The Green Tea Field Guide

Green tea isn't one thing - it's a whole spectrum, shaped by two main factors: which part of the plant is used, and when in the year it was picked. Most tea sold internationally comes from a narrow slice of this picture. Here's the fuller view.

Two ways tea is classified

Cut - which part of the plant ends up in your cup: the tender young bud, the main leaf, the stem/twig, or fine leftover particles.

Harvest - which picking of the year the leaf came from. Tea bushes are picked several times a year in Japan, and each successive harvest produces a different flavour and grade, generally becoming stronger and more affordable later in the season.

The leaf tea matrix

	First Flush  (Ichibancha, Apr–May)	Second Flush  (Nibancha, Jun–Jul)	Third Flush  (Sanbancha, Aug–Sep)	Late Harvest  (Bancha, Autumn/Winter)
Bud / Tip (Mecha)	Rare, delicate, intense - the most prized tips of the year	Occasionally made, milder	Uncommon	Not typically made
Shaded Leaf (Gyokuro, Kabusecha)	The top grade - rich, sweet, low in bitterness	Rare	Not typically made	Not typically made
Unshaded Leaf (Sencha)	Premium, delicate, sought-after	The everyday workhorse — stronger, more affordable	Robust, grassy, budget-friendly	Coarse, hearty, often blended into Bancha
Stem / Twig (Kukicha)	Karigane - delicate stems from top-grade leaf	Common everyday Kukicha	Common everyday Kukicha	Coarser, roasted versions common (base for Hojicha)
Fine Particles (Konacha)	Byproduct of premium processing	Byproduct of everyday processing	Byproduct of everyday processing	Less common

Not every combination is sold as a distinct named product - this shows the general landscape rather than a strict catalogue. Naming and availability also vary by region and producer.

What about matcha?

Matcha doesn't appear on this chart because it isn't leaf tea at all - it's a stone-ground powder made from shade-grown leaves (tencha) that have had their stems and veins removed entirely. You consume the whole leaf as a powder, rather than infusing and removing it. It's a genuinely different class of product, most often used in Japan for cooking or in formal tea ceremony, rather than for daily drinking.

Where our Farmer tea sits

Our Farmer Senchas (in italics above) come from earlier-season, and include coarser cuts along with fine leaf - the everyday end of this spectrum, rather than the purely fine leaf cuts that sell for a premium price. That's a deliberate choice: this is the tea Japanese households actually reach for day to day, and it's what makes everyday enjoyment realistic and affordable.

Our Special teas

At the very top of the tree are the rare shaded or first-flush teas, and a small selection of these may also be found in our store.