23 Types of Japanese Teas (Not Just Green Tea)

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Japan’s tea culture is both rich and diverse, featuring an impressive selection of teas enjoyed by millions each day. Beyond the beloved sencha and matcha, there’s hojicha, known for its warm, roasted flavor, and genmaicha, a unique blend of green tea and nutty roasted rice. But Japanese tea isn’t limited to green tea alone. Herbal favorites like barley tea and seaweed tea are staples in Japanese households, offering a refreshing twist to traditional tea culture and remaining just as widely cherished.
In this blog post, we’ll take you on a journey through the fascinating world of Japanese tea, exploring the most iconic offerings from the Land of the Rising Sun, along with hidden gems you’ve likely never encountered before.
Ryokucha (Green tea)
'Ryokucha' means green tea, and it’s the collective name for the green teas produced in Japan, like sencha, bancha, gyokuro, and kabusecha. It can also be used as a generic product name to refer to green teas that, for harvesting or processing reasons, can’t be labelled as a specific type of Japanese green tea.
Sencha
Sencha is one of the most well-known and Japanese green teas. Its flavour is refreshing, vegetal and grassy, with a hint of bitterness and a sweet finish. It is rich in antioxidants and caffeine.
Farmers make it from the young leaves of the tea plant, which they steam, roll, and dry. The tea plants for sencha are grown in full sunlight, giving the plant a darker colour and more bitter flavour than shaded teas like gyokuro and kabusecha. Sencha is steamed and rolled soon after it is harvested.
Mostly, sencha teas aren’t single estate teas but a blend of leaves made by the tea master to keep consistency with the flavour every year. There are three main types of sencha based on steaming level: Sencha Asamushi (lightly steamed), Sencha Chumushi (medium steamed) and Sencha Fukamushi (deep steamed).
Shincha
Shincha, meaning "new tea," is the first green tea of the season, harvested between early April and late May. This highly anticipated first flush is celebrated for its sweet, grassy flavor and elevated amino acid (theanine) content, giving it a rich, full-bodied sweetness.
What sets shincha apart from other first-flush steamed green teas is its emphasis on freshness. After harvest, shincha is quickly processed, packaged, and shipped to stores, ensuring it reaches consumers at its peak flavor. In contrast, most other steamed teas undergo a blending phase under the guidance of a tea master, focusing less on immediate freshness and more on achieving a consistent taste and aroma profile over time.
The unique freshness of shincha means its aroma can vary from year to year, shaped by the specific conditions of that season's harvest. While its processing style is similar to sencha, shincha’s defining characteristic is the precise timing of its picking and its vibrant, seasonal essence.
Bancha
Bancha is a traditional Japanese green tea crafted from the larger, coarser leaves of the tea plant. While its processing method is similar to that of sencha, Bancha is considered a more affordable, everyday tea due to its lower grade.
There are two main varieties of Bancha: Kariban and Shuutobancha. Kariban is made from leaves harvested during the summer’s third and fourth flushes, while Shuutobancha uses the coarser leaves from the first and second flushes. With its robust flavor and distinct yellowish hue, Bancha stands apart from sencha.
It is also commonly used as a base for teas like genmaicha and hojicha, adding to its versatility and charm.
Kabusecha
Kabusecha, or "covered tea," is a unique variety that bridges the gap between sencha and gyokuro. While it is processed like sencha, it undergoes a shading period like gyokuro. However, the shading period is much shorter, typically 7 to 10 days. This partial shading results in a tea that combines the best of both worlds: the vibrant green hue and buttery complexity of gyokuro, paired with the refreshing astringency of sencha. The result is a balanced, nuanced flavor profile with a gentle sweetness and a crisp, invigorating character.
Gyokuro
Gyokuro (jade dew), is a premium Japanese shade-grown green tea known for its sweet and smooth flavour, produced by shading tea leaves for about three weeks (20 days) before harvest. This process enhances the concentration of amino acids and chlorophyll, resulting in a distinctive umami flavour, bright green colour, and a high caffeine content. After harvesting, Gyokuro processing is similar to sencha but requires more care to maintain its aromas. Due to its complex production and unique flavours, Gyokuro is considered one of the best and more expensive Japanese teas.
