Bancha

Bancha is the result of later harvests of the Sencha and by now the leaves are more coarse. It is one of the popular everyday green tea drinks of Japan and still has a unique character and exceptional flavour all of its own. Bancha is a firm favourite for those on a macrobiotic diet as it helps retain the body's alkalinity. Also, as it's low in tannins Japanese parents are happy about giving this tea to their children to drink.

Hojicha

When Bancha is roasted or baked it results in the mild refreshing taste of Hojicha. The heat from the roasting process destroys nearly all the caffeine and gives it a unique smokey fragrance and sweet roasted flavour. Hojicha is thought to be particularly good in assisting the body in digestion.

Fukamushicha

Essentially, this is a high grade Sencha that has been steamed for twice as long as regular green teas. The extra time in the steaming process allows the leaves to be heated to the core, making them drier and imparting the tea with a stronger flavour altogether.