【What is tea？】
Tea is made from the buds,leaves,etc.of tea plants which belong on the Theaceae
family.
Tea is a perennial evergreen plant,and mainly distributed in relatively warm
subtropical regions in the world with mildly acidic soil having an annual averagetemperature of 13℃ or higher and annual precipithion of 1300mm or more,and islargely categorized in a Chinese variety and Assam type.
A cold-resistant Chinese variety is mainly cultivated in a temperate region. It has small
leaves, is shrubby with less tannin content, and mainly used as a raw material of greentea.
Less cold-resistant Assam type is cultivated in subtropical and tropical regions. It haslarge leaves and is arborescent with more tannin content, and mainly used as a raw
material of black tea, although clear distinction of raw material has not always been
made.
There are also various medium types between a Chinese variety and Assam type, which
may be categorized into four varieties including Chinese variety with small leaves,
Chinese variety with large leaves, Indian variety with small leaves(Xiang),Indianvariety with large leaves(Assam type).
The Chinese variety with small leaves is distributed in the southern and eastern partsof China and Taiwan, characterized by low tree height, many branches, small leaves
with approximately 4cm length, and hard and dark gereen leaves with no pointy tip.
Hybrids of this variety with small leaves are believed to Hiyama in Akita Prefecture iscurrently the northernmost limit for cultivation is generally believed to be the area
where Murakami-shi in Niigata Prefecture and Daigo-machi in Ibaraki prefecture areconnected.

There are two theories regarding native tea bushes naturally grown in the mountainsof Kyusyu and Shikoku in Japan: The natural growth theory and migration theory fromChina. In recent years, some of them are believed to have been migrated in very oldtimes, i,e.,prehistorical times.
In a broad sense, expression like 〇〇tea (〇〇cha)is used such as houttuynia cordata
tea and mixed tea forexample where plant leaves,etc.are dried and infused with hotwater or brewed for drinking, while in this textbook, tea is limited to teaplants(Camellia sinensis) as raw materials.

【Production of tea】
Tea plants are originally evergreen plants grown in the subtropical zone and arewidely cultivated from the north latitude of 45degrees in general.
The tea plants cultivated in Japan belong to small leaf species of Chinese variety andare relatively superior in cold resistance. They used be cultivated all over Japan
including Hokkaido; however the economic northernmost limit of cultivation is
generally believed to be the area where Murakamishi in Niigata Prefecture andDaigo-machi in Ibaraki Prefecture are connected, while extremely few tea plants arecultivated in the northern Tohoku District such as Akita Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture,Aomori Prefecture, etc.
1) Production areas of tea in Japan and their main characteristics are as follows:☆Saitama Prefecture(Sayamacha)
It is believed to have begun when the Priest Myoe Syonin planted tea in the Kwagoe
region in the Kamakura Period. The Sayama region is currently the main production
area, known for tea with astringent taste yet storng sweet and brisk taste with uniquearoma called “Sayama’s firing aroma” generated with storong firing at the stage ofrefine processing.
☆Sizuoka prefecture(Sizuokacha)
The tea production Volume here is the highest in Japan, comprising approximately
half of the total nationwide tea production, Sizuokacha is known for good quality andabundance. Unique tea utilizing respective natural environments is produced mainly in
Makinohara Highland in the middle of the Prefecture as well as base of Mt.Fuji andbasins of the Abe River, Oi River, Tnryu River and Ota River. Regarding Kinds of tea, it

