From Yabukita to Saemidori: A Journey Through the Varieties of Japan
In the gentle breeze of the Japanese hills, each tea leaf hides a lineage.
It is called a cultivar — a family with a unique character, passed down through human hands and the patience of time. Behind every cup of sencha, gyokuro or matcha, there is a seed chosen for its color, its sweetness, its aroma, its balance between strength and delicacy.
The roots of taste
In Japan, more than one hundred cultivars of Camellia sinensis have been developed over generations.
Each one expresses a nuance of the territory: a climate, an altitude, a particular light.
Master growers leave nothing to chance. They select specific varieties to express an emotion, a texture, a note of balance between heaven and earth.
The most widespread variety, Yabukita , alone covers almost 75% of the country's gardens. It produces balanced teas that are herbaceous, lively, and bright—the basis of classic sencha.
But many other cultivars deserve to be known:
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Saemidori – a vibrant green, rich in umami, often reserved for mild and velvety matchas.
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Okumidori – round and soft, perfect for balanced matchas or soft gyokuros.
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Asahi – rare and noble, cultivated for the finest ceremonial matchas.
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Gokou – originating from Uji, renowned for its floral and buttery aromas, ideal for gyokuro.
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Uji Midori – typical of the Kyoto region, with a dense texture and vegetal flavor.
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Samidori – an old cultivar of Uji, prized for its sweetness and natural elegance.
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Yutaka Midori – vigorous and generous, it offers a more floral and fruity infusion, often harvested in southern Kyushu.
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Sayama Kaori – rustic, cold-resistant, with a delicate fragrance reminiscent of wildflowers.
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Seimei – a modern, bright cultivar, prized for its intense colour and aromatic richness.
Each of them is a voice in the great chorus of Japanese tea.
Some cultivars seek liveliness, others roundness, and still others the meditative purity of a smooth cup.
The hand and the light
Before the harvest, the fields are sometimes covered with black veils.
This is the art of shading ( kabuse ) — an ancient practice that protects young leaves from the sun to increase their softness.
Deprived of light, the plant concentrates chlorophyll and theanine: this is where the velvety taste of great matchas and gyokuros is born.
The most beautiful leaves are picked by hand, often in the spring.
They still carry the freshness of the morning, that invisible dew that only an attentive eye can perceive.
From field to cup
Once harvested, the leaves are quickly steamed, rolled or dried depending on the type of tea desired.
The teas intended for matcha are not rolled: they are dried whole to form the tencha , before being slowly ground on stone.
This meticulous grinding releases the finest green powder imaginable — a cloud of energy and serenity.
Leaf teas, on the other hand, retain their tapered shape and unfurl in hot water like a dance.
Each infusion reveals the memory of the soil, the climate, the human touch.
The use of cultivars: art and intention
Each cultivar has its specific purpose:
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Yabukita for bright and balanced sencha.
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Saemidori and Okumidori for rich and sweet matchas.
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Asahi and Gokou for ceremonial matchas and exceptional gyokuros.
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Yutaka Midori for its fruity and rounded aromas, perfect for summer teas.
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Sayama Kaori for the more robust Nordic teas, born from cooler climates.
In the gardens of Uji, Kagoshima or Shizuoka, these names are whispered like those of ancient masters.
They do not simply refer to plants: they embody philosophies of taste, ways of perceiving the world.
A cup of cultivated nature
Japanese tea is never a matter of chance.
Each bowl of matcha, each sencha leaf is a dialogue between earth and sky, between the hand of the farmer and the consciousness of the drinker.
Knowing the cultivars means learning to recognize that subtle voice: the song of the mountains, the patience of spring, the wisdom of a millennia-old culture.
The Master invites you to listen to this song in your cup.
Where green becomes silence, and silence becomes art.
