What do you think of when you hear the words "Japanese green tea"?

Matcha is also a type of Japanese green tea, but there is also another way to enjoy Japanese tea where the tea leaves are steeped in hot water.
You may have already tried Japanese green tea from a bottle at work or at home.

The History of Japanese Tea

The history of Japanese green tea is linked to the arrival of Buddhism from China. Back in the the 7th century a monk returned to Japan from China and brought with him the tea plant – along with the culture of tea-drinking.
It is said that the first monk who brought tea back to Japan said that tea can prolong our lives by warming the vital organs – and can also be used medicinally to cure a hangover – but that’s another story...

Enjoyment of tea quickly spread from the clergy to the samurai class.
Tea tasting contests became popular and tea was used as a way to demonstrate wealth and power. However, for the samurai, tea had another important meaning.

Tea was used as a way to calm the mind and bring relaxation during an age of turmoil and political upheaval.
Taking the time to grind the leaves, boil the water, brew the tea and drink it with much attention and focus was an opportunity to step away from the bleakness of war and at peace , even for a moment.
A famous tea master named Sen no Rikyu, who set out many of the precepts of what we today call the Tea Ceremony, was himself called upon to serve tea to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the ruling warlord in Japan in the late 16th century, in a make-shift tea hut created for the powerful military leader in middle of the battlefield during one of the most important campaigns of his leadership. So close to death, what peace did Hideyoshi find in tea that day?

Japanese tea is now a part of everyday life.

How to enjoy Japanese Green Tea in everyday life?

In addition to its subtle taste, please take time to enjoy the process of brewing the tea.
Just as samurai enjoyed tea as a way to try and forget conflict and calm themselves, even for a moment, we would like you to enjoy the process of boiling water, brewing tea and drinking it in contemplative silence.

Take a little bit of time away from your busy life...
Boil water, see the steam, pour hot water over the tea leaves, observe the clear water turn a gentle shade of green.
Enjoy the subtle aroma that results from this process.
Give it one minute after pouring the hot water, take a breath and slowly savor your Japanese Green Tea.