Green Tea in Japan

1. The first written account of green tea in Japan was when Emperor Shomu, during the Tang Dynasty, in 729 AD, served the beverage. These leaves must have been brought by Chinese Buddhist monks on their travels to Japan.

2. Green Tea, as a product, was introduced to Japan in the seventh century. The Buddhist Monk, Saicho, in 803 A.D went to China to study Zen Buddism where he met another Japanese monk by the name of Eichu. It was in China where they were introduced to tea from Chinese monks who were drinking the beverage to assist with their daily hours of meditation.

3. The two monks returned to Japan in 805 A.D. and brought with them seeds for tea plants (Camellia Sinensis) and the knowledge of the benefits of tea and how to prepare and consume the beverage (which was prepared in cakes and broken off at that time.)

4. The seeds were eventually planted at their Buddhist monastery and within 5 years there were tea plants ready for harvest. Of course the tea of the day was green, which required little preparation compared to the oolong and black teas, and green tea was then produced for the first time in Japan.

5. The original tea ceremony started in China and was brought over by the two monks who posthumously live in fame for bringing the medicinal beverage to Japan.

6. Relations between China and Japan became strained after this and for almost 2 centuries there was no trade of information or product.

7. Around 1190 A.D., the Buddhist monk, Eisai, returned for the first time to China for studies and returned to Japan with the knowledge of how the Chinese were drinking tea in a powdered format. It was here that powdered green tea came to Japan and the resulting ceremony we know of today.

8. Eisai, was very important to Japanese tea history as he penned the fist tea book in Japan, “Notes on the Curative Effects of Tea.” He was responsible for spreading the medicinal benefits of tea to Japan and then the world. Also of note was his second book which explains the tea ceremony which we will discuss below.

9. It is important to note that during this time in history, the rule of the Emperors was in decline in favor of the military, “Samurai.” When the Samurai leader Sanemoto fell ill, the tea master Eisai was summoned to assist. He put the warrior on tea and Sanemoto was cured. From this event, tea was prescribed for many ailments and was being consumed by all in Japan.

10. Tea tasting contests began to spring up all over Japan and by the Thirteenth century there were over 100 tasting contests.

by Dr. Tea, Tea Expert

Much Love and Light

Mark Dr. Tea, Ukra,
Tea Expert & proprietor of the Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium.