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Cultivars
Almost all Japanese tea used to be one plant. Now that growers name the cultivar on the packet, you can choose by it — which is more precise than choosing by region alone.
Early
Saemidori
A cross of Yabukita and Asatsuyu. Low in astringency with the savory side forward, and a notably bright green liquor.
Yutakamidori
Kagoshima's workhorse. Almost always grown with a period of shading, which turns it deep green and strongly savory.
Asatsuyu
Almost no astringency and distinctly sweet — nicknamed 'natural gyokuro'. Difficult to grow, so plantings are small.
Tsuyuhikari
A relatively recent Shizuoka cultivar. Clean-tasting with a bright liquor, and well suited to deep steaming.
Mid-season
Yabukita
Roughly 70% of Japan's tea fields, and effectively the standard cultivar. It spread on the strength of its aroma and flavor, and over decades became the reference point for Japanese sencha.
Kanayamidori
Carries a sweet, milky aroma. It divides opinion, but people who like it do not forget it.
Sayamakaori
Cold-hardy enough to grow where most cultivars struggle. Strong in both aroma and body.
Samidori
One of the important cultivars for tencha in Uji: dependable under shade and a good yielder.
Late
Okumidori
A late cultivar. Because it can be picked later, it also spreads a region's workload — and it stands up well to shading.
Gokou
An Uji cultivar for gyokuro and tencha, with a pronounced aroma when shaded.
Asahi
Often regarded as one of the finest cultivars for tencha, and frequently used in koicha-grade matcha.
Benifuuki
Bred for black tea. Made as green tea instead, it keeps a distinctive astringency — and a compound profile unlike the others.
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