A noble samurai came to visit the wise tea master Lao Cha and the old man offered the samurai some tea.
– Oh Sensei! – the samurai exclaimed, – I am so impressed! What is this tea that is so refreshing and comforting, with a taste so bold and sweet, yet so fresh that Spring itself returned once again!
– This tea is Sencha. Now hang your sword, forget all your worries, and just enjoy.
Sencha is known and loved for its moderate sweetness, mild astringency, and flowery-green aroma. The quality of sencha will vary depending on origin, time of harvest, and leaf processing.
Sencha is the Japanese word for "roasted tea". This term refers to an older style of processing Japanese green tea that was influenced by Chinese tea processing methods. Today, most sencha is steamed instead of pan-roasted.
Fukamushi cha (深蒸し茶, deep-steamed tea) is steamed for a slightly longer time than what is considered to be usual. Normally, the steaming process for green tea (Futsuumushicha 普通蒸し茶) runs for about 30-45 seconds. Fukamushicha, on the other hand, is steamed for about a minute. As a result, the astringency is suppressed, while tea gains more body and sweetness.
This Organic Fukamushi Sencha from Yame (Okumidori cultivar) is produced by Harashima san. It is refreshing, full of sweetness and umami. It grows at the top of the Yame mountains. Its leaves are covered with snow. This way, they develop more nutrients that create a bold and delicious taste. The first brew yields a deep-green tea soup with a highly pleasing artichoke aroma and a hint of chestnut. Enjoy its round and rich mouthfeel, with delicious umami that will linger for a long while, typical of teas from Yame.
The best plantations in Fukuoka prefecture are indeed in the Yame area. Morning mists and river fogs are very frequent. Curtains of fog wrap green tea plantations, properly blocking sunlight. It makes the tea leaves more tender and sweeter. In addition, Yame enjoys a vast temperature difference from day to night.
This craft tea can be rebrewed up to 3 times. Rebrewing time should be between 30-60 seconds, depending on your taste.
Brewing guidelines:
165℉ / 75℃ for the first infusion; Keep raising water temperature for subsequent infusions
1g per 60ml
1-2min for the first infusion; then 30sec; +15 for each subsequent infusion