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green tea in 2 ceramic teacups on a wooden table
4.89 from 9 votes

How to Make Japanese Green Tea

Learn the correct way to brew different types of Japanese green tea. I'll show you how to use quality loose tea leaves to extract the best flavor at the right water temperature and brew time. Make a fragrant pot of green tea at home and enjoy its many health benefits!
Prep Time1 minute
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: green tea
Servings: 1 batch (160–240 ml per batch)
Calories: 0.1kcal
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Ingredients

For Sencha (standard green tea)

  • 0.35 oz sencha (roughly 2 Tbsp)
  • 7.5 oz hot water (at 176ºF or 80ºC)

For Hojicha (roasted green tea)

  • 0.35 oz hojicha (roughly 4 Tbsp)
  • 8.5 oz hot water (at 212ºF or 100ºC)

For Genmaicha (green tea with roasted brown rice)

  • 0.35 oz genmaicha (roughly 2 Tbsp)
  • 8.5 oz hot water (at 212ºF or 100ºC)

For Gyokuro (premium shade-grown green tea)

  • 0.35 oz gyokuro (roughly 2 Tbsp)
  • 6 oz hot water (at 140ºF or 60ºC; Ippodo recommends using half the amount of water, but I found it too little, so I adjusted it to better suit my taste.)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Before You Start...

  • Please note that you will need a kitchen scale and quick-read thermometer (or an electric kettle with temperature control) to make Japanese green tea. Why be so precise? To extract the best flavor from high-quality tea leaves without ruining them. Please read the blog post for more details.
    How to Make Japanese Green Tea Tools
  • Typically, Japanese teapots can hold 200–360 ml of tea.
    2 teapots on a marble table
  • Japanese tea cups range from 60–100 ml. Tip (optional): I highly recommend warming up the tea cups with hot water before serving to help keep the tea hot for a longer time.
    6 teacups on a marble table

To Make the Japanese Green Tea

  • Use a kitchen scale to measure the loose tea leaves (here, I‘m using gyokuro). Weigh 0.35 oz sencha, 0.35 oz hojicha, 0.35 oz genmaicha, or 0.35 oz gyokuro. Then, add the loose tea leaves to your teapot. Tip: As long as you use the same variety of tea leaves, you can remember the approximate amount and skip using a scale next time.
    tea leaves in a glass jar on a small scale
  • Next, heat water in a kettle to the temperature indicated above for the type of tea leaves you’re using.
    Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
  • To the teapot, add the measured amount of hot water at the right temperature. I pour the hot water directly into my teapot set on a kitchen scale. For sencha, add 7.5 oz hot water at 176ºF (80ºC); for hojicha, add 8.5 oz hot water at 212ºF (100ºC); for genmaicha, add 8.5 oz hot water at 212ºF (100ºC); or for gyokuro, add 6 oz hot water at 140ºF (60ºC). Then, close the lid and let it steep according to the brew times below. Tip: As long as you use the same variety and measurement of tea leaves, you can remember the approximate amount of water to use and skip the scale next time.
    hot water being poured on tea leaves in a teapot

Brew Times

  • Sencha: 1 minute
    Hojicha: 30–40 seconds
    Genmaicha: 30–40 seconds
    Gyokuro: 90 seconds
    green tea leaves seeping in a teapot on a scale

To Serve

  • Pour into individual tea cups and serve immediately. You can refill the teapot at least 2–3 times with the same tea leaves.
    green tea being poured into a red teacup

Nutrition

Calories: 0.1 kcal · Carbohydrates: 0.03 g · Sodium: 2 mg · Potassium: 4 mg · Calcium: 30 mg