Loose Leaf vs Tea Bags

Bags win on convenience; loose leaf wins on range, freshness and re-steeping.

Tea bags for Japanese tea usually hold smaller leaf particles (including the dust-and-stem 'konacha' style served in sushi restaurants, which is a legitimate category, not a defect). Loose leaf gives whole leaves room to open, more choice of region and cultivar, and better second and third infusions. A middle path used across Japan: fill-your-own filter bags or a kyusu with a built-in mesh. For cold-brew, both work well.

Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) crop statistics; Ministry of Finance trade statistics; Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); prefectural and municipal official information. Checked 5 November 2026.