Sencha

Sencha was developed in the 18th century by Nagatani Soen, who pioneered the steaming and rolling technique that defines Japanese green tea. After plucking — typically one bud and two leaves — the leaves are steamed within hours to deactivate oxidizing enzymes. This steaming (as opposed to Chinese pan-firing) preserves a marine, grassy freshness unique to Japanese teas. The steamed leaves are then rolled, shaped, and dried into tight, dark-green needles. Brewing sencha requires precision: water at 70-80 degrees Celsius and steep times of 60-90 seconds prevent bitterness while extracting the full range of umami, sweetness, and mild astringency. Regional differences are notable: Shizuoka sencha tends toward a clean, balanced profile, Kagoshima produces deeper, sweeter teas, and Uji sencha is prized for refined elegance.