Sencha Tea

Tasting Notes

Sencha is Japan's most popular green tea, and ours is a first flush (ichiban cha) from Kagoshima, steamed in the traditional Japanese style. The leaves are rolled into fine, deep green needles that brew a vibrant green cup with a fresh, grassy aroma and a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. The result is a delicious steamed Japanese green tea, with medium caffeine content.

Every sip of this sencha tea transports you to a spring day with its delicate sweetness, herbaceous aroma, and a flavor profile reminiscent of fresh-cut grass and seaweed. Its medium-light body offers a slightly sweet flavor that lingers, creating a lasting, refreshing impression long after your last sip.

This sencha green tea, a steamed tea prepared from freshly picked leaves, is a Vitamin C powerhouse. An ideal afternoon treat, it will simultaneously soothe and energize, providing a unique tasting experience. Plus, it maintains a consistent flavor profile for up to three infusions, extending your enjoyment.

Features

• Sencha Green Tea
• Origin: Japan, Kagoshima
• Cultivars: first flush blend of Okumidori and Yabukita
• Sample ~ 5 servings
• Premium pyramid full leaf tea sachets, 15 count and 50 count
• 1/4 LB ~ 50 servings
• 1 LB ~ 220 servings
• Lifestyle-Friendly: Vegan, Paleo, Keto, Kosher-certified
• Caffeine: Medium

Ingredients: green tea

About our Sachets

Our tea sachets are made using NeoSoilon®, a non-GMO material derived from sugarcane. They are not made from petroleum-based plastics.

How to brew sencha

Sencha is a cool-water green tea. Boiling water pulls harsh tannins from the leaves and turns the cup bitter, so let your water settle to about 175°F (80°C). Preheat your teapot and cups with hot water first. Use one teaspoon of leaves per cup and give them room to expand. Steep 60 to 90 seconds for the first infusion, then pour off completely. Brewing in a kyusu, the traditional Japanese teapot with a side handle, makes this easy. These leaves re-infuse two or three more times; add a little time with each steep.

Frequently asked questions

How is sencha different from matcha?

Both are Japanese green teas, but sencha is made from whole rolled leaves you steep and strain, unlike matcha, which is a stone-ground powder you whisk into the water. Japanese sencha teas are grown in full sun, which gives them a brisk, grassy character, unlike shade-grown teas such as matcha and gyokuro.

Is sencha a Japanese or Chinese green tea?

Sencha is Japanese. Green tea grows across both Japan and China, and the traditions differ: most Chinese green teas are pan-fired, while Japanese green teas like sencha are steamed, which locks in the vibrant green color and fresh, vegetal taste. Ours comes from Kagoshima, one of Japan's main tea-growing regions alongside Uji and Shizuoka. Japan is the world's second-largest producer of green tea.

What are the steaming styles of sencha?

Steaming time defines the style. Asamushi sencha is steamed about 30 seconds for a lighter, clearer cup; chumushi about a minute; and fukamushi, or deep-steamed, for 1 to 2 minutes, which breaks the leaf down more for a richer color and a smoother, less astringent brew. The steaming level varies by producer.

When is sencha harvested?

The best sencha comes from the first flush, called ichiban cha, picked in spring at the start of the growing season. The very freshest first-harvest tea is known as shincha, like our 88th Night. This sencha is a first flush.

How much caffeine does sencha have?

Medium, less than a cup of coffee or black tea. Green tea's amino acids give it a smoother character than coffee. Like all green tea, sencha naturally contains antioxidants called catechins, plus amino acids such as L-theanine.

Where is sencha grown?

Sencha grows across Japan. The largest regions are Kagoshima in the south, Shizuoka in central Japan, and Uji near Kyoto. Uji sencha, grown in the Uji region, is one of the most prized, while Kagoshima is known for fresh, early-harvest teas. Ours is grown in Kagoshima.

What does sencha taste like?

Fresh and grassy, with a delicate sweetness and a savory, umami note from the amino acids in the leaf, tasting notes characteristic of this Japanese tea. Expect hints of fresh-cut grass, seaweed, and a clean, vegetal finish. Brewed well it is smooth and brothy; brewed too hot or too long it turns astringent.

Can you cold brew sencha?

Yes, and it is one of the best ways to drink it in warm weather. Cold brewing (mizudashi) draws out sweetness and umami while leaving most of the bitterness and caffeine behind, for a smooth, refreshing cup. Add leaves to cold water, refrigerate a few hours, and strain. See our cold brew guide for ratios. It is a great way to keep drinking sencha year round.

How should I store sencha to keep it fresh?

Green tea is delicate, so keep it airtight, cool, and away from light, air, moisture, and strong odors. Stored well, it holds its fresh aroma for several months. For the brightest flavor, drink it within a few months of opening.

How is sencha made?

Sencha is made from tea leaves picked from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, then steamed, rolled, and dried soon after harvest. Steaming stops oxidation and locks in the green color and fresh aroma, and rolling shapes the leaves into their fine needle form. Standard sencha is steamed lightly, while deeper steaming breaks the leaves down more for a smoother cup. This processing is what sets Japanese green tea apart from Chinese green tea.

What should I look for in a good sencha?

A few things. Harvest time matters most: the best leaves are picked at the first flush in spring. The processing techniques matter too. Quality sencha is steamed soon after harvest and rolled so the leaves are shaped into tight, fine needle shapes, a sign of careful handling. Deep-steamed (fukamushi) sencha contains more broken leaves and brews a cloudier, richer cup, while lighter-steamed sencha has fewer broken leaves and a clearer one. Whichever style you prefer, sencha is best consumed fresh and brewed in a small pot so the leaves have room to open.

Does sencha come in tea bags?

Yes. Sencha comes as loose leaf and in pyramid tea sachets, also known as tea bags, in 15 and 50 count. The full-leaf sachets give the leaves room to open, so you get the same fresh taste and delicate flavor however you brew.

How is sencha usually enjoyed?

Sencha is the everyday green tea of Japan and the country's most popular tea. It is typically enjoyed hot, though it is just as good iced or cold-brewed. Many people drink it in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up. However you take it, it is meant to be an easy, everyday cup.

Does sencha have health benefits?

Sencha is a green tea, and green tea is naturally rich in catechins (a type of antioxidant) and the amino acid L-theanine. For more on the compounds in green tea, see our guide to health benefits by tea type.