The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
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| Where Japan's Tea Grows - The Uji Region |
| Uji is Japan's oldest tea growing region, where the world famous tea gardens are located just south of the historical city of Kyoto, on the main island of Honshu. Tea first arrived in Japan from China in the 800's, brought from the Jin Chan area of China by monks, to Japan's imperial city of Kyoto. |
| The importance of the tea plants wasn't immed- iately recognized upon their arrival, and the gar- dens weren't planted for several hundred years, until the 1100's. Kyoto remained the imperial city from 794 to 1868, and it was during this time that Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (r. 1449-1474) ordered the expansion of the tea gardens that had been planted 300 years earlier. Many of the ancient tea gardens are still producing tea today, providing most of Japan's finest quality gyokuro, sencha, and matcha (made from tencha leaves). While China makes tea from over 600 different cul- tivars, Japan produces tea from just one variety, |
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| For a great selection of quality teas, gifts, and accessories, visit: The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Store |
| the yabukita clone, which was introduced in 1954, and accounts for over 90% of the tea grown there today. The yabukita varietal produces a larger concentration of amino acids, giving Japan's teas their characteristic thick vegetal brothi- ness, or fullness of flavor, something the Japanese call umami. In the mid 17th century Soen Nagatani, a Uji tea producer invented the Sencha rolling method, a new technique for loose green tea production. This new technique produced a more mellow, brothy tea that quickly caught the fancy of Japanese tea drinkers and became their new everyday tea. Today the Sencha rolling method is used throughout Japan. Not only did the Uji tea producers invent the sencha method, but in the 1860's at the end of the Edo period, they created two new variations in growing Japanese teas; the sencha sun grown method, and the gyokuro shade grown method. No one knows for sure exactly who came up with the idea to shade tea plants, as it's been lost in history over time. What is known, is that shade grown teas have higher levels of both chlorophyll and amino acids in the leaves, while polyphenol levels are lowered. This gives the teas a darker, more vivid emerald green color, with less astringency and a more mellow flavor than entirely sun grown teas. To shade them, the tea plants are covered with a black plastic mesh for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before harvesting. Sencha and bancha are sun grown teas. These teas have slightly lower levels of amino acids and chlorophyll, and have a higher level of certain polyphenols. They are also lighter in color, more vegetal, and slightly more astringent. Just south of Uji's world famous tea gardens that produce all of Japan's most exquisite and expensive teas is Kyoto, Japan's seventh largest city and important cultural center. Uji has suddenly become the suburb of a major and affluent city. And, as is the story so often, its few remaining tea farms have become endangered by urban sprawl, as many of the farmers have already sold their tea gardens to make room for fast food restaurant franchises, shopping malls, apartment complexes, and office buildings. Most gyokuro is grown in Uji and what's left of the remaining gyokuro fields is sandwiched between buildings and on hills surrounding the city of Kyoto. Matcha, made from tencha leaves, is Japan's oldest type of tea, and is also grown in Uji. The best quality tencha comes from the Uji fields in Kyoto prefecture where it originated, and also from the Nara and Mie prefectures to the southeast, where gyokuro and sencha is also grown. Enjoy. For more information or to learn more about tea, visit our other pages: The teas of Japan-where age old tradition, meets new age demand. Follow the history of tea drinking in Japan beginning around the eighth century Nara period through today, and learn about Japan's teas and production process in bright, shiny state-of-the-art factories that turn out some of the world's finest teas. |
| Learn how Japanese teas are made. A close-up look at the nine step manufacturing process for Japan's green teas, from the field through the first six steps to produce aracha and on to the last three refining steps for a finished tea or shiagecha. What type and styles of tea are grown in Japan? Learn about Japan's teas, the type and styles grown there, and a brief description of each one, along with growing cycles, harvesting times, and processing methods. Also which teas are exported and found in and outside the U.S., and online. (For quality teas at a great price, visit Silver Leaf Tea Co.) Which teas come from China? Learn which types of tea come from China and take a close-up look at individual teas, their qualities, growing season, and which are available as exports. (For a great variety of quality China teas with a 100% satisfaction guarantee visit Silver Leaf Tea Co.) Which three teas is India most famous for? Learn about India and the teas it's best know for, as well as the climate, growing season, and its majestic terrain. Teas of the World Over fifty countries produce tea today. Learn which countries are in the top ten for tea production and export, and which up and coming countries are producing the tea you can expect to see in your cup in the near future. When and where was tea first discovered? Learn the early history of tea from its discovery through the mid 16th century and China's early trade with Europe. Can tea be used in cooking? The versatile tea leaf not only makes a great beverage, but is a wonderful addition when cooking. Get tips and ideas for cooking with tea, along with a great, easy recipe for Spanish rice with crab or shrimp. The Gift of Tea Learn why tea makes the perfect gift for birthdays, holidays, get well and more, to show you really care, and also makes the perfect beverage to serve for dinner and entertaining. |
Receive A Guide To Tea, an 88-page book on the history and enjoyment of tea free with your first Adagio Teas order of $19 or more.
An easy-to-use ingenuiTEA teapot, whose ingenious design has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine and HGTV.
Gifts for lovers of tea with free wrapping of all items.