Konacha (粉茶)

Sit down at a sushi counter in Tokyo, and before you have even opened the menu, a tall, heavy cup lands in front of you. The tea inside is a deep, slightly cloudy green, very hot and pleasantly strong. Most visitors drink it without a second thought. That everyday cup is often konacha. Konacha (粉茶) is a Japanese green tea made from the tiny leaf particles sifted out while refining sencha and gyokuro. It brews in seconds, costs little and tastes bold, which is exactly why sushi chefs have relied on it for generations. In this guide, you’ll learn how it’s made, how it tastes, why it belongs with sushi and how to brew it well at home. The short answer Konacha is “powder tea,” but it isn’t matcha. It’s made of small, sandy leaf fragments that don’t dissolve, so you brew and strain it like loose-leaf tea. Steep it for only 20 to 30 seconds. Any longer, and its strong flavor quickly turns bitter. TOCWhat Is Konacha? Konacha is a by-product of refining. When finished green tea is sorted, the smallest pieces of leaf, bud and tip fall away from the larger leaves. Instead of being thrown out, those fine particles are collected and sold as their own tea. Japan’s green tea labeling standard de...