How to Properly Brew Japanese Tea: Complete Guide

Japanese tea is among the most delicate beverages you can prepare at home. It's also one where the result depends most on the details. Water too hot, steeping too long, wrong equipment — and an exceptional tea becomes a bitter brew. Conversely, proper preparation reveals layers of flavor that will surprise you.

This guide will walk you through brewing each major type of Japanese tea — from sencha through matcha to gyokuro.

Basic rules that apply to all Japanese teas

Before diving into individual types, there are several universal rules:

1. Water temperature is key

This is the most important parameter. Never brew Japanese tea with boiling water — you'll destroy delicate aromatic compounds and extract too many tannins. As a general reference: use boiling water (100 °C) only for hojicha and genmaicha; 90 °C is suitable for bancha and genmaicha; 70–80 °C for standard sencha and kabusecha; 60–70 °C for premium sencha and shincha; and just 50–60 °C for gyokuro.

How to achieve the right temperature without a thermometer? Pour water from a boiling kettle into a temporary container — each pour reduces the temperature by approximately 10 °C.

2. Fresh, soft water

Japanese tea is sensitive to water quality. Soft water with low mineralization (less than 100 mg/l) is ideal. Hard water suppresses delicate aroma. If you have hard tap water, use filtered or spring water.

3. Preheat your vessel

Preheat the teapot and cup with hot water before brewing. Cold vessels will drop the temperature another 5–10 °C and prolong steeping time uncontrollably.

4. Strain all the liquid

With Japanese teas, it's essential that the tea doesn't over-steep in the pot. Once steeping time is complete, strain all the liquid into a cup or storage vessel. Leaving tea in the pot causes over-steeping and bitterness.

Brewing sencha step by step

For brewing, you'll need a Japanese teapot (kyusu) with a side filter (or another pot with a filter), approximately 2–3 grams of sencha per 150–180 ml water, and a cup.

Procedure:

1. Heat the teapot and cup with hot water, then empty.

2. Place tea in the pot.

3. Pour water at the correct temperature (70–80 °C for standard sencha).

4. Steep for 60–90 seconds.

5. Strain all liquid into the cup — pour the teapot until the last drops.

Second and third infusions:

Sencha can be steeped 2–3 times. The second infusion (30–45 seconds, water temperature 5–10 °C higher) tends to be fresher and lighter. The third is more delicate.

Brewing matcha step by step

Matcha requires a different approach — instead of steeping, it's whisked. For brewing you'll need a traditional matcha bowl (chawan) (or another deep bowl), a bamboo whisk (chasen), which is essential for proper foam, a bamboo spoon (chashaku) or tea spoon, quality matcha powder, and a fine sieve.

Procedure:

1. Heat the bowl with hot water, then empty and dry.

2. Sift 1–2 bamboo spoonfuls of matcha (approximately 1–2 g) through a sieve into the bowl.

3. Add 60–80 ml water at 75–80 °C.

4. Whisk with the chasen in quick "W" or "M" motions — not circular movements.

5. The goal is thick, fine foam on the surface.

6. Drink immediately.

Tips for better foam:

A bamboo chasen is truly essential — a fork or whisk won't work the same way. Sifting matcha is crucial for a smooth result without lumps. Water must not be boiling — matcha powder will "cook" in too-hot water and the flavor will be flat.

Brewing gyokuro step by step

Gyokuro requires the lowest water temperature of all Japanese teas. The reward is an intense umami experience. For brewing you'll need a small teapot or shiboridashi (a flat ceramic teapot), small cups holding 30–60 ml, and approximately 5–8 grams of gyokuro.

Procedure:

1. Heat the teapot and cups with hot water, then empty.

2. Place gyokuro in the pot.

3. Add 40–60 ml water at 50–60 °C.

4. Steep for 90–120 seconds.

5. Strain all liquid into the cup — every drop is precious.

Tip for lowering temperature: Pour boiling water into a cup, then into the teapot — two pours will lower the temperature from approximately 100 to 60 °C.

Brewing hojicha step by step

Hojicha is the easiest Japanese tea to brew — it tolerates even boiling water. Use 3–5 g per 200 ml water, temperature 90–100 °C, and steep for 30–60 seconds. Hojicha is forgiving — it won't become too bitter even with longer steeping. Great for those just starting with Japanese teas.

Brewing genmaicha step by step

Genmaicha is accessible even for beginners. Use 3–5 g per 200–250 ml water, temperature 80–90 °C, and steep for 60–90 seconds. Like hojicha — it's not overly sensitive to exact temperature or time.

What equipment do you need?

For the absolute minimum, any teapot with a filter or tea infuser and a thermometer (or intuition when pouring water) will suffice. For an authentic experience, we recommend a kyusu — a Japanese teapot with a side filter, ideal for sencha and gyokuro — and a bamboo whisk (chasen), which is essential for preparing matcha. A matcha bowl (chawan) offers a larger surface for whisking, and a shiboridashi is a flat ceramic teapot specially designed for gyokuro. As a practical helper, a digital thermometer or a kettle with temperature control serves well — a convenient solution for daily brewing.

Common mistakes when brewing Japanese tea

1. Water too hot

The most common mistake. Boiling water will destroy delicate aroma and cause bitterness. Always let water cool.

2. Steeping too long

Japanese teas steep briefly — 45 seconds to 2 minutes. Longer steeping brings bitterness, not stronger flavor.

3. Leaving tea in the pot

Once steeping time is complete, strain everything — otherwise the tea continues steeping.

4. Poor water quality

Hard water with high mineral content suppresses delicate aroma. Use filtered or spring water.

5. Stale tea

Japanese teas are sensitive to freshness. Store them in an airtight, dark container, ideally in a cool place.

Conclusion

Brewing Japanese tea is a small ritual worth mastering. Once you've experienced the difference between a bitter over-steeped brew and the silky sweetness of properly brewed gyokuro or the rich earthiness of perfect hojicha, you'll return to Japanese tea again and again.

You'll find all necessary equipment and carefully selected Japanese teas at rishe.eu — with Areek's guarantee, the founder of CHAJIN, who personally selects each tea.