Sencha is one of the most popular green tea in Japan. It is raised in the sun. Shincha indicates sencha green tea which is harvested in the early season. Gyokuro is the most superior green tea which has sweet flavor. It is raised in the shade. Macha is green tea powder, which is made from green tea leaves raised in the shade. The tea leaves are steamed, dried, and grounded into powder. Houjicha is made by roasting green tea leaves. It contains little caffein or tannin. Genmaicha is blended tea of green tea leaves and popped rice. Bancha is low grade green tea which is made from tea leaves picked in late summer.
To brew green tea, using a Japanese teapot called kyusu is the best. Basically put green tea leaves in the pot and pour some hot water. Then, cover the lid and wait for a while before serving green tea into individual tea cups called yunomi which has no handles. When serving green tea, make sure not to leave any tea in the tea pot. You may brew green tea a few times from the same tea leaves.
To brew tasty green tea, water temperature is important. Change the temperature depending on the kind of green tea you are drinking. Cool boiling water in a tea pot or tea cups before pouring over tea leaves.
When brewing sencha green tea, use 160F degree hot water and brew about one minute in a tea pot. To brew gyokuro green tea, use 110F degree hot water and brew about two minutes. To brew hojicha, genmaicha, and bancha, use boiling water and brew just 15-20 seconds.
To drink macha green tea, shift 1 tsp of maccha green tea powder in a large tea cup and add 1/4 cup of 160F degree hot water in it, then stir quickly with a bamboo tea whisk.
Pouring hot sencha green tea over some ice in a cup makes iced green tea. Enjoy green tea!
