Did you know that Japanese tea comes from many varieties of the tea plant? These varieties are called cultivars, and they can influence a tea’s flavor, aroma, and appearance.
Some cultivars are widely grown across Japan, while others are closely associated with certain regions or characteristics. Yabukita is Japan’s most widely planted cultivar, while Uji Hikari and Gokou are known for rich, umami-forward teas.
Below is our growing list of tea cultivars found in Japan, including those in our catalog and others we’ve encountered through our work with tea growers and producers.
This page last updated Oct 8, 2026. If you see any mistakes, please feel free to reach out!
Japanese Tea Cultivars
- Asahi - あさひ / 朝日
- Asanoka - あさのか / 朝の香
- Asatsuyu - あさつゆ / 朝露
- Benifuuki
- Benihikari
- Benihomare
- Fukumidori
- Fushun
- Gokou
- Hakuyo
- Harumidori
- Hime Midori
- Hokumei
- Horai Kincha
- Hōshun - ほうしゅん / 鳳春 - Registered 2006 in Kyoto from a Samidori seed and sister cultivar to Tenmyo.
- Inaguchi
- Inzatsu 131
- Izumi
- Kanaya Midori
- Karabeni
- Kirari 31
- Komakage
- Kondōwase
- Kōshun
- Kuritawase
- Makinohara-wase
- Meiryoku
- Minami Sayaka
- Minekaori
- Mineyutaka
- Nagomi Yutaka
- Nanmei
- Okuharuka
- Okuhikari
- Okumidori - おくみどり / 奥緑
- Okumukashi - おくむかし / 奥昔 - Registered 1962 in Saitama from a hybrid of Sayama Midori and Yamato Midori, strong against cold weather and flushes about 10 days later than Yabukita.
- Okuyutaka
- Ooiwase
- Saeakari
- Saemidori
- Sai no Midori
- Sakimidori
- Samidori - さみどり / 早緑
- Sayama Kaori - さやまかおり / 狭山香
- Sayama Midori - さやまみどり / 狭山緑
- Seimei
- Shimamidori
- Shizu #7132 - 静7132
- Shoju - 松寿
- Shōshun - 春翔
- Shuntarō - しゅんたろう / 俊太郎
- Sun Rouge - サンルージュ
- Takachiho - たかちほ / 高千穂
- Tenmyō - てんみょう / 展茗 - Registered 2006 in Kyoto from a Samidori seed and sister cultivar to Hōshun.
- Terakawa-wase - てらかわわせ / 寺川早稲
- Tsuyuhikari - つゆひかり / 露光
- Uji Hikari - うじひかり / 宇治光
- Uji Midori - うじみどり / 宇治緑
- Yabukita - やぶきた / 薮北
- Yabukita Mishō - やぶきたみしょう / 薮北実生
- Yaeho - やえほ
- Yama no Ibuki - 山の息吹
- Yamakai - やまかい / 山峡
- Yume Wakaba - ゆめわかば / 夢若葉
- Yutaka Midori - ゆたか / 豊緑
- Z1
- Zairai - ざいらい / 在来 - the "native" plant, but in practice a tea from a field planted from the seeds of fields planted from seeds. Over generations these fields could be considered "specific" to a region. A single field would contain plants of varied DNA.
What Is Zairai?
A cultivar is a specific type of tea plant that has been selected for particular characteristics, such as flavor, aroma, and leaf shape. Yabukita, for example, is a tea cultivar.
Zairai (在来), on the other hand, refers to tea plants that have not been selected as one specific cultivar. They are traditionally reproduced from seeds, so each plant can have different characteristics.
A cultivar = a specific type of tea plant with defined characteristics.
Zairai = naturally varied tea plants that have not been selected as one specific cultivar.
When a specific cultivar such as Yabukita is grown from seed, the term mishō (実生) may be used—for example, mishō Yabukita (実生やぶきた).
We include zairai in this list because it is an important term for understanding traditional Japanese tea.
Notable Tea Cultivars
A few cultivars stand out for their history, distinctive character, or connection to particular styles of Japanese tea.
Yabukita
Japan’s most widely planted cultivar, valued for its balanced characteristics and versatility.
Uji Hikari
Known for its rich umami and especially associated with high-quality matcha.
Asatsuyu
Known for its vivid green color and naturally sweet, mellow character.
