Uji, Kyoto / Shizuoka Prefecture — Japan
Sencha is Japan's most consumed green tea, made from directly steamed (not pan-fired) tea leaves, producing a grassy, vegetal, slightly astringent cup. Unlike matcha which uses shade-grown leaves, sencha is grown in full sun. Temperature precision is paramount: water too hot produces harsh bitterness from catechins; correct temperature (70-80°C) extracts balanced umami sweetness from L-theanine amino acids. First infusion (ichiban-dashi) should use cooler water for sweeter flavor; subsequent infusions can use slightly hotter water.
Grassy, vegetal, marine umami notes, clean bitterness with sweetness when properly brewed
{"Water temperature 70-80°C for first brew — never boiling","First infusion 60-90 seconds, subsequent infusions progressively shorter","Leaf-to-water ratio approximately 4g per 150ml","Pour in circular motion to extract evenly from all leaves","Drain completely at end of each infusion to prevent bitterness","Kyushu and Shizuoka regions produce distinct terroir-driven sencha"}
{"Cool boiling water by pouring into cold cup first reduces temperature efficiently","Gyokuro (shade-grown) uses even cooler water 50-60°C for intensely sweet umami","Fukamushi (deep steamed) sencha brews faster — 30 seconds maximum","Kabusecha (briefly shaded) offers middle ground between sencha and gyokuro","End-of-day tea can be cold-brewed overnight in refrigerator for smooth extraction"}
{"Using boiling water which destroys delicate aromatics and amplifies bitterness","Oversteeping first infusion — most flavor extracts quickly","Not draining teapot fully between infusions","Using hard water which dulls the clean flavors","Storing open tea in humid kitchen environment"}
The Japanese Tea Ceremony — Kakuzo Okakura; Shizuoka Tea Producers Handbook