Japanese Tea and Teaware

January 13, 2024

"The History of Japanese Tea"

It is said that Japanese tea originated from China about 1,200 years ago. In Japanese history books, it is written that "in 815, a monk brewed tea and offered it to Emperor Saga," and this is said to be the first written account of tea drinking in Japan. In the beginning, tea was a very valuable commodity, and only a limited number of people, such as the aristocracy, could consume it.
The Kamakura period (1185-1333) is said to have been the time when tea became popular, and there are still books that say that tea is good for health. At that time, tea was similar to matcha, and it seems that people drank it by whisking it with a tea whisk.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), it became popular among the common people. It is said that around this time, a method of producing tea with an unexpected bright color, sweetness, and aroma was created, which amazed the citizens. This production method, also known as the "Uji method," spread to tea plantations throughout the country from the late 18th century onward, becoming the mainstream of Japanese tea.

Today, with the worldwide popularity of Japanese cuisine and increasing health consciousness, Japanese tea has become a worldwide boom.

Tea is broadly divided into three categories based on the method of production: unfermented tea, semi-fermented tea, and fermented tea. Japanese tea is unfermented tea. Japanese tea can be divided into steamed tea and pot-roasted tea. It is said that there are more than 100 kinds of Japanese tea across the country, including the production region, production time/season, cultivation method, processing method, and variety.

There are many different kinds of Japanese tea. It's fun to search for your favorite Japanese tea! So we would like to introduce some representative Japanese teas.

Sencha (煎茶)

This is the most popular tea in Japan. New leaves that have grown in the sun are immediately steamed, rubbed and dried to create a refreshing taste with just the right amount of astringency and a refreshing aroma.

Gyokuro (玉露)
This tea is grown without direct sunlight for about 20 days after the new buds begin to grow. It has less astringency and is rich in body and flavor.

Matcha (抹茶)

As with Gyokuro, the leaves are grown under cover and dried without being rubbed after steaming. Fibrous stems and veins are also removed. It is then ground into a powder using a tea mortar. Recently, its use in confectionery has become standard, and it is also very popular overseas.

Bancha (番茶)
This tea is made from leaves and stems that have grown into new buds and become hard. The taste is refreshing and has no bitterness, making it very easy to drink.

"The History of Teaware Began With the Tea Ceremony"

As for the history of tea utensils, since tea was introduced from China, many of the early tea utensils were made in China at that time. As tea developed as a traditional Japanese culture, tea utensils began to be made domestically in Japan, and many Japanese items have been passed down to this day.

The history of tea accessories in Japan began at the end of the Heian period (710-1192). At first, it was enjoyed only by a limited number of aristocrats, but eventually it spread to the general public as a luxury item and was widely used as a means of entertainment and communication.

Tea utensils were very popular among feudal lords and military commanders during the time of Oda Nobunaga.

During the Sengoku period (1467-1615), when Nobunaga Oda, a Japanese warlord, made his name, tea utensils were very popular among Sengoku daimyos and warlords. At that time, there was a shortage of land and gold to reward daimyo, who were powerful men, important figures in the feudal hierarchy who swore allegiance to the shogun while ruling their own domains with autonomy, and warlords who won battles, so Oda Nobunaga turned to tea utensils instead. Nobunaga began to give tea sets as rewards, and these eventually became very valuable to military commanders as proof that they were recognized by Nobunaga.
In addition, famous tea utensils began to be collected by feudal lords, especially Oda Nobunaga, and the status of Sengoku daimyos and military commanders depended on how well they could collect famous tea utensils. It was also a time when the possession of famous tea utensils was considered a symbol of power. It is said that for the feudal lords and warlords of the Sengoku period, tea utensils were worth more than gold or castles. For this reason, some powerful military commanders went so far as to kill the person holding the famous tea utensils in order to obtain the symbol of their power. Tea ware was so valuable to the samurai.

The arrival of Sen no Rikyu brought about a major change in teaware.

Sen no Rikyu's appearance on the scene marked the greatest turning point in the history of tea ceremony utensils. Sen no Rikyu was already famous as a tea master from the time he served Oda Nobunaga, but at that time Sen no Rikyu was not the best in the world. After Nobunaga, who ruled the country, died in Honnoji Temple along with many famous tea utensils, Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the country. At the same time, Sen no Rikyu became the best tea master in the world.
Sen no Rikyu, who became the best tea master in the world, used his ingenuity to perfect "Wabicha", which is very famous as a style of tea ceremony. As I mentioned at the beginning, the tea ceremony was introduced from China, so the early tea utensils made in China were of absolute value. Sen no Rikyu used his own creativity to create "Japanese" tea ware that surpassed these tea ware, and when they were put on the market, they became very valuable.
Eventually this would extend to Sen no Rikyu's handmade tea scoops, but this was the time when the history of tea utensils reached its peak. Up to now, many master craftsmen have created a wide variety of tea utensils, and they have earned good reputations, but nothing comparable to Sen no Rikyu's has yet appeared. The revolution in tea ceremony utensils that occurred during this period was such a significant event.
Even today, many Sengoku teaware pieces are worth hundreds of millions or billions of yen, and in a Japanese appraisal program five or six years ago, Sen no Rikyu's teaware pieces were valued at 200 million yen.

"Types of Tea Set"

We will introduce the main utensils used for drinking tea in modern Japanese households.

Teapot called Kyusu

A teapot is a special tool for brewing tea, a small container with a handle that holds tea leaves and hot water.

Teapots come in a variety of colors, shapes, designs, and materials. The teapot that is compatible with the type of tea will also change. Whether it's your favorite teapot or a teapot for a special occasion, brewing tea can be a lot of fun if you use it properly.

Teacup called Yunomi

A container into which tea is poured for drinking.

It is a vertical, cylindrical teacup that is commonly used for drinking Japanese tea. Because of its large capacity, the area where the tea touches the air is small, which means it does not get cold easily. Like teapots, there are many different types, and drinking your favorite Japanese tea with your own Yunomi is the most delicious.

Cooling tea utensils called Yuzamashi

A tool used to cool boiled water.

Generally speaking, the best temperature for brewing Sencha is around 70℃, and for brewing Gyokuro is around 40℃. Transferring hot water to the Cooling Tea Utensils once will lower the temperature by about 5-10 degrees Celsius, which is useful in controlling the temperature of the hot water. When transferring the hot water to the teapot, the temperature will drop by about 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, so keep this in mind and transfer the hot water to the teapot at a slightly higher temperature.