A Brief History of Green Tea

Green tea, Camellia sinensis, with its vibrant color, rich culture, and caffeine kick is as popular today as it was centuries ago. From the courts of Chinese kingdoms to Japanese Zen monasteries, and even your local Starbucks, the history of green tea stretches across cultures and countries.

Green tea is more than just a drink — it is a symbol of mindfulness, hospitality, and artistry. (It also makes a great latte!)

Green tea in China and Japan

Green tea’s origins can be traced back to ancient China, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Archeologists have discovered tea remnants in royal tombs, some dating back as far as 141 BC. Tea consumption eventually became a staple of Chinese culture, admired for its taste. It was also believed to promote health and longevity.

A cultural transformation took place during the Tang Dynasty (618–906), when tea was elevated to a refined, beverage. At this time, tea drinking became part of the sophisticated social activities of the country’s aristocracy.

Buddhists in China were also early adopters of tea drinking and played a significant role in spreading the practice throughout Asia. Bodhidharma, a semi-legendary figure credited with founding Zen Buddhism, is often associated with the use of tea to aid meditation by promoting alertness. It is said that during an extended period of meditation, Bodhidharma became sleepy and closed his eyes. After waking, he cut off his eye lids, and they, upon falling to the ground, became tea plants.

As Buddhism expanded from China to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, green tea followed. The Japanese Buddhist monk Saicho, founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism, is credited as the first to bring tea to Japan.

Later, in the 12th century, the Japanese monk Eisai introduced tea seeds and cultivation methods to Japan after studying in China. Eisai also wrote the Kissa Yōjōki (“Treatise on drinking Tea for health”), which extoled green tea’s health benefits and spiritual significance. Over time, Japan developed its unique tea culture, elevating green tea to an art form deeply rooted in Zen philosophy, leaving a lasting mark on the history of green tea.

Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, or chanoyu, is an important part of the history of green tea. It encapsulates the refined influence of Zen Buddhism on the nation’s tea culture. Rooted in minimalism, mindfulness, and exacting attention to detail, the ceremony transforms tea preparation and consumption into a meditative ritual. Introduced by the tea master Sen no Rikyū in the 16th century, chanoyu emphasizes the spiritual connection between host and guest, celebrating the ephemerality of each moment.

The ceremony incorporates carefully choreographed movements, from whisking matcha (powdered green tea) to serving it in exquisite tea bowls. Every element—tools, utensils, and even the tearoom itself—is chosen intentionally.

Varieties of Green Tea

Green tea is available in a wide variety of styles, each with distinct flavors and characteristics. Here are four notable types:

• Matcha: Made from finely ground tea leaves, matcha is whisked into a frothy, jade-colored drink. Matcha is also a popular ingredient in desserts and beverages worldwide.
• Konacha: This lower grade of tea is made from the dust and leaf particles left over from the processing of high grade teas such as gyokuro and sencha. It is often served at inexpensive sushi restaurants in Japan. It offers an affordable and satisfying tea experience.
• Hojicha: This roasted green tea is known for its toasted flavor and reddish-brown hue. Heat from the roasting process results in chemical changes to the tea leaves, and its unique flavor.
• Genmaicha: A blend of green tea and roasted brown rice, genmaicha offers a warm, nutty aroma with hints of sweetness. Its balanced profile makes it a beloved everyday tea.

Tea sets from Still Sitting

We are proud to offer an elegant selection of ceramic cups and tea sets, all of which are made in Japan.

The designs are minimalist yet refined, and even playful, inspired by Zen aesthetics. These tea sets are perfect for hosting friends and family, whether you’re enjoying matcha or experimenting with other green tea varieties.

We’ve handpicked the tea sets we offer. They are the same ones we use at home and in our meditation practice.

A note on our research and sources

Still Sitting is committed to writing and researching informative, engrossing, and accurate articles for our blog. We know there are many places to find information online. So, we work hard to ensure that we are a trusted source for all of our readers. Our blog is intended to help you learn about our products and the cultural and historical subjects that we hold dear. As part of this commitment, we include the sources we use to write our posts:

Dale Cannon on the Japanese Tea Ceremony
Five Colleges History of Tea
Japan Guide: Tea
Zen In Tea
Britannica: Bodhidharma

More from Still Sitting: A Brief History of Japanese Incense, The History of Japanese Lacquerware