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
Two by-product grades sorted out of sencha production. Konacha is the dust and fannings, mecha the buds and tips, and both are far better than by-product suggests.
Point by point
| Dimension | Konacha | Mecha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. spring harvest. | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud only and spring harvest. |
| Origin | Japan | Japan |
| Flavour | grassy and vegetal. astringent, drying and medium in the mouth. Aroma: fresh grass, seaweed, green stem. Straightforward in character. Bold in intensity. | umami, vegetal and grassy. medium and drying in the mouth. Aroma: seaweed, sweet grass, cooked greens. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 30s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °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. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | 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.