Per Oscar Brekell - A Beginners Guide to Japanese Tea: Selecting and Brewing the Perfect Cup of Sencha, Matcha, and Other Japanese Teas

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Table of Contents

Guide

A Beginners Guide to

Japanese Tea

A Beginners Guide to

Japanese Tea

SELECTING AND BREWING THE PERFECT CUP
OF SENCHA, MATCHA AND OTHER JAPANESE TEAS

Per Oscar Brekell

Contents

The Aromas and Active Ingredients of
Japanese Teas

First, Second, Third and Fourth Harvest
Teas

What Gives Japanese Teas
Their Distinctive Flavors?

The Various Stages of Processing Japanese
Sencha (Aracha)

Japans Main Tea Growing
Regions

Tea Regions in Central and Eastern Japan

The Standard Method for Steeping
Sencha

Introduction

The Joys of Japanese Tea

If I were to describe the joys of Japanese
tea in only a few words, I would say that
by taking just one sip the sweet fra
grance immerses the heart and mind in
tranquility, conjuring the subtle beauty
and elegant simplicity of a tea gardens
remote mountain setting.

In Japan, the saying shichu no sankyo ,
or a mountain dwelling in the city,
summarizes a concept prevalent since
the age of the Higashiyama culture.
Great tea masters like Sen No Rikyu, who
shaped the Japanese tea ceremony, con
structed tea houses that, even if located
in a bustling city center, could summon
the quiet and secluded life of the moun
tains, creating a space where our minds
can be temporarily freed from the strains
and struggles of everyday life.

I believe that this saying aptly sum
marizes the true beauty of Japanese tea.
Even if you happen to be in the middle
of a bustling metropolis, the aroma that
rises from your cup invigorates you,
creating a peace of mind and serenity

as if you were standing in the middle of a
tea garden surrounded by misty forested
slopes.

In fact, the beauty of Japanese tea
stretches far beyond that. Although bit
terness, astringency and sweetness are
elements that you can find in other teas
as well, the strong emphasis on umami
is a true characteristic of Japanese tea.
The Japanese word umami is now incor
porated in many languages and is a natu
ral element not only in Japanese cuisine
but is universally recognized as one of
the five basic tastes. It is, however, very
rare to find it in beverages. I believe
those distinct flavors make Japanese tea
stand out when compared to tea from
other countries.

Japanese tea can be prepared in many
ways using either cold or hot water. The
steeping method can be adjusted both to
bring out a perfect balance of all its taste
elements and to highlight a specific
flavor. You can, for example, choose to
either accentuate umami or bring out as

much of the aroma as possible. The tea
can be adjusted to anyones taste or to
the season. Therefore, it perfectly em
bodies the concept of Japanese hospital
ity, or omotenashi , putting all your effort
into the comfort and well-being of your
guest. A tea whose taste and flavor
changes depending on the steeping tech
nique may sound difficult to manage at
first, but once you learn the basics the
possibilities are endless and you will
come to enjoy the steeping process. In
your quest for a good cup of tea, you will
find a strong ally in the Japanese teapot,
which is both easy to use and makes the
tea taste better. Japanese teaware not
only leads the way to a better cup of tea,
but these utensils, shaped and improved
by a long history and a rich cultural heri
tage, also add depth and beauty to your
tea experience.

Since both Japanese food culture and
the culture of omotenashi look to the im
portance of tea, it also allows us to enjoy
and savor the essence of Japanese cul
ture. Culture is not just about preserving
the traditions of the past but something
that lives inside us, and based on the

Having become an integral part
of Japanese society, tea was then
reshaped over hundreds of years,
eventually turning into something
distinctly Japanese, reflecting the
unique sentiment and traditions
of the Far Eastern island nation.

wisdom of the past and our current ac
tions it constantly continues to evolve.
The tea that we are drinking today is
very different in taste, flavor and ap
pearance from the tea we drank in the
past. Thanks to progress in processing
and manufacturing, the Japanese tea
that is produced comes close to the ideal
green tea, having the characteristic
fresh aroma while at the same time being
strong in umami . Another change is that
quality tea is no longer the province of
the upper echelons of society. Today,
everyone can enjoy the very best teas.
Just like single vineyard wine or single
malt whiskey, more and more people are
discovering the unique and varied taste
experiences of single estate Japanese
tea, which first appeared at the begin
ning of the 21st century.

In countries other than Japan, per
haps due to their relative unfamiliarity
with green tea and different water quali
ies that do not do justice to the original
taste, there is still a tendency to empha
size the health benefits rather than the
taste and flavor of the tea. Of course, I
also believe that drinking green tea

Brewing tea allows for a moment
of tranquility and peace. Having
mastered the basic principles,
you will be able to tune the taste
to your own preferences.

promotes health. However, rather than
drinking Japanese tea to prolong ones
life, I would like to think of it as some
thing that makes our time on earth rich
er and more enjoyable. Life is full of hard
ships and we always encounter both
foreseen and unforeseen troubles that
cause stress in our everyday lives. But by
drinking Japanese tea we get a moment
of peace and are able to gain the strength
we need to remain positive in the midst
of stress and strain. Even during good
times, we can share our feelings and
deepen our understanding of one another
over a cup of green tea. I sincerely hope
that by reading this book more people
will be encouraged to lead rich and ful
filling lives with the subtle beauty of
Japanese tea as a part of it. Welcome to
the wonderful world of Japanese tea!

Chapter One

What is Japanese Tea?

Japan produces many different kinds of tea, including
black tea, oolong tea, pan-fired green tea and, to a lesser
extent, fermented tea. However, the production volumes
of the fermented varieties are comparatively small, and
therefore in Japan they are usually referred to as local
specialties or rare teas rather than Japanese tea.
Most tea produced in Japan is green tea.

When processing green tea, the fresh
leaves are heated or steamed to deacti
vate the enzymes, thereby preventing
oxidation. Dry heat is the primary
method used outside Japan. Steaming
is essentially a Japanese method that
contributes significantly to a unique
Japanese taste experience.

Japanese teas are processed to preserve
the natural taste and flavor of the fresh
leaves, thereby changing the chemical
compounds as little as possible. In this
sense, Japanese tea is quite different from
both oxidized tea like black tea and pan
fired green tea, allowing for tastes and

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