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
The rolled and unrolled forms of the same steamed tea. Skipping the shaping roll leaves the leaf curled and the cup noticeably softer.
Point by point
| Dimension | Tamaryokucha | Guricha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | Japan | Japan |
| Flavour | fruity, vegetal, umami and citrus. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: berry, steamed greens, citrus, cream. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. | vegetal, sweet and grassy. medium, silky and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: sweet grass, steamed vegetable, light citrus. Moderate 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): 1.5–2.5 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 | Two versions share the name: mushi-sei (steamed) and kamairi-sei (pan-fired). The pan-fired one is much scarcer and tastes markedly less marine. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated 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.