Tea has been hugely popular all over the world, but there are many countries who have a particularly rich history when it comes to tea and Japan is one such place! Tea ceremonies, otherwise known as chanoyu, is a great honour and show of hospitality. Preparing and presenting matcha, otemae, is also ritualised. If making someone tea is your love language, we know you’ll relate! We stock many blends of Japanese tea and Matcha at Camden Tea Shop – here’s a guide to find the right blend for you!

Green Tea (Matcha)

Matcha is finely ground and processed green tea leaves. They are usually shade-grown for around a month before harvest largely regaled as a healthy must-have – but if you think all blends are the same, you’d be mistaken!

Hojicha is an earthy, smoky flavoured tea, its distinctive taste owing to being roasted in porcelain over charcoal, whereas most Japanese teas are steamed.

Sencha is the most popular green tea in Japan and sets the standard. Its taste is natural but does change depending on the season the leaves were harvested!

Bancha is the second flush of Sencha from the summer/autumn harvest. It has a strong organic scent but lower caffeine, which makes it perfect for the afternoon and evenings!

Gyokuro is a 100% Grade 1 shaded Green Tea from Japan but is grown for longer than Sencha, making it the more expensive blend but worth it!

Sakura Cha is one of our most popular Japanese teas. It has a green tea base but is lightly flavoured with cherry blossoms and rose petals, making it more of a sweetened green tea - and absolutely delicious!

Fruit Tea

If green tea isn’t your thing – and we don’t judge! – perhaps fruit tea is the right fit for you!

Kyoto Spring captures all the best fruits of the season with juicy raspberry and sharp yuzu lemon citrus! The base is a rare black tea variety that pairs two fruit flavours for a complex taste profile.

Giant Pear is a full-bodied fruit tea, pairing Japanese green and Chinese white tea with bursts of juicy pear, mango, pineapple, and rosebuds.

Strawberries and Cream is the perfect tea for a sweet tooth which uses Japanese green tea as a base with strawberries, elderberries, apple pieces and pineapple for a fruity and sweet tea!

The Perfect Brew

The perfect brew can be achieved at home following our tea brewing guide. Back tea bases are best brewed with boiling water for 2-4 minutes, white tea with hot but not boiling water for 3-6 and green tea with warm water for 3-5 minutes. To get the best out of fruit tea around 80 degrees water at 5-8 minutes is best!

If you want to enjoy a good brew in good company, be sure to visit us in Camden Tea Bar and put your feet up – we’ll do the rest!