughout Japan and learn how to surprise your guests with your very own Japanese tea party!
Discover new flavors and enjoy a piece of Japanese culture, from different teas to delicious snacks that round up the experience and impress with uniqueness.
Table of Contents
The History Of Japanese Tea
Tea has taken an important part of Japanese food culture over the centuries, with the earliest documented references dating back to the 9th century, way before the British have discovered this beverage, during which tea was exclusively drunk by royal classes and buddhist monks. You had to be really important to enjoy this now widely available beverage back in the day.
Over the course of the centuries, tea became available to the common people and a whole industry developed. It all started with so-called “Brick Tea”, which was imported from China during the first diplomatic envoys. From there, many different varieties and techniques have continuously evolved tea as a central part of Japanese culture.
Now, tea is widely available in restaurants, served with sushi, in convenience stores, supermarkets and vending machines all across the country. You can find tea-infused chocolate at a dessert party, all sorts of bakery including green tea, and during party events and celebrations in the summer, you can find Kakigori, a Japanese shaved ice dish, topped with green tea syrup.
Japanese tea is consumed in many forms, hot and cold, either with the tea leaves being just infused into hot water, like you’re used to do with western tea bags, or the whole mix being grinded into fine powder, which is then directly used for different dishes and beverages.
Japanese Tea Varieties
Whether you want to throw a simple tea party with your friends and family, invite over your boss for an important business meeting, or you need a refreshing beverage during a barbecue-party on a hot evening in summer, there is a tea (and accompanying snack) for every occasion.
Ryokucha – Green Tea (緑茶)
The most common name is Ryokucha – Green Tea (緑茶), which is the root from which most varieties of Japanese tea derive, based on their preparation and purpose.
Sencha (煎茶)
The most popular tea variant in Japan is called Sencha (煎茶) and can in itself vary deeply in flavor, depending on the time of harvest and how it’s grown. Sencha makes up about 80% of all tea consumed in Japan. The leaves that are picked first after the winter are the most nutritious and distinct flavor and are sold as the most precious part of the harvest, earning them the name Shincha (新茶), which means ”New Tea”.
Matcha (抹茶)
A Japanese tea variant which started to gain increased popularity in the western world recently is called Matcha (抹茶) and can be recognized by its distinct appearance, a fine green powder with a unique aroma.
Even Starbucks and other coffee shops have jumped onto the hype train and are now offering Matcha, or the “Matcha Latte” on their menus. This variant is also often used in sweets, like Kit-Kat chocolate bars or “Green Tea Mochi”, a popular combination of Japanese tea and rice cakes, being served on various events, like a birthday party or the national children’s day.
Ochazuke(お茶漬け)
Japanese tea is not only used as a beverage though, as the next stop on our journey brings us to “Ochazuke” (お茶漬け) , which means “poured with tea” or “submerged in tea”. It’s served by pouring tea over rice, topping it with various ingredients, often “Tsukemono” (漬け物), a variety of Japanese pickled vegetables, or “Furikake” (ふりかけ), a prepared seasoning mix, available in many flavors, from seaweed and vegetables to sesame seeds and wasabi. It’s a good way to prepare leftover rice from the last dinner party. You can get one here!
Popular Japanese Tea – Matcha
The most versatile, popular and interesting tea on our list is often called “The Green Gold”, because you can do anything with it. Of course you can drink it, but because it’s grinded into a fine powder and has a very distinct, bitter flavor even in its dry form, Matcha is also a very popular ingredient in chocolate, cakes, mochi, ice cream and even Soba noodles. Get your Match powder here!
If you ever visit a modern, Japanese Sushi-restaurant, you will likely find a small tray or box on the tables, which holds either loose Matcha-powder, or small single-serving packs of powder in abundance. While you have to order other beverages like Cola separately, a great supply of Matcha powder and free access to hot water are given for free.
And because Matcha is easily available and so versatile, most of our recipes all revolve around Matcha. You’d be surprised how useful this “green gold” really is! Let’s start off with something sweet!
And before we forget: Some people think that Matcha is just any arrangement of green tea leaves grinded to powder. That’s not true. The tea used to make Matcha is specifically produced and harvested. So please refrain from trying to grind your own Matcha, or your tea party might end up with sad faces and a bad experience.
Japanese Tea Turned Chocolate – Matchanama Chocolate(抹茶生チョコレート)
One popular gift many people like to bring home from their trip to Japan is a box of Matcha-Nama, a sweet and bitter chocolate snack, which is very hard to get by, outside of Japan. Fortunately, we can make these ourselves very easily.
Things to prepare:
14 oz white chocolate, 14 oz white chocolate, ½ Cup Whipping Cream, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Step 1: Chop the white chocolate and dice the butter, so it will melt more easily. Bring the whipping cream close to boiling on a medium setting in a saucepan, as soon as bubbles form on the surface, take the pan off the heater.
- Step 2: Now add the chocolate and the butter, stir until you have a creamy mix.
- Step 3: Take 2 Tablespoons of Matcha Powder and add them into your mix. Keep stirring until you have a green creamy mixture.
