Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Both are intermediate or lower-grade Japanese green teas rarely exported. Aracha is unfinished tea before sorting; bancha is a later harvest — different stages, not different grades.
Point by point
| Dimension | Aracha | Bancha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. mature leaf and summer harvest. |
| Origin | Japan — Shizuoka | Japan — Shizuoka |
| Flavour | grassy, vegetal and sweet. medium and astringent in the mouth. Aroma: fresh grass, sweet stem, steamed greens. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. | grassy and nutty. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: hay, straw, toasted grain. Straightforward in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 70–80 °C, first steep 60s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °C, first steep 60s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–2 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 60s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. Tea bag brewing: 1–1.8 g/100 ml at 85–95 °C, first steep 60s. |
| Cultural context | Used in Japanese tea farming practice. | Used in Japanese tea farming practice and Everyday Japanese tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.