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Green tea · Late-season tea

Bancha

番茶

7.2/10 editor's score

An everyday Japanese green tea from the third and fourth flushes of sencha bushes. Larger leaves and a simpler, easy-going cup.

EverydayLow caffeineJapan
↓ Jump to brew guideAbout this teaCompare

Based on published sources, not yet tasted.

Dry leaf of Bancha, top-down

What you need

3 g leafBancha
300 ml water80 to 90°C
Steep 1:003 steeps
LiquorPale gold
Served inKyūsu and yunomi

At a glance

An everyday Japanese green tea from the third and fourth flushes of sencha bushes.

CaffeineLow to medium~15 to 30 mg, our estimate
Beginner fit8.5 / 10From the editor's score
HarvestSummer to autumnThird flush [1].
Pairs withEveryday meals, Rice, PicklesLess good with delicate desserts
Grown atHills and plateausShizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture
Served inKyūsu and yunomiJapanese teapot, tall cup

About Bancha

What sources say about the taste

Sources say bancha flavours range from smoke and roasted nuts to green grass and straw 1.

01 · Aroma

First sip

Lift the cup and smell before you drink.

02 · Taste

Middle

Let it sit on the tongue for a moment.

03 · Finish

Finish

What stays after you swallow.

Hover or tap a noteBigger image and more dots mean a stronger note.

Notes and intensities are an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not our own tasting.

Where it grows

ShizuokaShizuoka PrefectureJAPAN
Picked
Third and fourth flushes, summer to autumn 1
Plant
Same bushes as sencha 1
Grades
22 grades of bancha 1
Forms
Roasted, unroasted, smoked, aged 1

More from Shizuoka and Japan.

History and culture

Bancha is graded below sencha because it is plucked later 1.

Hojicha is often made from bancha 1.

Editor's score

7.2/10

Weighted across six criteria: flavour 30%, heritage 20%, availability 15%, value 15%, beginners 10%, versatility 10%.

Based on published sources, not yet tasted. Rates the tea style, not a brand. How we score →

1086Flavour & complexity: 5.5Origin & heritage: 6.5Availability: 8.0Value: 9.5Beginner-friendliness: 8.5Versatility: 8.0Flavour 5.5Heritage 6.5Availability 8.0Value 9.5Beginners 8.5Versatility 8.0
Taste profile and caffeine

Profile is an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not a lab measurement or our own tasting.

Caffeine

Brewed coffee~95 mg
Black tea (average)~47 mg
Green tea (average)~28 mg
Bancha~15 to 30 mg

Our estimate. Per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup. Coffee and tea averages from Mayo ClinicC.

Harvest calendar

Bancha is picked after the sencha flushes 1. Tap a month or a season.

Cultivars and plant

The same Camellia sinensis bushes as sencha 1.

How it is made
01Plucking

Larger, later leaves 1.

02Steaming

Steamed like sencha.

03Rolling

Lightly rolled.

04Drying

Dried; some are roasted 1.

Dry leaf and liquor
Dry leafLarge, flat olive-green leaves and stems.
LiquorPale gold.
After steeping
Wet leafBroad, mature leaves.

The colour swatch is an approximate guide, not a photograph.

Food pairings and storage

Works well

  • Everyday meals
  • Rice
  • Pickles

Best avoided

  • Delicate desserts

Pairings are general suggestions from the tea's style, not tested matches.

Storage

  • Airtight, opaque container, away from light, heat and smells.
  • Green tea fades fastest: aim to finish it within 3 to 6 months of opening.
  • Unopened sealed packs can go in the fridge. Let them reach room temperature before opening.
Grades and fakes

22 grades of bancha 1.

How to spot a poor or fake one

  1. Kyoto and regional styles vary a lot.
  2. Good for a large pot.
FAQ
Is bancha low quality?

It has a lower market grade than sencha, but it is a popular everyday tea 1.

Find it inGreen teasTeas from JapanShizuokaEverydayLow caffeineJapan

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Bancha". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bancha
  2. Mayo Clinic, "Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more". www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372

Scores and content updated 30 Oct 2026.