How to Brew Japanese Green Tea
Sencha (煎茶)
Sencha is Japan’s most beloved everyday tea. Follow these six mindful steps—rooted in senchadō practice—to draw out its vivid aroma, sweet umami, and refreshing finish. Utensils you’ll need: a kyusu teapot, a yuzamashi (water‑cooling bowl), and small cups.
Step 1: Warm & Purify the Teaware
Fill the kyusu and each cup with freshly boiled water, then discard it. This warms the pottery, rinses away dust, and symbolizes a fresh beginning for host and guest alike.
「湯通し」— Yudōshi (Pre‑heating)
Step 2: Measure the Leaves
Place about 2 g of sencha per 100 ml of tea you plan to serve—roughly one heaped teaspoon per cup—into the kyusu. Adjust the amount to taste or grade of tea.
「茶葉を量る」— Chaba o Hakaru
Step 3: Cool the Water (Yuzamashi)
After boiling, pour water into the yuzamashi or the waiting cups to lower it to 70 – 80 °C. Proper cooling tames bitterness and preserves sweetness. High‑grade sencha benefits from the lower end of this range.
「湯冷まし」— Yuzamashi
Step 4: Steep with Serenity
Gently pour the cooled water over the leaves and cover. Let the tea steep for 45 – 60 seconds; a brief infusion draws out umami while holding bitterness in check.
「煎じる」— Senjiru (Infusion)
Step 5: Pour with Mawashi‑tsugi
Tilt the kyusu and alternate pours between cups a little at a time—1‑2‑3, 3‑2‑1—until every drop is served. This mawashi‑tsugi technique balances flavor and color for all guests.
「回し注ぎ」— Mawashi‑tsugi (Alternating Pour)
Step 6: Second Infusion & Enjoy
Re‑fill the kyusu immediately with slightly hotter water (≈ 80 °C) and steep just 15 – 30 seconds for a brighter, more vegetal second cup. Savor the aroma from the empty cup between sips—an etiquette known as kōrui.
「二煎目」— Nisen‑me (Second Brew)