The Art of Choosing the Right Sencha: Taste and Quality

Standing in front of a wall of Japanese green tea, the choice can feel overwhelming. Sencha, by far the most popular tea in Japan, comes in an endless range of styles, grades and price brackets. Many people start from the color, but the truth is that choosing a good sencha goes well beyond an appealing shade of green. In this guide we explain what actually shapes a tea's flavor and quality, and what to look for when you are hunting for your own favorite.

Understanding quality in Japanese green tea

It is easy to assume that the greener the tea, the better it is. Color does say something about freshness, and sometimes about the production method, but it tells you very little about how the tea will taste. The quality of a sencha comes from a combination of terroir (the conditions where it grows), weather, harvest timing and, perhaps most of all, the skill of the tea master.

Color, aroma and shape

When you examine high quality leaves they should be whole, even, and needle-shaped, with a deep, glossy color. A well-made sencha usually smells fresh and lightly grassy, with hints of sea air, nuts or flowers. If the tea smells stale or hay-like, it has probably been stored badly or is simply old.

Once brewed, the color of the liquor is worth paying attention to. Some sencha give a pale yellow-green cup, others an intensely bright green. Both can be of the highest quality; they represent different styles and different production methods.

Different types of sencha

One of the most important things separating one sencha from another is how long the leaves were steamed during production. Steaming halts oxidation and preserves the green color and character of the leaf.

Asamushi and fukamushi

Traditionally, sencha is steamed for a short time, usually 30 to 40 seconds. This style is called asamushi, or lightly steamed, sencha. Asamushi teas keep their original leaf shape, brew a pale yellow-green cup, and have a crisp, clean and subtle profile in which the natural character of the leaf comes forward.

Fukamushi, or deep-steamed, sencha sits at the other end. Here the leaves are steamed twice as long or more, often 60 to 90 seconds. The longer steam makes them more fragile, so they break into smaller pieces. The result is a tea that brews faster, pours an intense dark green, and tastes fuller and sweeter with less bitterness. If you prefer a mild tea with plenty of umami, fukamushi is an excellent choice.

What the season does to the flavor

When in the year a tea is picked has an enormous effect on both quality and price. Much like fine wine, tea is shaped by the vintage and the timing of the harvest.

Shincha: the first flush of the year

The most sought-after harvest in Japan is the very first, in spring, usually from late April into early May. This tea is called shincha (new tea) or ichibancha (first harvest). The bush has stored nutrients all winter, and the new, tender shoots are packed with the amino acids that give sweetness and umami. Shincha is considered the finest grade of sencha and is celebrated across Japan as a sign that spring has arrived.

After the first flush comes the second (nibancha) in summer, and sometimes a third in autumn. These teas generally hold fewer amino acids and more catechins, which makes them a little more bitter and a little lighter. They are often used as everyday tea or in blends.

Curious how a well-chosen sencha changes with the brewing method? Try mizudashi sencha as well, where cold water brings out sweetness and a softer umami.

What we look for when we choose a tea

As the founders of Nekko Kitchen we have tasted countless teas from different regions of Japan to find the right ones to offer our customers. With deep roots and a wide network in Japan, we always come back to balance. An outstanding sencha should hold umami, a refreshing astringency and a light bitterness in harmony. It should feel clean on the palate and leave a pleasant aftertaste that lingers.

If you want to explore a carefully chosen classic, we warmly recommend our Uogashi Sencha. It is an excellent example of a high quality tea with both complexity and depth, and an ideal place to begin your journey into sencha. If you would like to widen your view further, take a look at our Cha Cha Cha Japanese Tea Tasting Box, where you can compare sencha with other varieties worth knowing.

Choosing a sencha is a personal journey. There is no absolute right or wrong, only the profile that suits you best. Once you understand how cultivation, steaming and season shape the tea, you are far better equipped to navigate the choices and find your perfect cup of Japanese green tea.