Japanese Matcha

Japanese Tea.  Usually this means green tea of some kind but why is it so special?  Honestly, it is because the Japanese have come up with several different ways to process their little Camellia sinensis plant.

Like typical green tea, it is the least oxidized of all of the teas.  Japanese green teas are also steamed so that they can maintain their bright green color.  Then they’re prepared several different ways.

Sencha is the most popular green tea in Japan.  It is harvested in the early season.  It is created by grinding the tea leaves.  It represents about 80 percent of the tea produced in Japan.

Gyokuro is a high grade of green tea that is grown in the shade.  In fact, it is actually grown in the shade for at least twenty days.  There is actually a different type of green tea that is grown in the shade known as kabusecha.  This type of tea differs from Gyokuro only because it is shaded for approximately a week.

Matcha is the well known green tea powder.  The leaves are steamed, dried and then ground into powder.  This is the tea that mostly used in traditional Japanese Tea ceremonies.  Today matcha is also used to flavor and dye foods like mocha, soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of Wagashi (Japanese confectionery).

Hojicha is made by roasting the green tea leaves unlike most Japanese green teas that are steamed.  The tea leaves are fired at a high temperature which alters the leaf color from green to reddish brown.

Genmaicha is a blend of green tea leaves and popped rice.  It is also known as popcorn tea because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process.  This type of tea was normally drunk by poor Japanese farmers because the rice acted as a filler for and reduced the price of the tea.

Bancha is a tea made from the leaves picked in the late summer.  That’s about all the difference between Bancha and Sencha.

What about you, dear readers? Have you tried the different Japanese green teas?  If so, what do you think? Which ones are your favorites?

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Japanese Tea Ceremony

And now….we will take a look at how the Japanese Tea Ceremony progresses:

Before the ceremony begins, the guests wait in a waiting room called a machiai until the host is ready for them.  When ready, the guests will then wash their hands and mouths from water found in a tsukubai (stone basin) as a purifying step.

The guests enter through a small door, which requires them to bow in humility as they enter.  The host greets his guest with a silent bow.

The ceremony begins with the host cleaning and preparing each of the teas serving utensils.  When this step is finished, the host adds three scoops of matcha (green tea powder) into a tea bowl and a little water.  The host then uses a bamboo whisk to mix the tea into a paste.  Then more water is added until the tea is thick like a soup.

The host then presents the tea to a guest.  They exchange bows.  The guest admires the bowl, rotates it and then takes a drink.  The guest then wipes the rim of the bowl with a cloth.  The tea bowl is then passed on to the next guest who repeats the process.  This continues on to each guest until all have had a drink of the bowl.  The utensil is then returned to the host who will clean the bowl and refill it with.

During this time, the guests may carefully and respectfully examine each utensil using a cloth when handling them.  Once the guests have had their fill, the host will then gather the utensils and the guests will exit with a bow.  Then the ceremony is formally completed.

It takes years to master the art of this ceremony.  At first glance, it all seems so simple.  However, each movement is practiced over and over again until it is perfected with a graceful tranquility.  It’s awesome!

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Chanoyu Ceremony Etiquette

Like any aspect of a Japanese Ceremony, every little detail has its own name and importance…let’s look at a guests’ etiquette:

There can be several guests in a tea ceremony; however for a small meeting the average is about four or five.  The first guest is considered a guest of honor and is called Shokyaku; the second guest is called a Jikyaku and the others are simply called Kyaku.  The last person also has a special name called Tsume.  These guests have a certain sitting order as well as special duties.  For example: the Shokyaku is the main person to communicate with the host (or Teishu).  Here’s information on the dialog between the Shokyaku and the host:

http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/expressions.html

The Teishu would then have a bowl of sweets called a Wagashi.  The bowl is placed between the Teishu and Shokyaku and the Teishu will verbally indicate that the bowl is for the guests.  The Shokyaku then uses both hands to move the bowl to the right to the other guests.

The Shokyaku will then stand and walk to the tea bowl and sit in front of it.  The Shokyaku will then use his cloth or Dashibukusa in his right hand picks up the bowl and places it in the palm of his left hand.  The Shokyaku will then walk back to his seat and sit down.  Then bowl is turned clockwise two times.  Then the tea is drunk in only three little sips, leaving enough for the next two guests.

Then the rim is wiped with a Kaishi.  Then the bowl is passed to all of the guests until it reaches the Tsume.  The last guest will then return the bowl to the Shokyaku who will then inspect the bowl to be sure that there is no damage before returning it to the host.

