Green tea has really a lot of varieties from the popular one to something limited to a region.
I would like to explain about 'Sencha' and 'Gyokuro' which would represent green tea this time including the characteristic of these 2 teas, how to grow them and how to make etc.





1. First introduction (basic knowledge)


In general, tea called 'Green tea', you can think of it as 'generic name' for general Japanese tea.
Green tea has many kinds of style such as Sencha, Gyokuro, Hojicha and so on.

Green tea becomes a product when the tea-leaf grown in tea garden (tea plantation) is processed.
The fresh tea leaves (unprocessed leaves) starts fermentation with the natural process of oxidase right after you pick them. By processing fresh green tea with heat (steam/roast), it's [unfermented tea] that stops the natural process of oxidase.

This process of 'fresh tea leaves with the heat process, arrange the shape of leaves, reduce water content and keep it to be stored is called' 'Aracha process/Aracha progress'.

I would like to explain about the types based on this basic knowledge to the following.



** Trivia (difference of fermentation) **

- Fermented tea= black tea
- Falf/Semi fermented tea= Chinese 'Blue-Green Tea (Oolong tea)'
*Blue-Green Tea
- Unfermented tea= green tea





2. Sencha (Fukamushi Sencha)


2-1. About Sencha

Sencha, is the most familiar tea for Japanese and the most consumed green tea.
We could say 'Green tea = Sencha'. It's OK to say it is represented Japanese tea.


[Production technique]

As I mentioned Aracha process, 'fresh tea leaves with the heat process, arrange the shape of leaves, reduce water content and keep it to be stored', tea used a general production is called 'Sencha'.
*'to rub' = Long time ago, people were rubbing tea leaves with hands but the machine does that job now. We can still see the tea 'hand-rub' partially, but it has a stronger meaning for the event, the inheritance or reserve of traditional technique.


[cultivation methods]

For Sencha, once the sprout comes out, they are exposed to the sun until they will be picked (plucking) to grow them.


[How to make a tasty tea] for 2 people

>> Heritage-Premium grade

Since it contains a lot of Umami component (amino acid) so you need to pour low temperature to get more umami and save the bitterness.

------------------------------
amount of tea leaves: 4-6g
temperature of hot water: approx. 80 degree
amount of hot water: approx. 200ml/cc
extraction time: 30-45 seconds
------------------------------


>> Standard-Economy grade

The Umami component isn't contained as much as Heritage-Premium grade Sencha but it has a lot of bitterness component (catechin) so it would bring up flavor and appropriate bitterness.

------------------------------
amount of tea leaves: 4-6g
temperature of hot water: approx. 90 degree
amount of hot water: 200ml/cc approx. 200ml/cc
extraction time: 45-60 seconds
------------------------------





2-2. About deep steamed green tea

This is a kind of Sencha, as it is steamed about double of the time for usual Sencha, it is called 'deep steamed green tea'.
By steaming for a long time, tea leaves is broken down (becomes powdery), so tea flavor and tea color (green color) is darker, it is it's characteristics.
It has less green smell (like glass flavor) and bitterness, also you can intake the active component (which not soluble in water) of tea leaves itself as well. Because of this, even the TV channels for health in Japan has the special programs.

This is my personal opinion but it has the deeper flavor and it's possible to make a beautiful tea color as well, I could say you won't fail to make tea with this kind of tea.
This is the Sencha that is recommended for a beginner.


[How to make tasty deep steamed green tea] (for 2 people)

------------------------------
amount of tea leaves: 4-6g
temperature of hot water: approx. 80 degree
amount of hot water: approx. 200ml/cc
extraction time: 30-45 seconds
------------------------------

[TMS's Recommend]

Chiran Fukamushi Superior 100g (3.52oz) Deep Steamed green tea Kagoshima
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/chiran-fukam...

[VALUE/STANDARD] FUKAMUSHI - Deep steamed Green Tea 1kg (2.21lbs)
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/value-standa...

3. Gyokuro (and Kabuse-cha)


3-1. About Gyokuro

Gyokuro, is the green tea that the tea sprout is shut out from sun light, by restraining the photosynthesis to limit the creation of catechin (bitter tasting) but increase the components of amino acid (teanine).
It has a lower bitter tasting than is normal, and has plentiful umami (condensed deep umami).
We could say it's 'THE UMAMI!'.
It is the pronominal high-end tea, so its price is high and is used for the special situation 'Omotenashi (hospitality)' such as for Gift and Guests etc.


[cultivation methods]

The sprouts would be screened from sunlight for about 3 weeks.
(cover cropping/cover under cultivation)
For shading, they often tend to use Reed screen or straw as it used to be, and covering material (chemical fiber) now a days.
There is green tea called 'Kabuse cha (mild green tea)' but this tea is screen from sunlight for about a week or so which is shorter than Gyokuro.


(!) Trivia (photosynthesis)

Tea leaves would have 'photosynthesis' which is going on within leaves when they get some sunlight.
It will increase the catechin (the bitterness component).
On the other hand, if it is screen from sunlight and restrain photosynthesis, catechin will be increased and also teanin (umami component) would contain more.
In order to adjust (retrain) this photosynthesis’s activity, Gokuro and Kabuse cha are cultivated by screening from sunlight.


[How to make tasty Gyokuro] (for 2 people)]

You can extract tea at a low temperature carefully to bring Umami out.

------------------------------
amount of tea leaves: 5-6g
temperature of hot water: approx. 50-60 degree
amount of hot water: approx. 100 ml/cc
extraction time: approx. 2 min
------------------------------

[TMS's Recommend]

Ureshino Gyokuro Bisen 100g (3.52oz)
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/heritage-gra...

Kurihara Standard Gyokuro 100g (3.52oz)
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/standard-gyo...





3-2. About Kabuse-cha

As it is written in Chinese character '冠茶', Kabuse-cha means 'to put the crown on tea leaves=screening from sunlight by covering the shielding materials on sprouts), so we call it 'Kabuse-cha'.

You will get the tea with the characteristics of deeper Umami than the regular Sencha that is grown by screening from sunlight the sprouts for about a week.
*The screening time is shorter than Gyokuro.



You can imagine that Kabuse-cha is something like 'between Gyokuro and Sencha (flavor and grade)'.


[quantity of Umami (image)]

I arranged in descending order of Umami.

(the most Umami contained) Gyokuro ~ Kabusecha ~ Sencha (less Umami contained)


[How to make tasty Kabusecha] (for 2 people)

You can extract tea at a low temperature carefully to bring Umami out.

------------------------------
amount of tea leaves: 5-6g
temperature of hot water: approx. 70-80 degree
amount of hot water: approx. 200 ml/cc
extraction time: approx. 1 min
------------------------------

[TMS's Recommend]

Sachi no Kiwami 100g (3.52oz) Kabuse Tamaryokucha
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/imperial-gra...

Ureshino Kabuse Tamaryokucha 100g (3.52oz)
http://www.tokyo-matcha-selection.com/heritage-gra...





4. Summary


We've introduced you about Sencha and Gyokuro this time.


To summarize the information,


Sencha= tea represents Green tea, the tea Japanese drink the most, various flavor and fragrance etc, suitable for a wide range situation (home use to gift)


Gyokuro= tea represents the high-end tea, has elegant and deep umami, mainly used for gift and guest, it's pricy, 'green tea for Omotenashi (hospitality)'


We hope this will help you to select green tea.
Please try the differences between Sencah, deep steamed green tea, Gyokuro and Kabuse cha.



We will write again.