Sencha
The majority of tea harvested in Japan today is of the Sencha variety. It's grown in full sunlight and plucked three or four times per year. The very first of these harvests results in a high grade tea of exceptional quality. Often called Shincha it is usually identified by its deeper green leaves and is reputed to have very high levels of beneficial antioxidants. All subsequent harvests after the Shincha produce teas of a slightly lesser quality, although this can only really be noticed by tea connoisseurs and certainly doesn't compromise any of green tea's health giving properties.

Sencha probably accounts for about 80% of all Japanese teas exported around the world today. It is an everyday tea but still a classic in its own right. Of all the Vitamins found in Sencha, the largest concentration is that of Vitamin C. It's often said that heat can disrupt the effectiveness of this particular Vitamin, but in the case of green tea the Vitamin C is soluble in hot water and so it retains all the health giving benefits.

Gyokuro

About two weeks before the harvest Gyokuro is shielded from the sun. The entire tea garden is kept in the shade using reed screens and matting. Rice straw is then spread on top of this to offer further protection from the sun's rays. The Shading from the sun slows down photosynthesis, enabling the theanine content in the leaves to remain stable and limit its conversion to other compounds. This stabilisation of compounds gives Gyokuro its unmistakable darker leaf and full bodied taste. The pickers only ever collect the first flush of the spring harvest, which makes Gyokuro an expensive and very high grade tea.

Once brewed, Gyokuro has a deep yellow/ green appearance and its flavour has the perfect balance of astringency and sweetness due to the shading prior to harvesting.

Kabusecha

In a way very similar to Gyokuro as it is also plunged into shadow about two weeks prior to harvesting. The only subtle difference is that instead of being deprived of all sunlight it is shaded to a degree of between 40 and 50%. These diffused sunlight conditions make for another high grade tea where similar to Gyokuro only the first flush of the spring is picked. It has a sweeter taste than Gyokuro, is less astringent and once brewed radiates a hue of emerald green.

Genmaicha

A Bancha leaf that is blended with roasted wholemeal rice. The resulting infusion has a unique aromatic roasted flavour. Often referred to as popcorn tea, Genmaicha is another green tea that is very low in caffeine.

Kokeicha

Roughly translated Kokeicha means formed tea. It is a speciality Japanese green tea prepared from fine tea powder. It is crafted into pine needle like shapes and brews a wonderful cup of smooth light liquor that radiated a bright golden yellow.

Matcha

Matcha is another tea also given shade throughout its propagation. This is the green tea traditionally used in the famous Japanese Tea Ceremonies we often hear about. When processed only the soft parts of the leaves are used which are then dried, de-veined, and finally ground into a fine powder. Matcha has a low tannin content which gives it a very characteristic mellow flavour.