(Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Okinawa)

Tea is an important part of daily life in Japan and an indispensable part of washoku Japanese cuisine. When you get into a tea shop in Japan, you might be surprised to see countless variations of teas.

Remember this Japanese phrase and ask a clerk to make sure if it is a right tea that you want before buying tea for a souvenir.

“korewa matcha desuka?” これは抹茶ですか？ = Is this matcha?

“korewa .. desuka?” これは・・ですか？ = is this..?, “matcha” 抹茶 = matcha

You can also say:

“Korewa ryokucha desuka? これは緑茶ですか？ = is this green tea?

“Korewa hojicha desuka? これはほうじ茶ですか？ = is this roasted tea?

The clerk might reply to you like:

“Hai, korewa matcha desu.” = “Yes, this is matcha.”

“Iie, Korewa matcha dewa arimasen.” = “No, this isn’t matcha.”

Enjoy tasty Japanese tea either in matcha, ryokucha (green tea) or hojicha (roasted tea)!