Everyday teas, “Bancha”
For Sencha, the two important harvest periods are May, for First-cut tea, and July, for Second-cut. Bancha, also sometimes called “twilight tea,” has a separate harvest season. The name suggests the tea leaves that are picked at a different season. Among Bancha products are third-cut tea, fourth-flush tea, and tea plants gathered in winter or summer harvests. These are anything produced at a stage other than First-cut or Second-cut, and may include large leaves, stems, and so forth.
There are also many types that undergo a process different from the ordinary tea-making process. There are roasted tea products with special roasted aromas, Genmaicha (brown rice tea) with added parched brown rice, and various other tea products, each with intense fragrance and superb flavor. They are very popular. With any type of Bancha, there are many teas with relatively little stimulant and a refreshing astringency. These teas are consumed in large amounts as everyday teas and are beloved by young and old people alike.
Main types of Bancha
Genmaicha
Based on Sencha, this tea product uses leaves that are separated during the Bancha and tea production stages. Brown rice is steamed, dried, and roasted until it turns a toasty color, then added to the tea leaves. Its special character lies in its exquisite aromatic flavor. While Genmaicha is well liked as an everyday tea, it is also popular when produced using high-quality leaves finished as First-cut tea or Gyokuro.
Kukicha (stalk tea, stem tea) ・Boucha (twig tea)
These tea products consist mainly of the gathered stems that were separated at the production stage of First-cut tea. The flavor is sweet and soft. First-cut stems are predominantly sweet. Among such teas, the one in which just the stems of Gyokuro are gathered is called Karigane (“call of the wild goose”). It is much prized.
Houjicha, a roasted green tea product
A hot flame imparts a very special aroma to roasted tea leaves. Caffeine, the bitter component, is reduced by heating, leaving a simple taste. This tea is appreciated after deep-fried fish and vegetables or other robust fare. Many like it before retiring for the night because it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Aside from ordinary Houjicha, Houji Sencha using First-cut tea and Second-cut tea, and Karigane Houjicha, using Gyokuro stems, are also available. These elite Houjicha teas are sweet and have an uncommonly pleasing aroma. The roasting process requires a highly refined technique.
