Botebotecha

Botebotecha is a tea or maybe better kind of snack, available in Japanese city of Matsue (western Honshu). It is made by mixing together tea flowers and hot tea in a tea bowl using a tea whisk. After that shiitake mushrooms, koyadofu (tofu) and other vegetables are added while the mixture is still hot.
The name Botebotecha comes from "bote-bote" sound that is made by the tea whisk as tea is mixed. Botebotecha used to be a food of poor during famine in the Edo period. Now Botebotecha is served as local delicacy.
It is customary to pat the bottom of the tea bowl as you drink the tea, vegetables and all and without using chopsticks, in one long gulp.

Tea of Hachijuhachiya

In traditional Japanese calendar the first day of Spring is called Risshun. The 88th day after Risshun is called Hachijuhachiya (literally 88th night). This day is special because it is the beginning of year's first tea picking. Hachijuhachiya slightly varies from year to year but usually occcurs in early May.
"First flush" of young leaves is considered by tea experts as the absoulute finest in quality, freshness and flavour. It is also believed that such tea will keep you from paralysis. This first tea is important for traders, farmers and consumers.

Hukamushi

Hukamushi (Fukamushi) green tea, which means "deep-steamed tea" is fragnant, heavily flavoured tea.

Prolonged steaming process of this tea results in less bitter, more mild tea,with less green aroma. It makes a great iced tea.

Hukamushi is often called "misty green tea" because slightly cloudy effect of tea's infusion.

How to brew Hukamushi tea? Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves per cup. Heat water until 77-85 degrees Celsius. Let steep for 30-60 seconds. Multiple infusion is possible.

Hukamushi tea is not common outside Japan.

Kukicha

Kukicha, stalk or stick tea is made of four sorts of stems, stalks and twigs of Camellia sinensis.
Kukicha has light flavour, fresh green aroma. It has very light yellow-green colour. It can be added to a juice to make a drink for kids.
Kukicha is a strong antioxidant and its level of caffeine is the lowest among all traditional teas.
For best results, Kukicha is steeped in water between 70°C to 80°C (155°F - 180°F) for three minutes (otherwise, like all green teas, the result will be a bitter, unsavoury brew).
Some suggest that Kukicha can be dry fried in an iron pan to make it more alkaline and good for diseases that thrive in acidic conditions.
It is an inexpensive tea of enthusiasts, rarely drank outside Japan.

Mecha

Mecha or bud tea is a special Japanese green tea made of early leaf buds. It is known for its flavour depth and bitter green aftertaste.
Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled leaf teas. To be more precise, Mecha tea is made from collection of leaf buds and tips of the early crops.
Quality Mecha tea has clear, soft yellow appearance.Considering the above mentioned bitterness, Mecha tea is a good tea to drink after meals to cleanse the palate.

Tea tasting terms

Professional tea tasters (brokers, agents, buyers) use numerous terms, expressions. Here are some of them...as presented at Relax, Sip & Enjoy

Body - The weight and qaulity of the tea on the tongue. Can be describedas wispy, light, medium, or full.

Brassy - Strong and bitter; caused by underwithering of black tea.

Bright - Lively, fresh, and high quality.

Brisk - Opposite of "flat"; pungent without being undesirably high in tannin content.

Burnt - An off flavor caused by overfiring.

Chocolaty - A desirable flavor quality of fine Darjeelings.

Coarse - Bitter or overly acid; attributable to improper processing.

Dull - Muddy looking; the opposite of "bright" or "brisk."

Earthy - May be inherent to the leaf, or caused by damp storage.

Flat - Off, stale taste; usually a property of old teas.

Full-bodied - An ideal combination of strength and color.

Green - When said of black tea, refers to immaturity of character due to underoxidation or underwithering.

Harsh - Very rough in flavor; associated with underwithered teas.

Heavy - Low in briskness and very full-bodied.

Light - Lacking strength and depth of color.

Malty - Subtle, underlying flavor; a desirable quality in Assam teas.

Mellow - Smooth, easy, pleasant.

Metallic - A sharp, coppery flavor.

Point - Used to describe a leaf with desirable brightness and acidity.

Pungent - Pleasantly astringent; a good combination or briskness, strength, and brightness.

Self-drinking - A tea that can be drunk alone, without blending with other leaves.

Smooth - Rounded in flavor, pleasant on the palate.

Soft - The opposite of "brisk"; caused by inefficient oxidation or firing.

Vegetative - Grassy flavor, a desirable characteristic of some green teas.

Houjicha

Houjicha is a pan-fried or oven roasted green tea available in Japanese teashops. Houjicha is very little bitter, refreshing...The tea is fried at high temperature...As result of it tea leaves become red...
There are two main types of Houjicha - light and deep-fried. Deep-fried tea has stronger, roast aroma and taste. Houjicha has distinctively red appearance and are low in caffeine. Houjicha can be drank with all kind of food. Japanese people are often drink itafter dinner. Houjicha is excellent as Iced tea too. Houjicha is not expensive, but it is rarely used in the West.
How to brew it? Until you decide what time of brewing is the most suitable for you, check your tea every 30 seconds or so...Start by using 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of tea to 170 grams of water. Experiment with water temperature to get different flavors.