Sencha: The Most Popular Japanese Green Tea

If you were to visit a Japanese home, office, or restaurant, you would most likely be offered a cup of sencha. This green tea makes up approximately 80% of total Japanese tea production and is an inseparable part of Japanese everyday life. Yet in the Czech Republic, it still remains somewhat in the shadow of the more popular matcha.

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about sencha tea — from its origins through production to tips on preparing the perfect cup.

What is sencha?

Sencha (煎茶) is a Japanese green tea from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis, grown in direct sunlight. After harvest, the leaves are immediately processed with steam (steamed) to stop oxidation and preserve their natural green color, aroma, and nutrients. The leaves are then shaped into characteristic needle-like or flat forms and dried.

The name "sencha" comes from a combination of characters meaning brewing/preparation and tea.

Where does sencha come from?

Sencha is grown throughout Japan, but there are regional specialties with distinctly different characters. Shizuoka is the largest sencha producer in Japan (approximately 40% of total production), and teas from this region have balanced, fresh profiles. Uji in Kyoto is a prestigious area where sencha is valued for its complexity and history. Kagoshima is the second largest producer, with more delicate and sweeter teas due to the subtropical climate. Yame in Fukuoka is a renowned area with premium sencha and gyokuro. Finally, Mie is a producer of deeply steamed sencha (fukamushi sencha).

Types of sencha

The world of sencha is not uniform — there are several variants that differ in processing, origin, and flavor:

Asamushi Sencha (lightly steamed)

Leaves are steamed very briefly (30–60 seconds). The result is a light, transparent infusion with fresh, grassy flavor and pronounced aroma.

Fukamushi Sencha (deeply steamed)

Leaves are steamed two to three times longer than asamushi. The result is more fragmented leaves and a more pronounced, darker infusion with richer, sweeter flavor and lower astringency. Particularly popular in Mie and Shizuoka prefectures.

Chumushi Sencha (medium steamed)

A compromise between asamushi and fukamushi — balanced flavor, medium infusion clarity.

Shincha (new sencha)

Shincha literally means "new tea" and refers to the first harvest of the year (approximately April–May). It is the most valued and freshest sencha — the leaves are delicate, full of L-theanine and amino acids. Sold in limited quantities and highly valued by Japanese tea connoisseurs.

How does sencha taste?

Sencha offers a complex flavor profile that varies depending on quality, region, and processing method. The flavor is reminiscent of fresh grass, sea air, and green leaves with fresh aromas. Sweetness is subtle and natural, especially in premium senchas, and umami is deeper in shaded or first-harvest varieties. Astringency is mild and naturally balances the sweetness and freshness.

How to prepare sencha correctly

Sencha preparation is simple, but details determine the resulting flavor.

What you'll need:

For preparation, you'll need sencha tea (approximately 2–3 g per cup, or roughly 1 teaspoon), a Japanese tea pot kyusu with a side filter (or another pot with a filter), and clean water.

Water temperature — the most important parameter

Why not boiling water? Water that is too hot extracts more tannins and causes bitterness. Lower temperature, on the other hand, emphasizes sweetness and umami.

Steps:

1. Pre-brew hot water into the pot and cups — you'll warm them and at the same time lower the water temperature (by approximately 5–10 °C through pouring).

2. Place tea in the pot (2–3 g / 150–180 ml of water).

3. Pour water at the correct temperature.

4. Steep for 45–90 seconds (short infusion = sweeter, longer = more pronounced, mildly bitter).

5. Pour the entire contents of the pot into the cup — leave as little residue as possible in the pot so the tea doesn't over-steep.

Second and third infusions

Good sencha can be steeped 2–3 times. The second infusion (hotter water, 10–15 seconds) tends to be fresher and lighter. The third infusion is more delicate.

Health benefits of sencha

Sencha is a rich source of catechins (especially EGCG, powerful antioxidants), L-theanine (an amino acid supporting concentration and calm), vitamin C (and unlike Chinese green teas heated with dry heat, sencha retains more vitamin C due to steam processing), and caffeine (moderate amounts of 20–30 mg per cup, gentler stimulation than coffee).

Regular consumption of green tea is in a number of studies associated with support for cardiovascular health, immunity, and cognitive functions.

How to choose good sencha

When selecting sencha, you should look for a clearly green leaf color (an indicator of freshness and processing quality), a pleasant and fresh aroma (it should smell of fresh grass or sea breeze, not hay or staleness), origin from Japan (ideally Shizuoka, Uji, Kagoshima, or Yame), harvest date (the fresher, the better; ideally the current year), and hermetic packaging, because sencha is sensitive to light, air, and moisture.

Sencha vs. other Japanese teas

Conclusion

Sencha is a gateway to the world of Japanese tea — accessible, natural, yet incredibly complex. Whether you drink it in the morning instead of coffee, with lunch, or as an afternoon break, a well-prepared sencha will always offer something new.

Sencha is your gateway to the ritual of daily presence. From Japanese farmers to your teapot — on rishe.eu choose from a carefully selected assortment under Areek's care with CHAJIN: from everyday varieties to premium shincha from the first spring harvests, with the guarantee of quality from Rishe Tea.