Japan

Japan is famous for its tea. In fact, it would be difficult to describe Japanese food culture without mentioning tea and the Japanese tea ceremony.

Japanese tea is mostly green. And unlike Chinese green tea, the leaves are usually steamed to prevent oxidation, rather than fired in a pan. This, together with the unique terroir of Japan (particularly the volcanic soil and proximity to the sea), and the increasingly common practice of shading the leaves before plucking, has a major impact on the flavour profile of Japanese tea.

The main tea growing areas in Japan are Shizuoka, Uji and the island of Kyushu, particularly Kagoshima. For more information on green tea, please read our magazine articles “A beginner’s guide to green tea” .

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