The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Japan's Green Teas - From Field to Factory
Japan is made up of four major islands and over 3000 small islands.  With more than 80% of         
Japan's landmass mountains, it leaves little room left over to divide up between the people,          
cities, and agriculture.
After the U.S., Japan is the next most industrial-
ized  country in the world, having risen to the
challenge of utilizing every square foot of avail-
able land to it's best advantage.  

Even with the minimum of workable land, Japan
still managed to rank 8th in world tea production
in 2004, and 13th for tea exports.

Even though it can't compete with the volume of
tea produced by other major tea producing coun-
tries, Japan ranks at the top for its efficient, pre-
cise production methods.  

They have gone from making handmade teas in
the beginning to machine manufactured tea in the
19th century and on to computer-automated
machines in the 20th century, with workers   
performing their tasks in state-of-the-art factories.

Unlike China, Japan's tea gardens aren't situated high atop moun-
tains in steep, terraced plots, but rather are carefully arranged on
softly undulating hills in straight, well manicured rows.  With grow-
ing space at a premium its important that every square foot of land
be used efficiently, producing the highest tea yield possible.

Most of Japan's tea is harvested either by high volume mechanical shearing machines, or hand
held mechanical cutting shears.  In the case of the hand held shears, a pair of workers face each
other across a row of tea, each holding an end, and guiding the shears across the top of the row
of tea bushes.

In larger gardens, where rows have been planted to accommodate the girth, the large shearing
machines straddle the row, neatly trimming the tea bushes with an even, uniform pluck.

Approximately 200-300 pounds of tea can be plucked per worker, per day, using these high
volume machines or hand held shears.  Because of the increased plucking capacity, a fourth har-
vest can sometimes be accomplished in the southernmost regions with the cooperation of
Mother Nature and proper weather conditions.  
For a great selection of quality teas, gifts, and
accessories, visit:
The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Store
Copyright 2011 www.theteadetective.com  All rights reserved.
No reproductions of any kind allowed without permission.
Processing Japanese Green Teas
Even though all Japanese teas are essentially green, each individual tea requires different steps
in the manufacturing process.  There are nine basic steps in processing Japan's green teas, with
as many as 12 to 14 other intermediary steps added.  The first six basic steps produce aracha,
and the last three are finishing steps for the final tea refining, or shiagecha.  Lets examine the
nine basic steps:

                                            It starts, of course, where all tea starts, in the field with plucking.      
                                             From there the freshly plucked leaf is quickly brought to the factory   
                                             and placed in the green leaf preserver where it remains for several   
                                             hours, until the production line is ready for it.  While waiting, air is     
                                             blown over the top of the leaf to keep it cool.

                                            Step two is steaming, to stop the oxidation of the leaf.  It is steam-   
                                             ed for 30 to 45 seconds, up to 120 seconds for deep steamed teas
such as Fukamushi Sencha. After steaming the leaves are left to cool down to room temperature.

Next the leaf is placed in the primary roller/dryer where warm, gentle air is blown onto it, while
mechanical hands toss it in a continuous motion.

In step four the tea is transferred to a rotary rolling machine, where it is rolled in a slow, steady
circular motion over a grooved bottom plate.  Slight pressure exerted on the fresh leaf helps to
evenly distribute internal cell juices.

Next comes the secondary tea roller/dryer which further dries the tea as it begins to take on its
characteristic shape.  Step six is the final roller/dryer where the tea is put through a series of
mechanical paddles that push it back and forth across a grooved plate that shapes it into its
characteristic long-needle style.

With the completion of the first six steps the moisture in the leaf is now approximately 13%.  The
leaf is now called aracha or crude tea.  All Japanese green tea is processed into aracha first and
then receives the final three steps where it's put through a second set of machines that sort,
separate, and give the leaves a final drying or "roasting."

These last three steps of the refining process bring out and balance the flavor, aroma, and color
of the leaf as well as giving the finished leaf a rich, glossy shine.  At this point the moisture con-
tent in the finished leaf has been reduced to 5%.  With the completion of the last three refining steps, the finished
leaf is now called shiagecha.

Both large and small tea companies process and refine tea from aracha.  It's a common practice in Japan for artisan
tea makers and merchants to purchase aracha and then skillfully finish it in their own workshops.  Teas such as
gyokuro and sencha can be blended to suit the individual taste of their customers, which can vary from one region to
another, as they add their own unique touch to the finishing.

Because all of the tea grown in Japan is used to produce just a few different styles, Japanese tea is always blended
and sold without identifying the region, farm, or tea garden where it was 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.

Which three teas is India most famous for?
Learn about India and the teas it's best know for, as well as the growing seasons, climate, and its
majestic terrain.

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.  (Visit Silver Leaf Teas for a great selection of quality
China black, green, flavored, blended, and scented teas).

Teas of the World
Over 50 countries produce tea today.  Learn which countries are in the top ten for tea production and
export, and which new up and coming countries are producing the teas you can expect to see in your
cup in the near future.

Yixing teapots - where beauty meets function.
Yixing teapots are beautiful yet functional, and with proper care can last a lifetime.  Get tips on buying
either decorative or functional teapots and price ranges for each category.  Also learn how to care for
and season your new Yixing Teapot.

When and where was tea first discovered?
Learn the early history of tea, from its discovery thru the mid 16th century and China's early trade with
Europe.
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.