is the main production area of regular Sencha and heavily steamed Sencha.Okabe-chois famous for production of Gyokuro.
Kakegawa city is one of the top green tea producing centers in Japan where theclimate is perfect for growing green tea is a perfectly fit for the quality of tea leaves inKakegawa. You can enjoy the deep green tea color and natural aweet taste. After being
basked fully in the sun while growing, tea leaves are steamed for a longer period than
the typical green tea during manufacturing Fukamushicha. This extra steaming breaks
down the fibers furthermore resulting to easily extract ingredients such as
beta-carotene, vitamin E, Chlorophyll in addition to catechin and theanine. They areknown to have preventive effects on lifestyle-related diseases. Include Kakegawa deep
steamed green tea in your healthy long life just like people in Kakegawa.
Mt.Awagatake (Higasiyama in Kakegawa city)☆Siga Prefecture(Omicha)
Omicha is mainly Sencha. Sinrakucha,Tosacha,Mandokorocha,etc. are well-known, andAsamiyacha in Sinraku-cho is particularly famous for its high aroma.
☆Kyoto Prefecture(Ujicha)
It is a historical production area that started when Yosai gave the Priest Myoe Syonin
tea seeds from Song of China that were sewn on the soil of Toganoo and Uji. Uji-shi is amain production area of gyokuro and tencha(raw material of matcha), and theproduction volume of both is the highest in Japan. High-grade Sencha is produced in thesouthern part of the prefecture with superior refine technique, as it is well-known asUjicha.
☆Nara prefecture(Yamatocha)
The production area is the mountainous area of the entire Yamato Plateau adjacent totea production areas in Mie prefecture , Shiga prefecture , and Kyoto prefecture. Tae ofgood quality is produced.
☆Fukuoka Prefecture(Yamacha)
It is a production area of Sencha, mainly covering the overall Yame region. Gyokuro isproduced in the mountainous area mainly in Hoshino-mura, known as the production
area comparable to Kyoto.
☆Kumamoto Prefecture(Kumamotocha)
Production is spreading to the overall prefecture mainly in hilly and mountainous
area and Hitoyoshi and Kuma regions. The production volume consists of Sencha andtamaryokucha.
☆Miyazaki Prefecture(Miyazakicha)
Pan fired tamaryokucha is produced in the mountainous area at the northwesternpart, and Sencha of good quality is produced in the Kirishima Basin by taking
advantage of the unique climate. The scale of operation is large on a flat land, andmechanized cultivation is also in progress.
☆Kagoshima Prefecture(Kagoshimacha)
The tea production volume is the second highest next to Shizuoka prefecture.
Kagoshimacha is produced all over in the prefecture,i.e., from the foot of Mt,Kirishima
to ward Makizono, Osumi Peninsula, and Satsuma Peninsula. Mechanized cultivation
is in progress in flat tea fields of the Satsuma region mainly including Chiran and Ei.

【Taste-elements of Tea】
*SenchaTable 6 represents the content and quality of the main soluble componets(70% of thetotal soluble components) of taste in graduated Sencha (none that they do not represent
the total content of Sencha).

As can be seen from the table, the most abundant component in green tea is catechins.

Bitterness and astringency, which from the base for the taste of Sencha or green tea, areconsidered to be mainly attributed to catechins. With regard to the four main
ingredients,

theyusuallycontainagreateramountinorderofepigallocatechin-gallate(EGCg), epigallocatechin(EGC) or epicatechin-gallate(ECg), andepicatechin(EC).
The characteristics of the taste, as seen in the Table, are bitterness and astringency.
Epicatechin and epigallocatechin, which are known as free catechin, have bitterness
and weak astringency. Although the characteristics of the gallate type is bitterness andastringency, they provide relatively little sense that adheres to the mucosal membraneof the tongue or mouth, unlike astringent persimmon.
There are roughly 20 kinds of amino acids which contribute to the brothy taste andsweetness, as described above, and theanine accounts for about half of the wholeamount. The next amino acids in relatively largest content are glutamic acid, arginine,
aspartic acid, glutamine and serine, and then others in amall amounts.

Regarding the taste of these amino acids,
Theanine

has sweetness and a brothy taste but the taste is weak

Glutamic acidhas sourness anda brothy taste and the taste is strong

Arginine

has bitterness

Aspartic acidhas sourness

However, these are the tastes when tasted individually, if an amino acid coexists withanother component, its taste changes. For example, it is said that glutamic acid does notmake us feel a sour taste when in a neutral solution, and that a mixture of glutamic acidand arginine makes us feel a strong, brothy taste.