- Step 4: Prepare a baking dish with inline parchment paper and fill the cream into it, use a Spatula to even out the surface.
- Step 5: Let it rest in the refrigerator for about 4 – 4.5 hours. Then you can cut it into small squares. In order to make cutting easier, heat up the knife under hot water, then wipe it clean. Now add some Matcha Powder by sprinkling it on top before serving. You can get yours here!
Make Your Party-Smoothies Special – Add Japanese Tea
If you are a fan of smoothies and can’t call a beach party a success without one, you might have already tried all the flavors you could imagine. This one will get you boosted, since Matcha is naturally rich in caffeine. It’s also a really great morning drink if you are an early riser.
You can really create the smoothie any way you want, since the natural bitterness of the green tea powder goes well with the sweetness of a lot of fruits. In our example, we’ll use a banana, since it’s the most popular ingredient in almost any smoothie and gives us a whole load of vitamins.
Things to prepare:
1 Banana, 1 Cup of Milk, 4-6 Ice cubes to get it cool and fresh, 1 Tbsp. Matcha powder
Just put all the ingredients into a mixer and mix for about 30 seconds, until you get a nice smooth consistency. An energizing mix of Japanese tea and vitamins to help you jumpstart your day, but also a refreshing beverage for the next barbecue party!
Ujikintoki 宇治金時 – Japanese Tea And Ice Make An Amazing Combo!
Now you might think a beach party in the summer and Japanese tea don’t fit together that much. Our next entry will prove otherwise!
Ujikintoki is a traditional Japanese dish and especially children love the sweetness it brings. It’s a base of shaved ice, soaked in Matcha syrup, served with red bean paste (Anko – 餡子) and Dango (団子), little chewy balls made of mochi rice paste.
You’ll need a shave ice machine, but we promise you it will be worth it. If you follow this recipe, you will have a 100% original Japanese dish, which costs around 800 Japanese yen (around US$8 ) if you’re going to order it here in Japan. It’s also mostly only available during summer on specific party events. Maybe you already have a shave ice machine and haven’t had much use for it until now? Make it the center of your next party!
Things to prepare for 16 Mochi-Dango(optional but recommended!)
⅓ Cup Sweet glutinous rice flour, Mochiko, 2 Tbsp. water, ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar
- Step 1: Add everything into a large bowl, and start kneading it into a dough.
- Step 2: Try to form a ball. If you have any leftover crumbs, add a little more water to get them into your dough.
- Step 3: Once you have everything kneaded cleanly into a ball, roll it out into a log and pick small parts off of it to form into smaller balls.
- Step 4: Push your finger into the center to form a small dent. This way, they will help them cook faster.
- Step 5: Now cook them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then take them out and soak them in ice water. They should be chewy and soft within 30 minutes, ready to be served.
Things to prepare for For the Ujikintoki (2 Servings)
The Dango we prepared earlier, ⅓ Cup sweet Anko paste, like Koshi An, Ice for the Shaver, 2 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk, ½ Tbsp. Matcha powder, like Jade Leaf Matcha Powder, 4 Tbsp granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. hot water
- Step 1: Prepare a small bowl and put the Matcha powder and the sugar.
- Step 2: Now whisk them together while slowly adding the hot water for the sugar to melt.
- Once everything is mixed evenly, you can put it in the refrigerator to cool down until we need it.
After that, all we need to do is put all our ingredients together. Take a serving bowl for the shaved ice and fill it as you like. Anko paste and the Dango we made earlier are served on the side of our little “Ice mountain”, while we add condensed milk and the Matcha syrup on top! The ice absorbs the flavors and transforms into a delicious heap of Japanese tea, sweet milk, the dedicated taste of Anko and finally gets something to chew with our self-made Dango!
This is just the way you can experience it here in Japan. A simple recipe, which should not take longer than 20 minutes if you have all the ingredients.
So if you’re planning on your next summer party, instead of soft ice or popsicles, how about some Japanese Ujikintoki?
Hojicha ほうじ茶 – Japanese Tea Meets Coffee!
Most Japanese tea is processed and prepared equally. After the tea leaves are harvested, they are then steamed in order to prepare them for use in our cup of tea. Hojicha is different, though. Just like coffee, the tea leaves for this Japanese tea aren’t steamed, but roasted in a ceramic pot over charcoal.
This gives the tea a very distinct, roasty flavor, which separates it from other variants. It is very mild compared to other variants and has a lower amount of caffeine in it. It is often served after dinner to help with digestion and relax the body before going to bed. Not really a party starter, but it will come in handy when a party is about to end.
If you want to try out this mild, caramel-like flavor, roasted tea for yourself, you can get it on Amazon for a really cheap price.
Hojicha is maybe not as well known as Matcha, but here in Japan, it’s gaining a rapidly rising popularity over the recent years. If you add in steamed milk to make yourself a Hojicha latte, it gets a very creamy texture and thanks to the roasted flavor, it comes close to coffee.
After its Matcha variants, Hojicha is the second most ordered type at coffee shops in Japan.
Oolongcha ウーロン茶 – The Black Dragon Tea!
