There are some local teas around Japan. I know of those local banchas which I have read in the text-book, but I have never seen or tasted them. I was able to experience some of them on the tea workshop I attended this weekend.
There were around 15 to 17 different kinds of local tea at the workshop. Most of them were coarser than sencha and had a roasted flavor and less bitterness, which reminds me of a hojicha’s taste. There were some fermented teas, which have more distinctive taste.
Koybancha from Kyoto
It is popular daily tea in Kyoto. This tea uses the leaves that are left after picking leaves for gyokuro. The brewed tea was brown. It is deep roasted so it has a smoky aroma and nutty taste.
There were around 15 to 17 different kinds of local tea at the workshop. Most of them were coarser than sencha and had a roasted flavor and less bitterness, which reminds me of a hojicha’s taste. There were some fermented teas, which have more distinctive taste.
Koybancha from Kyoto
It is popular daily tea in Kyoto. This tea uses the leaves that are left after picking leaves for gyokuro. The brewed tea was brown. It is deep roasted so it has a smoky aroma and nutty taste.
Goishicha from Kochi
This is a fermented tea. It contains lactic acid bacteria. I tested a flavor like soil and sour like citrus.
This is a fermented tea. It contains lactic acid bacteria. I tested a flavor like soil and sour like citrus.
Yoshino-no-hoji-nikkan(hiboshi)banncha from Nara
It made by sun drying. When I sipped the tea, a distinctive taste came first, and it had a clear aftertaste with a faint taste like English tea and hojicha.
It made by sun drying. When I sipped the tea, a distinctive taste came first, and it had a clear aftertaste with a faint taste like English tea and hojicha.
Some other teas (click for the large picture)
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Thanks for this article. I've tried good Gyokuro and a few other quality Japanese green teas, but I am a big fan of bancha. Sometimes I almost feel I have to apologize for liking bancha because some people think it can't be good tea. You really can't find a lot of information about bancha on the 'net at this time. I actually do a lot of searches for "bancha" and I somehow found your blog almost by accident. Glad to see this article. Keep writing.
ReplyDeleteNow I remember how I found your blog. I was searching for "batabatacha."
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