Kyoto Uji Green Tea

The luxury “Uji tea” is the one of the three major teas in Japan, is product of Uji city locates southern area of Kyoto.

History of Uji Green Tea

Early Kamakura period, tea nursery tree brought to Japan from china.
And the middle of the 13th century, emperor visit Uji area. That was the beginning of the history. Then Uji became tea-growing district rapidly with blessing of soil and climate.
Developed a cultivate system, has vivid, tasty tea leaf, established tea ceremony. But people didn’t stop and reached to a totally new quality tea called Maccha (Green tea powder).
Furthermore, tea party (not tea ceremony) became widely popular in the middle of the Edo period by another type of tea “Gyokuro Tea” and “Sencha Tea” made from Uji produced special highest quality green tea.

Types of Uji Green Tea

There are many types now, and it makes difference by soil, climate, and cultivation. In here, we would like to introduce just a part of them.。

• Sencha Green tea：The most popular tea. This cultivates with the direct sun ray and uses first sprout.
• Gyokuro Green tea：The highest quality green tea. This cultivates where does not reach the direct sun ray.
• Kabuse Gyokuro Green tea：This has middle taste of Gyokuro and Sencha. It’s cultivation is almost same as Sencha, but cuvers tea plant not to reach the direct sun ray.
• Maccha Green tea：A powdered Green tea type. The Tea Ceremony always uses this type. Its taste is really bitter.
• Hoji-cha：This is a roasted green tea, is less caffeine, has mild and fragrant.
• Genmai-cha：This is a tea added roasted whole-rice. Its taste is mild and fluent.
• Karigane Green tea：This is a stem tea known as luxury tea. The Taste is fresh and mild.