While Oolong tea is not a Japanese tea, but has its origin entirely from china, it is very popular here in Japan. Many people order the “Black dragon tea” together with their dinner when they go out for a party at a Japanese Izakaya-restaurant. (居酒屋)
This tea is widely believed to help with slowing down the increase of blood sugar when we eat fatty foods like grilled meat or the various snacks that are being offered at Izakaya-restaurants, not to mention the high carbs you have in beer.
This in turn helps to prevent gaining too much fat too fast and keeps the stomach calm when the party shifts from the entry dinner to the more heavy drinking you can experience at the Karaoke event that follows afterwards.
But that’s not all. While Oolong in his natural form is often drunk to just keep going, some people order an “Oolong Hai”, a cold mix of Oolong tea and Shochu, a Japanese distilled beverage with up to 40% alcohol, to keep the party going instead.
If you want to give this tea a try and see for yourself how much longer you can last on the next party, you can get it here on Amazon. We would also recommend Prince of Peace because it offers both the original taste and a good price.
Oh and before we forget: While other teas are often just steeped once for 1-3 minutes, you get the most out of Oolong cha, if you steep it about 3-4 times for 2-3 minutes. This way, you maximize the concentration of the tea and improve its benefits.
You can drink it hot of course, but the tea served in Izakayas always comes as a cold beverage, just like the beer it accompanies.
Sanpincha さんぴん茶 – An Okinawan Favorite
Our next tea is the most popular on the southern Island of Okinawa. While it’s simply called jasmine tea in the rest of Japan, the people of Okinawa favor this beverage, especially among outside workers, who are constantly exposed to the hot weather and moist heat of the summer. It helps keeping heat strokes at bay.
This Japanese tea is, just like Oolong cha, mainly drunk cold and is widely available through vending machines and lunchbox selling vendors, the “Obentouya” お弁当屋 across the island.
The main benefits are the tea being more nutritious than water, which helps with staying hydrated and healthy even during an unbearable summer heat. Drinks high in sugar tend to throw you off balance when you’re sweating a lot and might even worsen your condition.
But when you’re out here in the hot sun, a cold bottle of jasmine tea works wonders and helps you getting back on track. Often, when you buy a bento from a small vendor, especially in the northern part of the island, you’re given a bottle or a can of Sanpincha for free.
You can see a lot of people during summer evenings on the beach, holding an Okinawan beach party with grilled meat and Sanpincha.
So when you’re out in the summer heat and you need to refresh yourself, instead of the plain old water, try this local favorite to revive your spirits!
Jasmine tea is widely available, it just does not get the recognition it deserves. You can get it here on Amazon.
It’s also very helpful if you’re suffering from a hangover after a long party night!
Konbucha 昆布茶 – Japanese Tea From Kelp
The next tea might throw you off at first, but we promise, it’s tasty! Konbucha, also spelled Kombucha or Kobucha, is a 100% Japanese tea, made from kelp instead of the usual tea herbs. Because of that, it has a somewhat salty taste, compared to other tea. Kombucha is often served in traditional Japanese inns, the Ryokan 旅館, where it serves as a welcoming gift to the guests. It’s also served with Ume, the Japanese plum, to begin a new year.
You can also use it for different dishes. You can find Konbucha being used in Japanese kitchens, being used as an alternative to soy sauce or umami seasoning
Interestingly, there is another tea variant from China called Konbucha, which is often mixed up with the kelp tea. The chinese tea uses regular herbs, but uses bacteria for fermenting it. The Japanese tea on the other hand is entirely made from kelp.
Because the kelp tea itself has a rather salty taste without much else to offer, it’s being infused with a little sugar and salt, to give it a more round flavor. If you are serious about trying Japanese tea, this one must go onto your bucket list!
You can grab a pack of Ume Konbucha with the plum variant right here!
Our Conclusion to Japanese Tea
Japanese tea is unique not only in the herbs used, but also in the way it is prepared and served. Matcha is generally more bitter than most teas and will often be accompanied by sweet snacks and desserts. It’s also used in smoothies, ice cream and Lattes.
Konbucha is more a dish than a tea and will sometimes be used like a soup. Hojicha is prepared by roasting instead of steaming, which gives it a very distinct flavor and is increasingly used in combination with steamed milk to create a Latte, just like with coffee.
Oolong cha is mainly used together with a hearty dinner at parties, to prepare for a night out, drinking alcohol or with the alcohol itself to keep the party going. Sanpincha, or jasmine tea, is used as an ice cold beverage to fight dehydration and heat strokes in hot weather and to overcome a nasty hangover.
Whether you are looking for the ideal tea during a cold winter evening, a tea to quickly recover from sickness, or a tea that can hold its own during a summer party, Japanese tea is very versatile and can help in a lot of situations.
While Matcha alone already gained a lot of popularity over the recent years and is increasingly used in baking, cooking or diet plans, the less known Japanese teas all have their benefits. We hope you enjoyed this insight into Japanese tea culture and will give the different variants a go in the future.
Especially Matcha powder might prove itself useful, as it allows you to easily add tea flavor to your favorite sweets and desserts!
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