The crafts, culture & stories of Japan.

Matcha, sencha, and gyokuro all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. What separates them is two decisions: whether the leaf grows in sun or shade, and whether you grind it to powder or steep it in a pot. Here is the whole family tree, with brewing temperatures, caffeine, and flavor laid out side by side.

"Ceremonial grade" is printed on $8 tins and $80 tins alike, with no standard in between. Here is what the label actually signals, what it hides, and how Japan really sorts its matcha.

Hojicha has roughly 7–20 mg of caffeine per cup; matcha has around 38–89 mg per 2 g serving. That single gap explains most of why people choose one over the other — but the real reason hojicha is gentle isn't roasting. Here is the full comparison.

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