JAPANESE GENMAICHA
A Tea with Humble Origins
Genmaicha is a Japanese green tea blended with roasted rice. It was traditionally seen as a practical, everyday tea because the rice helped stretch the tea leaves further, making it more affordable and filling.
Over time, that humble blend became loved for its warm, nutty aroma and easy-drinking character. It is sometimes called “popcorn tea” because some of the roasted rice grains puff during roasting, though it does not contain corn.
Made with Green Tea and Roasted Rice
Most genmaicha is made by blending Japanese green tea — often bancha or sencha — with roasted rice.
The green tea gives it a fresh, grassy base, while the rice adds toasted warmth, gentle sweetness, and a savoury depth. This makes genmaicha softer and rounder than many pure green teas, with less sharpness and a very comforting finish.
Produced Across Japan’s Tea Regions
Genmaicha is not tied to just one single region. It is commonly made wherever Japanese green tea is produced, especially in major tea regions such as Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Mie, Kyoto/Uji, and Fukuoka/Yame.