【Functionality of Green Tea】
Intoroduction of functionality of green tea researched and announced medically.
*Effective to prevent cancer.
Green tea catechin suppresses growth of carcinogenic substances very effectively inhuman cells.
*Prevent arteriosclerosis and storoke. Promote hypotension.
Green tea provides inhibitory action for substances rising in blood. Green tea promotes
enhancing the rate of HDL known as a good cholesterol and prevents arteriosclerosis.
Greentea

thatcontains

highrateofgamma-aminobutyricacid

promotes

hypotension.(proven by Kakegawa Study/June,2009-march2012.Commissioned projectby Kakegawa city from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and fisheries)*Lower blood glucose level.
Polysaccharide helps to prevent diabetes.
*Prevent teeth decay. Restrain breath odor.
Catechin and fluorine help to prevent teeth decay. Flavone helps to restrain breathodor.
*Prevent food poisoning.
Sterilizing power of green tea is effective against cholera germs, dysentery, vibrio

parahaemolyticus, pathogenic E. coil bacteria O-157, and rotavirus.
*Improve intellectual activity and exercise capacity.
Caffeine stimulates central nerves in cerebrum and improves intellectual activity andexercise capacity. Also caffeine is known to provide cardiotonic action, diuretic effect andspiritually calming effect.
*Prevent aging.
Green tea can suppress production of free radicals and lipid peroxide in our bodies andprevent aging. Green tea is more effective than vitamin E and can strongly suppress
mutation and have anti-oxidative effect.
*Beauty and HealthVitamin C in green tea is relatively resistant to heat and can preserve for a long time.
Taking abundant vitamin C increases resistance against infection of viruses and iseffective to prevent many kinds sicknesses. Vitamin C also works to build skin elasticity
and helps to retain moisture in skin. It also prevents forming melanin pigment which
creates blotchy complexion.
*0 Calories and Abundant Minerals.
Green tea is high in alkalinity and has many kinds of minerals to prevent acidificationof our bodies. Green tea has no calories.

【Classification of green tea and their chracteristics 】*By method
SenchaCommon green tea which the leaves are steamedin the regular way.
It is characterized by umami and refreshing astringency,bitterness.
Fukamusicha
Green tea which the leaves are deep steamed tosuppress the bitterness. A lot of the taste of tea isdrawn out, and it features a deep umami and arefreshing rear end. It is relatively easy to brew.

By cultivation and processing method
GyokuroHigh-quality green tea from the tea plant shaded
from the direct sun and processed in a special way.
It is characterized by the blessings of nature and therich umami of Japanese tea that the craftsmen
created, as if it got drunk as if it were drunk.
MatchaPowdered green tea from the tea plant shaded fromthe direct sun and processed by stone mortar.
Umami is stronger than senior items, bitterness
bitterness in turn, astringent comes out little bylittle.

By the harvesting timeBanchaGreen tea made with the coarse leaves harvested
after summer time.
Featuring a refreshing astringent, the backentrance is refreshing. Because astringency iscatechin, it is a healthy tea.

By from or part of the leavesMecha
Green tea made from the buds of tea plant sorted
at the finishing process.
It features a sharp taste.

KonachaPowdered

Green tea sorted at the finishingprocess.You can enjoy a rich taste easily. It's
"Agari" (Tea to drink at the end of meal) tea
served at an old sushi restaurant

Kukicha
Green tea made from leave steams sorted at thefinishing process.
Clear and lush taste with no astringency.

By processing method
Kamairicha
Unlike steamed green tea etc, it is a tea made byroasting fresh leaves in a kettle. It features aunique fragrance. The taste goes well with westernfood in a dry atmosphere also in the thick.
Genmaicha
Green tea with roasted brown rice.
Fragrant fragrance and mild taste

Houjicha
Aromatic greentea roasted by storong fire.
It features aromatic aroma with a relaxing effectand a pleasant taste. This tea has no caffeine, so you
can drink safely even before you go to bed or who isconcerned about caffeine.
References (Japan Tea Industry Association / Kakegawa City / Japanese Tea Export Promotion Association)

There are various kinds of Japanese tea, there are various flavors, and there arevarious indications. Also, as a characteristic of Japanese tea, the taste is also greatly
different depending on how you make it. In the end, it is very tasty by brewing people
brewing with the heart of "OMOTENASHI", and it is possible to connect hearts andminds.Also, there is a word in Japanese tea words "If you thirsty you drink water, andheart thirstens, you will have tea."We wish from the bottom of our heart that a cup oftea is a part of our hearts. With Japanese tea, everyone's day will be happy!
（Japanese Tea Shop KIMINOEN）