The name of tea derives from the early leaf buds needed to make this special green tea. Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled leaf teas that are graded somewhere between Gyokuro

Gyokuro

Gyokuro is a fine and expensive type of green tea from Japan. It differs from the standard green tea known as sencha , because it is grown under the shade rather than the full sun. Another Japanese green tea that is shaded during growth is kabusecha , which differs from gyokuro in the length of...

 and Sencha

Sencha

Sencha is a Japanese green tea, specifically one made without grinding the tea leaves. The word "sencha" means "decocted tea," referring to the method that the tea beverage is made from the dried tea leaves...

 in quality. Mecha are made from a collection of leaf buds and tips of the early crops.

Popularity

Sushi

Sushi

is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...

 restaurants in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

  serve Mecha, known as Agari, with the meal. Mecha's bitter qualities make it a good tea to drink after meals to cleanse the palate.

Flavor and aroma

Mecha is renowned for its depth of flavor, considerable astringency and bitter green aftertaste

Aftertaste

Aftertaste is the taste intensity of a food or beverage that is perceived immediately after that food or beverage is removed from the mouth. The aftertastes of different foods and beverages can vary by intensity and over time, but the unifying feature of aftertaste is that it is perceived after a...

. The distinctive, sharp flavor and aroma of Mecha is often regarded as being as good as the best Sencha

Sencha

Sencha is a Japanese green tea, specifically one made without grinding the tea leaves. The word "sencha" means "decocted tea," referring to the method that the tea beverage is made from the dried tea leaves...

. The best Mecha produces an aromatic tea with a clear, soft yellow appearance.

See also

• List of Japanese green teas