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Although all Japanese teas are green tea, and nearly all are steamed (rather than pan-fired) after picking in order to stop oxidation, major differences in flavor and fragrance arise from different methods of cultivation and processing, variations in climate and soil, different varietals of camellia sinensis, and infusion techniques. There are two basic types of fine Japanese teas, sencha and gyokuro, picked in the early stages of the first flush.
Many tea people in Japan prefer the complexity of fine sencha to the luxurious sweetness of gyokuro. Sencha is grown in open fields, where both sweetness and astringency develop under the sun. This is the key difference between sencha and gyokuro. High-quality sencha is produced not only in Uji (much more tea is labeled “Uji tea” than is produced in Uji). In fact, most sencha comes from Shizuoka, in eastern Japan, but it is also grown in northern Kyushu. The sencha of each region has a distinctive flavor and fragrance, due mainly to variations in soil and climate.
Only the most expensive grades of sencha are picked by hand--most is sheared by a machine resembling a hedge-cutter. All the stages of processing, basically the same as for gyokuro, are automated. The tea leaves are carried from steamer to kneading machine, and from there to the drying oven by conveyor belts, each stage closely regulated by experts. The finishing process, picking out stems and imperfectly processed leaves, is often done by a finishing specialist.
Brewing In infusing sencha, the tea drinker can change the balance between astringency and sweetness according to personal taste by adjusting water temperature and timing. Water temperatures below 60° C. enhances the theanin, while hotter water brings out the catechin. The right balance is up to you.
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