Steaming

蒸し

Japanese-style heat fixation using steam rather than dry heat (pan-firing). Steaming at 100°C preserves more chlorophyll, L-theanine, and vitamin C than pan-firing, creating the characteristic vivid green color and umami-rich, vegetal-marine flavor of Japanese green teas. Steaming duration defines the tea style: light steaming (asamushi, 30 seconds) produces a clear, delicate brew; deep steaming (fukamushi, 60-120 seconds) breaks down cell structure for a rich, opaque, full-bodied cup. Sencha, gyokuro, and tencha all use steaming.