A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Tea: Selecting and Brewing the Perfect Cup of Sencha, Matcha and Other Japanese Teas

by Per Oscar Brekell

Do you know the difference between a bancha and a hojicha? How to brew the perfect matcha? With this book you will!

Japanese tea expert Per Oscar Brekell is one of the few foreigners to complete the difficult training in Japan as a tea instructor. Now, with this book, he shares the secrets and insights he's gleaned from a career dedicated to promoting and preparing this ancient beverage.

Combining a practical approach with in-depth knowledge and a keen eye for the healthful benefits of tea, this visual guide will help you understand everything from how tea is picked and processed to the physical and mental health benefits that come from drinking it.

Through stunning color photos and engaging information from Brekell, readers of this book will
Every tea lover will find something to savor in this comprehensive introduction to the incredible world of Japanese teas.

Genres: Tea, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, Food, Cooking

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2021

Reviews

[Michael Schramm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read but manages to provide copious information on the art and craft associated with the cultivation and processing of Japanese green tea varieties, which has a centuries old tradition.

Author Per Oscar Brekell, though himself a Swede, is a certified tea instructor in Japan who interned at the Tea Research Center and was a former employee of the Japan Tea Export Council—which provides some idea of how scientific the world of “tea-ology” truly is. Anyone who wants to learn more about the many types of green tea that I myself have indulged in for several years now (sencha and gyokuro being firm favorites) will enjoy learning of the many cultivars, prefecture growing regions, brewing suggestions and what particular varieties have to offer in the way of their individual flavor profiles.

The text and beautiful illustrations work well with a nicely whisked ceremonial grade matcha.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to get A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Tea as a physical book rather than an e-book because I was so drawn to the beautiful color photographs—and I’m glad I did. The visuals make it especially enjoyable to browse and learn from. It’s a wonderful resource that I know I’ll be picking up again and again as a reference. Clear, informative, and approachable, it truly is an excellent primer for anyone just beginning their journey into Japanese tea.

[Stray Toki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellent and it tells you exactly what it promised.
The author explains the different types of tea produced in Japan, tells you about the main cultivars and tea-producing regions and what makes them special. He then continues to teach you how to brew Japanese teas and - what I appreciated the most - wants you to understand the main principles of it instead of blindly following the rules.
The book also makes for a very pleasant read. At least I found it rather calming, and it doesn't often happen with non-fiction literature.

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice introduction to Japanese tea! I picked it up as I hadn’t seen the particular regions and estates documented so specifically in my other books on tea. A handy reference to come back to!

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good and easy read to learn more about Japanese tea as a whole. This book is well written - clear and concise, yet thorough in terms of covering all aspects of the topic.

It shares knowledge on the various types of Japanese tea, how it's different compared to black tea as an example, how/why there are different types of green tea by the way its processed and grown. It also dives into flavours or the umami, tea growing regions, and how to brew each type of Japanese tea hot and cold.

It's definitely a great guide if you have interest in tea. Personally, I will try brewing my tea differently now.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a massive tea drinker and I freely admit I am very uppity about the tea I drink. And I do prefer Japanese teas. However, I am far from an expert which is why I like books like this. It's ok to be a beginner and learn the basics. There are so many types of Japanese teas. I love that they cover brews techniques as well as teaware (they even talk about bottled teas). I would like to try the Kyobancha. A great book if you want to learn about Japanese teas.

[Aurora Leos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

This book is a must read for all those passionate about tea. I found it to be a fast read. Loved the photos. I especially liked the step by step instructions on brewing and serving tea. This is one subject to read with a fresh cup of Japanese tea! A very enjoyable read!

[Kiang · Rating 5 out of 5]

เหมาะกับ beginner ทุกประการ หนังสือสวย ภาพประกอบดูดี มี diagram จำแนกชา อุปกรณ์ชงชา วิธีชงชา ที่มาที่ไป พื้นที่ปลูก ที่ชอบที่สุดคือตัว diagram สามมิติ (เป็นกราฟสามแกน) ว่าด้วยวิธีการชงชาไปสู่จุดที่พึงประสงค์

[Bella]

Despite being only 128 pages and full of photos, this book is jam packed with everything I (a beginner) could ever have thought to ask about Japanese tea.

I'm impressed with how clear and approachable this comprehensive and informative book is.

[golova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great breaking class into Japanese tea varieties

Absolutely must for a beginner like me! Very informative and genuine introduction into Japanese tea making. Must read for a novice to tea.

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really interesting, but it went a little bit over my head with the complexity of it all.

[Marjorie Meier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

This book is beautifully illustrated and taught me a lot about Japanese tea. I’m no longer supposed to drink coffee, so it’s good to know what my alternatives are.

[Andrea Rossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and does a good job at giving an introduction. The guides on steeping the teas are also quite clear and with pictures.

[Jackson G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven't had a chance to try all the brewing instructions yet, but the sencha guide is fantastic! Great resource for budding tea enthusiasts (pun completely intended).

[Lloyd Downey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One should always be mildly suspicious of books written by foreigners about aspects of Japanese culture but, frequently, they are the only source of "potted" information available in English. I rather think that Per Oscar has done a fairly good job in this particular case. It's mildly technical but with lots of pictures. Writing style is easy to follow (despite English not being his first language ....though he does acknowledge help in this respect) and I really liked his descriptions of the various types of tea and the tea growing regions of Japan. One of my favourite teas is Genmai which is a green tea with roasted rice grains added and there seemed to be no coverage of this ...despite its popularity. I was also somewhat surprised at the coverage of a whole range of new varieties of tea released by the Shizuoka Tea Research Centre and its companion organisations. Are these really widespread when they have been released relatively recently? Or has he been over-influenced by his recent internship in these institutions? Hard for a non expert to know. It's a small book but he managed to cover: the history of tea growing and consumption in Japan, types of tea and varieties of tea and the various "refining" techniques used; the tea growing regions of Japan; making tea and steeping times, and teapots of various kinds. So a reasonably comprehensive coverage in a small book. Personally, I would have liked a bit more on the chemistry of the tea compounds and the effect of temperature etc on these chemicals but I can understand that this would probably drop readership by about 30%.
Anyway, I found it quite a useful book and it's inspired me to try and visit some of the areas which are close to where my wife's family comes from....but we've never visited. I give it four stars.
An update, I recently visited a tea growing estate in Shizuoka with a stunningly beautiful tea shop and I'm about to go and make a cup of green tea now with one of the tea bags we bought there. Unfortunately, I'm none the wiser about the actual variety of tea nor how it was processed but it does make a lovely cup of tea (even if it is from a bag).