Uji Matcha from JAPAN

Tea (Camellia sinensis)

Tea is a beverage made from the leaves of the Camelliaceae family. It is loved around the world for its taste, aroma, and color, brought out by various processing techniques. Japanese tea is a type of unfermented tea (green tea) and has a refreshing aroma that is different from fermented teas such as black tea and oolong tea. Steaming the tea leaves instantly after picking to deactivate the enzymes and stop the fermentation brings out the characteristic aroma. Matcha is made from tea leaves that have been grown under cover for a few weeks before harvesting. Tea grown in this way will have more caffeine and less tannins than those exposed to direct sunlight. The raw leaves are steeped, heated, dried, and then ground with a stone grinder to produce matcha. It has a special mellow, sweet and fragrant flavor with a green note. Uji has all the right conditions for growing good tea, and only teas from Kyoto, Nara, Shiga and Mie prefectures that are processed in Kyoto are allowed to be crowned with the “Uji Matcha” brand. Matcha has been attracting attention recently as a beneficial health food for its nutritional qualities. It is expected to become more popular in the future as a unique Japanese food culture with its taste and positive impact on the mind and body.