Tencha
Tencha is a shaded tea that serves as the base for matcha. Unlike gyokuro or kabusecha, tencha leaves are not rolled, as they are specifically prepared to be ground into powder. Instead, the leaves undergo a meticulous de-stemming and de-veining process before being stored and ground into matcha powder fresh upon demand.
Ceremonial-grade matcha is crafted from the finest quality tencha. Since tencha is traditionally stone-milled to produce matcha, it is rare to find it in loose-leaf form at tea shops. However, if you ever get the chance to try it, don’t miss out. Tencha offers a unique flavor profile, with herbal and grassy notes complemented by a delightful, lingering aftertaste.
Konacha
Konacha is a bold and robust green tea made from the small fragments and dust left behind during the processing of sencha and gyokuro leaves. Popularly served in sushi restaurants across Japan, it is also a common choice for tea bags. This tea is known for its full-bodied, astringent flavor and its distinct cloudy, dark green liquor. Despite its name, which translates to "powdered tea," konacha differs from matcha. Unlike matcha, it is not finely ground but instead consists of tiny leaf particles and fragments.
Tamaryokucha
Tamaryokucha, meaning "coiled tea," is a lesser-known variety of Japanese green tea. Its production closely resembles that of Sencha, with one key difference: during the shaping stage, the leaves are not rolled. Instead, they are left with a distinctive curly, round appearance rather than the straight shape typical of Sencha.
Tamaryokucha comes in two types: steamed (guricha) and pan-fried (kamairicha). Among these, kamairicha is particularly rare. The pan-frying method used to make it is uncommon in Japan, as it is traditionally associated with Chinese tea production. Brewed kamairicha stands out for its subtle roasted aroma, absent in the steamed variety, and its rich, smooth flavor with minimal astringency.
Mecha
Mecha, often referred to as "bud tea," is a lesser-known type of green tea made from the tender buds of the tea plant rather than its leaves. It is a byproduct of processing premium teas like sencha and gyokuro. Distinguished by its tiny, rolled buds and leaves, mecha offers a bold umami flavor and a complex aroma profile.
While it is more affordable than sencha and gyokuro due to its byproduct status, mecha is relatively rare. Visually, it resembles konacha, but its quality is significantly higher, as it is crafted from broken buds rather than leaf fragments or tea dust.
Kukicha
Kukicha, also known as twig tea, is crafted from the young stems, stalks, and twigs of the tea plant. Like mecha, it is a byproduct of the processing of gyokuro and sencha. This unique tea is characterized by its delicate green twigs, offering a light and naturally sweet taste paired with a mild aroma.
kuki hojicha. The roasted kukicha boasts warm, nutty, and cereal-like flavor notes, making it a distinct choice. Additionally, kukicha made from gyokuro’s shaded leaves is called karigane. Some tea farmers enhance its flavor by blending kukicha with other teas, creating a one-of-a-kind taste.
Thanks to its lower caffeine content compared to other Japanese green teas, kukicha is an excellent option for enjoying a soothing cup of tea at any time of day.
Hojicha
Hojicha, or houjicha, is a roasted green tea usually made from bancha or kukicha. The tea is roasted at high temperatures, and this process also reduces the caffeine content, making it suitable for those sensitive to caffeine and for consumption in the morning or evening.
Hojicha is characterised by brown leaves/twigs, a bold, earthy flavour, natural sweetness, and a strong roasted aroma. It’s well sought-after in Japan thanks to its low price and distinguished flavour. Moreover, nowadays, powdered hojicha is a popular alternative to matcha for lattes, cakes, and desserts.
Matcha (Powdered tea)
Matcha, sometimes spelled "macha," is a powdered green tea that is dissolved in water rather than steeped like traditional teas. It’s crafted from stone-milled tencha, a shaded tea grown using techniques similar to gyokuro. Unlike gyokuro, however, tencha is not rolled during processing. Instead, it is laid flat to dry before being de-veined, de-stemmed, and finely stone-ground into the vibrant green powder known as matcha.

