The mild astringency will become an addictive taste! Deep-steamed sencha with a mellow flavor

Introduction

A type of sencha is deep-steamed sencha.

As the name suggests, this tea is steamed 2-3 times longer than regular sencha. Tea that is steamed even longer is called tokumushicha.

The Birth of Deep Steamed Sencha

Deep-steamed sencha tea originated in the Chubu region of Shizuoka prefecture.

The tea from this region is characterized by thick leaves and a strong astringency, which is why it was not well received by consumers. So, through trial and error, tea farmers increased the steaming time to reduce the astringency and create a mellow-tasting deep-steamed sencha.

Since then, through continuous improvements to our manufacturing methods and machinery, the quality has improved significantly, and continues to do so to this day.

Characteristics of Deep Steamed Sencha

The defining feature of deep-steamed sencha is its smooth taste. By steaming it for longer than regular sencha, the flavor of the tea leaves is slowly brought out and the sweetness is enhanced.

On the other hand, the refreshing aroma is subdued and the flavor is mild. Also, because the tea leaves tend to break into small powder, the brewed tea turns a deep green color, almost like matcha.

The spread of deep-steamed sencha: becoming Japan's leading green tea

Deep-steamed sencha was created relatively recently, in the 1950s, but word of its deliciousness spread by word of mouth, and now it is produced not only in Shizuoka Prefecture, but all over the country, including Kagoshima and Mie Prefectures, and has become a representative type of Japanese green tea.

In Shizuoka Prefecture in particular, it is an extremely popular tea, with more than 70% of the production being deep-steamed sencha.