What Is Sencha?

Sencha is the most widely grown and consumed Japanese tea. Unlike other types, sencha tea plants are exposed to full sunlight, which gives it a clear and brisk flavor with a balance of sweetness, umami, bitterness, and astringency. Recently, many tea farmers have started covering their tea fields for a few days before harvest to reduce bitterness and astringency and to make the leaves darker green. At Nakamura Tokichi, we choose sencha that is grown without this covering process, even though it might not look as vibrant.