Often hailed as a “superfood,” matcha stands out because you consume the entire tea leaf when you drink it, delivering a more concentrated dose of nutrients and antioxidants than other green teas. Its strikingly bright green hue, rich umami flavour, and creamy texture make it unique, with a slightly bitter finish. Packed with antioxidants and caffeine, matcha provides a natural energy boost, making it a popular choice for those seeking a healthier caffeine alternative.
Genmaicha (Blend)
Genmaicha or "brown rice tea," is a Japanese blended tea that combines green tea (mostly sencha or bancha) with roasted brown rice grains. Usually the tea/rice ratio is about 50:50.

Originally created to stretch scarce tea resources, genmaicha has gained popularity for its low price, unique nutty flavor and lower caffeine content. Genmaicha can also be blended with other teas like matcha. It features a roasted rice aroma and a light yellow colour.
Kocha (Black tea)
Kocha, also known as wakocha, is the Japanese term for black tea. Unlike the widely recognized green tea, Japanese black tea is less common and primarily made from the Benifuuki cultivar. This tea plant is highly resilient to disease and can thrive across nearly all regions of Japan. Japanese black teas are celebrated for their delicate, fragrant aromas and low astringency. With a mild flavor and medium body, they are reminiscent of certain Chinese black teas, offering a distinct contrast to the bolder, more astringent profiles of Indian and Ceylon teas.
Uroncha
Uroncha is the Japanese term for Oolong tea. This semi-oxidized tea is traditionally produced in China and Taiwan, with limited production occurring in Japan, particularly in Miyazaki Prefecture. In the 1980s, Japan began researching the production of uroncha as green tea consumption declined among younger Japanese people.
The country adopted Taiwanese oolong production techniques, investing in machinery and focusing on organic cultivation to develop its oolong tea. As a result, Japanese oolongs are more similar to Taiwanese oolongs than to their Chinese counterparts.
Herbal and floral tea
Mugicha
Mugicha, a traditional roasted barley tea, is a beloved staple in Japan, particularly enjoyed as a chilled beverage. Renowned for its rich, toasty, and nutty flavor, this tea is naturally caffeine-free, making it a refreshing and wholesome choice. Originally prepared by steeping roasted barley in warm water, mugicha is now more commonly brewed using convenient tea bags, blending tradition with modern ease.
Gobocha
Gobocha is made from burdock root, a vegetable commonly used in Japanese cuisine. High-quality burdock roots are steamed and roasted to create this herbal tea, which has an earthy taste similar to mushroom broth. It is caffeine-free and has gained popularity due to its high fibre and antioxidant content.
Sakuracha
Sakuracha, or sakurayu, is a spring floral tea traditionally drunk during spring and on special occasions such as weddings. It is made of cherry blossoms pickled in plum vinegar and salt before drying. This ensures the preservation of the flowers throughout the year. Consequently, this tea has a slightly salty taste and a flowery fragrance, which is uncommon for a floral tea. There is also a sweet version of sakuracha, but it’s less common due to the more complex processing. Pickled blossom flowers are also used for cooking, as the salty and slightly acidic taste pairs wonderfully with several traditional dishes.
Japanese kombucha
Although kombucha is known as a fermented drink made with yeast and bacteria in Western countries, the real Japanese one is entirely different. Kombucha or kobucha is a herbal tea made of dried powdered kombu kelp seaweed. It has an intense umami and savoury flavour and is also commonly drunk with pickled dried apricots and plums to add a hint of tart. Thanks to its rich taste, it is also used as soup stock and dish's natural flavouring.
Kuromamecha
Kuromamecha is a Japanese herbal tea made by roasting black soybeans, resulting in a rich, nutty flavour with a sweet and smooth profile. Both the hot and cold versions are highly appreciated. Black soybeans are healthy, rich in fibre and naturally caffeine-free legumes and after steeping them you actually can eat them and add them to other dishes.