What is ”tencha,” the raw material for matcha? Its characteristics and how to brew it deliciously.

What is the difference between matcha and powdered tea?This articleI explained this in the article. In this article, I will explain about tencha, the raw material for matcha.

First, the kanji for ”tencha” may not be very familiar. This kanji means ”mill” or ”to grind with a millstone.” Therefore, tencha refers to tea that is ground with a millstone.

Next, let’s talk about how tencha is made.

Like kabusecha and gyokuro, which were explained in previous articles, tencha is also covered before harvesting. This covering process creates the vibrant green color, the unique kabuse aroma, and the rich sweetness and umami of the tea. During the production process, the leaves are steamed to stop fermentation, dried without being kneaded, and the stems and veins are removed to complete the tea.

A major difference from gyokuro and kabusecha is that tencha leaves are not kneaded. Consequently, tencha leaves have a flat, seaweed-like shape, and the aroma resembles that of seaweed, which is quite interesting.

Since tencha is used as a raw material for matcha, it rarely appears on the market as a finished product. However, recently, it has become more common to see tencha on store shelves. If you’re interested, try brewing it in a kyusu. It’s a delicious tea with a good aroma and enjoyable sweetness and umami.

How to Brew Tencha

• Tea leaves amount: 8g (about 3 heaping teaspoons)
• Water amount: 200ml
• Brewing temperature: 70°C
• Brewing time: 2 minutes

In addition to the above method, you might also enjoy brewing tencha in a style similar to how you brew drops tea to savor a rich umami flavor similar to gyokuro.