Collection: Sencha green tea

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

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 during meals or as a relaxing drink.
• Taste and freshness: Sencha has a fresh, mild, and slightly vegetal taste that makes it enjoyable to drink at any time of the day. Its flavor is more subtle than 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, 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 drink for everyday life. It can be brewed at home, at the office, or even on the go.

• Sencha is a type of green tea, and the earliest traces of green tea consumption date back to ancient China. Green tea, overall, has been cultivated and consumed for millennia in China, and production techniques such as steaming the leaves to stop oxidation were introduced into the green tea manufacturing process.

• Sencha, like other types of green tea, was introduced to Japan during the Heian period (794-1185), around the 9th century. It was imported from China by Buddhist monks, who played a key role in spreading tea culture in the country. However, it was only from the Edo period (1603-1868) that tea cultivation truly began to develop in Japan, with sencha becoming the most popular green tea after production techniques were refined in Japan.

• Today, the majority of sencha is grown in Japan, notably in regions like Shizuoka, Uji, and Kagoshima. Each region has its own methods of cultivation and leaf processing, resulting in a wide variety of tastes and aromas among different types of sencha.

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

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

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

Use good quality water, preferably filtered or spring water. Chlorinated or overly mineralized water can alter the taste of the tea.

The ideal temperature to brew sencha is 70°C to 80°C. Water that is too hot will make the infusion bitter, while water that is too cold 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 about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of sencha leaves. This amount can vary slightly depending on your taste preferences, but generally, sencha should be brewed with a moderate amount of leaves to achieve a balanced flavor:

• Brew the tea: Place the sencha leaves in a small infuser or directly in a teapot (preferably ceramic or glass to avoid altering the taste). Pour the hot water over the leaves.
• Brewing time: Let it steep for about 1 to 2 minutes. Brewing too long can make the tea bitter. If you prefer a stronger taste, slightly adjust the brewing time, but avoid exceeding 2 minutes.
• Rebrew the sencha: One of sencha’s characteristics is that it can be rebrewed several times. For each new infusion, use water at a similar temperature (70°C to 80°C) and slightly reduce the brewing time (about 30 seconds to 1 minute for subsequent infusions).

Additional tips:

• Never leave the leaves in the water after brewing, as this can alter the taste of the tea.
• You can adjust the amount of leaves and brewing time according to your personal preferences to achieve a milder or stronger flavor.
• A small teapot or an infuser cup (like a kyusu, the traditional Japanese teapot) allows for better brewing with improved temperature control.

Sencha is a very popular Japanese green tea, but it stands out from other green teas by its cultivation, harvest, and 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 sweet and strongly umami taste, and often a higher price. Sencha, grown in the sun, has a fresher, vegetal, and slightly astringent flavor.
  
• Sencha vs Matcha: Matcha is a powdered green tea whisked into hot water, offering an intense and creamy flavor rich in umami. It is also used in cooking for pastries and smoothies. Sencha, brewed from leaves, is lighter, fresh, and grassy, ideal for drinking as an infusion.
  
• 
  Sencha vs Bancha: Bancha comes from older leaves, often harvested after sencha, with a milder and 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 roasted or caramelized notes, with less caffeine. Sencha, simply dried, retains its freshness, green color, and vegetal, grassy flavor.
  

Thus, sencha is distinguished by its freshness and 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, away from air, light, humidity, 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 buy moderate quantities and consume the tea quickly.

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

Rich in antioxidants, sencha helps neutralize free radicals, thereby slowing cellular aging and reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular ones.

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

Sencha stimulates metabolism and can support weight management, due to 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 and lasting stimulating effect without excessive nervousness.

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

Finally, sencha contributes to good oral health, helps reduce stress thanks to L-theanine, and supports proper hydration daily.