The host will then ask the guests if they had enough to drink.  If this is so then the Shokyaku will ask the host to clean up and finish the ceremony.

Phew!  What a ceremony!  What do you all think??

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Chinese vs Japanese Green Teas

In the beginning there was a plant.  A green plant. Well…Green tea.   Grown in either Japan or China, this plant is harvested the same way but when it comes to the processing, there are differences:

Chinese – these green teas are mainly roasted or oven dried or sometimes steamed.  Other times the methods are combined.  Some examples are Biluochen (roasted then oven), Zhuyeqing (all three methods) or Houkui (simply ovened).

Japanese – is mainly steamed because it allows the tea to maintain its bright green color and more attractive.  There are sometimes that the tea is pan-roasted.

There are also a lot of varieties in the Chinese green teas.  There are about nine different shapes like loose balls (Dragon Pearls), tight balls (Gunpowder), or gently curled (White Monkey Paw).  There are those with flowers and fruits and others have jasmine.  It is also said that Chinese teas are more likely to be hand-processed instead of made in a factory; however that is only speculation.

Japanese green teas only come in two varieties: needles shaped pieces (Sencha and Gyokuro) and powder (Matcha).   There is also a type of green tea (Sencha) that is mixed with roasted rice that is quite popular in Japan.  It is called Genmaicha.  It is said that it goes quite well with stir-fried foods.

There is also the geographic variety between the teas.  In China, green teas are grown in 15 different provinces while Japan is not big enough to have 15 different provinces.

Who would have thought that there would be such a difference in green teas?  Here’s a challenge: the next time you go to buy green tea, try to found out its origin.  Is it Chinese?  Is it Japanese? Then consider and compare the flavors, do you notice a difference?

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Japanese Tea Ceremony Utensils

When it comes to a simple Japanese Tea Ceremony, it is anything but simple.  Especially when it comes to the utensils.  There are a plethora of utensils, each with its own ritualistic important.  The tools as a whole is called a Dōgu (道具, literally meaning tools) Let’s take a look at each and every one, shall we?

Cha-ire (茶入) (tea caddy) – the shape is usually tall and thin.  The caddy is usually ceramic and stored in decorative bags called Shifuku.

Chakin (茶巾) (hemp cloth) – A chakin does not necessarily have to be made of hemp; it can also be made of linen.  The cloth is used to ritually cleanse the tea bowl after a guest has finished the tea and has returned it to the host.

Chasen (茶筅) (whisk) – this utensil is carved from a single piece of bamboo.  They are technically considered Dōgu; however, it is still necessary in mixing the tea.

Chashaku (茶杓) (tea scoop) – this utensil is also carved from single piece of ivory or bamboo.  This utensil is important because it allows for the correct proportions of the matcha or green tea powder.

Chawan (茶碗) (tea bowl) – This is the most important utensil because otherwise how else are you going to drink the tea?  There are different styles depending on the type of tea or the season.  For example, the host serves the tea in shallow bowls in the summer to allow the tea to cool faster.  In the winter, the tea is served in deeper bowls to maintain the tea’s heat.

Fukusa (袱紗) (silk cloth) – this is a silk cloth that is used in the ritualistic cleansing of the Chashaku.

Furo (風炉) (portable brazier) – This utensil is used primarily in the spring and summer seasons.

Hishaku (柄杓)(Ladle) – this utensil is made of bamboo and is used to transfer the hot water from the iron pot to the tea bowl.  There are various sizes depending on the ceremony and the season.

Kama / Chanoyugama (釜) (iron pot, or kettle) – This utensil is essentially in heating up the water needed for tea.  The Kama is made of iron or copper while the lid is made from cast iron (however, the lid can also be made of bronze, copper, brass, silver or even ancient bronze mirror).

Kensui (建水) (waste water receptacle/ bowl) – this is container where the waste water of recently rinsed tea bowls is held.  To dispose of it during the ceremony is as well as reusing the waste water is a huge ritualistic no-no.

Kobukusa (古帛紗) or Dashibukusa (出帛紗) (silk cloth) – this silk cloth is brought in by the guest.  This cloth is used if a guest would like to inspect a piece of equipment throughout the ceremony.  They are not allowed to touch any of the utensils with their hands; however, they are allowed to touch so long as it is with this cloth.

Ro (炉) (sunken hearth) – this hearth is used in the autumn and winter months.  The sunken structure helps insulate the pot so that it can keep the water hot.

Phew! What a rundown.  I have seen part of a tea ceremony before.  However, I have never seen all of these utensils used.  I find this subject fascinating and would love to find a tea house and see this ceremony in action.  What about you, dear readers?

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