Although the same plant - Camellia Sinensis - is grown everywhere in Japan, the market is full of large quantities of different teas, not only by their names but also the appearance, and most of all - taste. This is because, depending on the conditions in which they are grown, and whether - and how - processed later, Japanese teas have different names.
You cannot discuss Japanese teas, without mentioning the umami. This is the fifth basic taste (the other being of course: sweet, salty, sour and bitter), discovered by a Japanese researcher Ikeda Kikunae in 1908. It is the taste of glutamic acid, present among others in mature tomatoes and soy sauce. The taste of umami is highly valued in Japan. No wonder that the Japanese appreciate most types of tea which naturally contains a lot of glutamic acid, and thus - a distinct touch of umami. It can be found in the highest quality teas, especially shaded.
Some basic guidelines should be followed when brewing and the same applies to both loose tea and bagged one.
Water is very important when brewing high-quality green tea. It is recommended to use filtered water with low pH and low calcium content. The more soft water, the better it brings out the flavours and aromas of the tea.
Attention should be paid to water temperature when brewing green tea. Preparing black tea is as simple as pouring boiling water, but treated in this way, green tea will become cloudy and bitter. Never attempt to infuse the water with a temperature higher than 80 degrees C. It is also aware of the general principle that the higher-quality tea, the lower the water temperature should be and the longer the brewing time should be adopted.
Brewing time is also very important factor. Most of the Japanese teas have a very short steeping time - from 1 to 3 minutes. Only the highest quality teas can be brewed longer, but the water at a lower temperature (up to 60 degrees Celsius). Japanese green tea becomes very bitter if brewed for too long. It should be remembered that Japanese tea can be infused several times, however brewing time should be extended with each subsequent infusion. If not sure if the water temperature is right, we should trust our own taste and experiment a little. If brewed tea is bitter and is has yellowish colour, it means that the water was too hot and a little colder should be used for next infusion.
Many people claim that the first brew of green tea is the worst. In the past first infusion was often discarded, but this was a time when teas weren't made with such care as today. They contained a lot of dust and other contaminants, and the first brewing was used to rinse the tea leaves. Therefore this isn't necessary today. Made with great care, high quality Japanese teas do not contain contaminants, and the first brew often turns out to be the best.
As green tea became popular throughout the Europe and USA, it can be found in almost every supermarket.
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