In Japan, products lined up in supermarkets and sweets in sweet shops that use matcha as an ingredient are advertised everywhere as using Uji matcha. Recently, people in Thailand have probably become more familiar with the name “Uji”. Have you ever wondered why it has to be Uji matcha and not other kinds of matcha?
- Definition of Uji Matcha
“Uji” is the name of a city in Kyoto Prefecture. The roots of Japanese culture have been here for over a thousand years, as evidenced by the World Heritage Site Byodoin Temple, but it is also the source of tea production in Japan. In the 12th century during the Song Dynasty of China, when the monk Eisai first brought tea and a millstone from China to Japan, it was brought to Kyoto. It can be said that the first tea drunk in Japanese history was matcha. As China abandoned this ancient drinking method and adopted the current hot extraction method, extracting the tea leaves.
But in fact, Uji tea today is not only grown in Uji City.
The Kyoto Prefectural Tea Bureau defines Uji tea as tea grown in four prefectures that have developed, taking into account their history, culture, geography, and climate: Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Mie. Tea is processed by the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Bureau in Kyoto.
In addition, the Uji Matcha registration defines matcha as the final processed tea from tea produced in the four prefectures in Kyoto Prefecture using methods originating from Uji. Therefore, Uji tea that is considered to be of excellent quality may actually consist of tea from the four neighboring prefectures mentioned above, but still retains the Uji character through the production method.
- The number one matcha production volume in Japan
In 2018, Japan produced 3,660 tons of Tencha (the term for the tea leaves used to make Matcha), of which one-third (1,200 tons) were produced in Kyoto. In addition, Nara Prefecture produced 250 tons, Shiga Prefecture 50 tons, and Mie Prefecture 150 tons. Based on the definition above, about half of Japan’s Matcha could come from “Uji tea”, showing that Uji matcha is produced from the largest source of Matcha in Japan.
- Won the competition by a landslide
The All-Japan Tea Festival (全国お茶まつり) is an event where people in the tea industry gather together once a year. There are various events and a national tea quality competition (全国茶品評会). The 73rd edition was held in Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture, from August 27 to 30, 2019.
For Matcha, the evaluation will be done in the form of leaves (Tencha). It will be considered from 5 aspects: 1. External appearance, such as color or shape, 40 points; smell, 65 points; color of tea water, 20 points; taste, 65 points; color of water from tea waste (this is only done for Tencha) 10 points; total 200 points.
The 73rd National Tea Quality Competition has only special award results, not tea grade scores. In the Tencha branch, tea produced in Kyoto won 5 out of 6 awards. In addition, for the Excellent Production Area Award, Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture came first, and Joyo City in Kyoto Prefecture came second. Last year, in the 72nd National Tea Quality Competition held in Shizuoka Prefecture, the tencha that received the highest score, with a full score of 200 points, came from Uji. Of the 34 teas evaluated as grades 1 through 3 (the rest were not awarded), 31 were from Kyoto, and 22 were from Uji. In the special award results, Kyoto Tencha took home all 6 awards.
- What about the taste?
Some people wonder, so how does Uji Matcha taste better than anywhere else? In fact, this is a difficult question because in Uji itself, there are many types of Matcha, each type has a different character depending on the strain or the manufacturer. The taste is naturally different. But one thing that indicates the greatness of Matcha is the umami taste (well-roundedness). It is a unique taste that is separate from the sweetness. The better the Matcha, the more the astringent and bitter taste that makes you frown will disappear into the umami taste. There are many Uji Matcha that achieve this level of quality.
The deliciousness of Uji Matcha does not end with the umami taste, the more the better, but also the balance of various elements such as aroma, bitterness, sweetness, and the feeling when drinking. This makes some people satisfied with Matcha with not much umami but the right amount of bitterness, are addicted to Matcha of lower grades (Matchazuki Classic does not give as much umami as the Excellent version, but the aroma is just as fragrant), or find that Matcha of lower grades is more suitable for making a certain type of dessert.
However, making matcha like this does not depend solely on the place where it is grown, but also on the skill of the person who blends tea from various places to perfection. However, if the raw materials such as the tea planted are not good, no matter how you blend it, you will not get excellent tea, right?
Now can you see how good Uji Matcha has a good profile? If you see anywhere that says they use matcha from Uji, you can be certain that the aroma and flavor are better and more expensive than regular matcha.
Article from: Vachi
