Collection: Sencha green tea

Our selection comes from the most prestigious terroirs. We favor tea gardens in the Kyoto region (Uji), the birthplace of Japanese tea culture, where tradition and expertise guarantee a liquor of incomparable refinement.

Sencha is extremely popular in Japan for several reasons:

• Tradition and culture: Sencha is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. It is often associated with the tea ceremony and is consumed daily by many Japanese families. It is the most common green tea in Japan, whether with meals or as a relaxing beverage.
• Taste and freshness: Sencha has a fresh, smooth, slightly vegetal taste that makes it pleasant to drink at any time of day. Its flavor is subtler than that of some other green teas, making it an accessible choice for all tastes.
• Health benefits: Like all green teas, sencha is rich in antioxidants and catechins, which are known for their beneficial effects on health, particularly in preventing heart disease and supporting the immune system. It also contains caffeine, providing a gentle boost without the excessive bitterness found in other teas.
• Ease of preparation: Sencha is relatively easy to prepare and does not require complex equipment, making it a convenient everyday beverage. It can be brewed at home, at the office, or even while on the go.

• Sencha is a type of green tea, and the earliest evidence of green tea consumption dates back to ancient China. Green tea as a whole has been cultivated and consumed in China for thousands of years, and production techniques, such as steaming the leaves to stop oxidation, were introduced into the green tea-making process.

• Sencha, like other types of green tea, was introduced to Japan during the Heian period (794-1185), around the 9th century. It was brought from China by Buddhist monks, who played a key role in spreading tea culture throughout the country. However, it was not until the Edo period (1603-1868) that tea cultivation really began to develop in Japan, with sencha becoming the most popular green tea after production techniques had been refined in Japan.

• Today, most sencha is cultivated in Japan, particularly in regions such as Shizuoka, Uji, and Kagoshima. Each region has its own methods of cultivating and processing tea leaves, resulting in a wide variety of flavors and aromas among the different types of sencha.

Sencha is generally harvested by hand, especially for the finest grades. Picking focuses on the young shoots and first leaves, valued for their tenderness and rich aromas. The first harvest, called shincha, or tea of the new season, takes place in spring, between late April and early May, when the leaves offer their freshest and most delicate flavor. Later harvests may take place, but they produce leaves with a stronger and sometimes more bitter taste.

After picking, the leaves are quickly processed to prevent oxidation. They are steamed for a few seconds, a technique unique to Japanese green teas that helps preserve their vibrant green color and characteristic vegetal notes.

The leaves are then rolled to release their essential oils and dried to stabilize the aromas and ensure good preservation. Depending on the grade of the sencha, additional sorting may be carried out, particularly for high-quality teas, to remove stems and lower-quality leaves.

Use good-quality water, preferably filtered or spring water. Chlorinated or highly mineralized water can alter the tea's flavor.

The ideal temperature for steeping sencha is 70°C to 80°C. Water that is too hot will make the infusion bitter, while water that is too cool will not fully extract the flavors. Use a thermometer or let the water cool for about 5 minutes after boiling before using it.

For a 200 ml cup, measure approximately 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of sencha leaves. This amount may vary slightly depending on your taste preferences, but generally, sencha should be steeped with a moderate amount of leaves to obtain a balanced flavor:

• Steep the tea: Place the sencha leaves in a small infuser or directly in a teapot (preferably ceramic or glass so as not to alter the flavor). Pour the hot water over the leaves.
• Steeping time: Let steep for about 1 to 2 minutes. Steeping for too long can make the tea bitter. If you prefer a stronger flavor, slightly adjust the steeping time, but avoid exceeding 2 minutes.
• Re-steeping sencha: One of sencha's distinctive features is that it can be steeped several times. For each new infusion, use water at a similar temperature (70°C to 80°C) and slightly reduce the steeping time (about 30 seconds to 1 minute for subsequent infusions).

Additional tips:

• Never leave the leaves in the water after steeping, as this can alter the tea's flavor.
• You can adjust the amount of leaves and the steeping time according to your personal preferences to achieve a milder or fuller-bodied flavor.
• A small teapot or an infuser cup (such as a kyusu, the traditional Japanese teapot) allows for better steeping, with greater temperature control.

Sencha is a very popular Japanese green tea, but it differs from other green teas in how it is cultivated, harvested, and its flavor. Each type of tea has its own characteristics and offers a different experience.

• Sencha vs Gyokuro: Gyokuro is grown in the shade for several weeks before harvest, giving it a darker color, a smooth, pronounced umami flavor, and often a higher price. Sencha, grown in the sun, has a fresher, more vegetal, and slightly astringent flavor.
  
• Sencha vs Matcha: Matcha is a powdered green tea whisked into hot water, offering an intense, creamy flavor rich in umami. It is also used in cooking for pastries and smoothies. Sencha, infused from tea leaves, is lighter, fresher, and more herbaceous, making it ideal to drink as an infusion.
  
• 
  Sencha vs Bancha: Bancha comes from older leaves, often harvested after sencha, with a milder, earthier taste. Consumed daily in Japan, it is less complex than sencha, which remains more refined and aromatic.
  
• Sencha vs Hojicha: Hojicha is roasted, giving it a brown color and toasted or caramelized notes, with less caffeine. Sencha is simply dried, preserving its freshness, green color, and vegetal, herbaceous flavor.
  

Thus, sencha stands out for its freshness and its balance between sweetness and slight astringency, offering a unique experience among Japanese green teas.

To preserve the freshness of sencha, store it in an airtight container, preferably opaque, protected from air, light, moisture, and heat, in a cool, dry place.

Make sure to close the container tightly after each use and keep it away from strong odors. It is advisable to purchase moderate quantities and consume the tea quickly.

Refrigeration is possible if the container is perfectly airtight and free from condensation. Ideally, sencha should be consumed within 6 to 12 months of purchase.

Rich in antioxidants, sencha helps neutralize free radicals, thereby helping to slow cellular aging and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases.

It promotes heart health thanks to catechins, which help reduce LDL cholesterol and improve blood circulation.

Sencha boosts metabolism and can support weight management through its moderate caffeine content and the action of catechins on fat burning.

It improves concentration and alertness thanks to the combination of caffeine and L-theanine, providing a gentle, long-lasting stimulating effect without excessive nervousness.

Rich in nutrients, it strengthens the immune system, supports digestion, and has anti-inflammatory properties that benefit overall health.

Finally, sencha contributes to good oral health, helps reduce stress through L-theanine, and supports good hydration every day.