Tencha
Tencha is a shaded Japanese green tea that is mainly processed into matcha. Sometimes, however, Tencha is also infused directly as tea or used for cooking and baking. In the latter case, however, it is used more as a decorative element.
Production of Tencha
Tea leaves for Tencha are briefly steamed but, unlike other Japanese green teas, dried without being rolled. The stems and vains are then removed so that only the pure leaves remain. Tencha is comparable in quality and taste to Gyokuro as both are intensively shaded before harvesting and thus have similar characteristics.