Shizuoka Green Tea: How to Brew Sencha, Gyokuro & Genmaicha
6 min readJapanese green teas differ in cultivation, processing, and blending. With Shizuoka’s tea culture as a starting point, this guide compares deep-steamed sencha, shade-grown gyokuro, and matcha genmaicha. The recipes are starting points for home brewing; the instructions supplied with your particular tea take priority.
These tea styles are made in more than one region. A style name such as sencha or gyokuro does not identify a farm or district: use the origin printed on the packet for the tea in your cup.
Why Shizuoka?
Shizuoka has been the heartland of Japanese tea for generations. The prefecture runs from coastal plains up into misty mountain valleys, and that spread of elevation and climate is why one region can produce everyday sencha, refined gyokuro, and much in between. More on Japan's tea regions →
Shizuoka is a major Japanese tea-growing prefecture, with established production across plains, hills, and mountain valleys. A regional name is a starting point for exploration; producer, cultivar, harvest, and processing also shape an individual tea.
For a Shizuoka tea, look for the producer’s own account of where the leaves were grown and how they were processed. Deep-steamed sencha is a useful style to start with because its fine leaf and cloudy infusion are easy to recognise.
Fukamushi sencha: deep-steamed, everyday green
Sencha is steamed after picking to halt enzymatic oxidation. Fukamushi (深蒸し, “deep-steamed”) means a longer steaming treatment. Not all green tea is steamed: Japanese kamairicha is pan-fired instead.
Longer steaming makes the leaf more fragile, so deep-steamed sencha often contains fine particles and produces a cloudy green infusion. Steaming times vary with the leaf and equipment; one fixed duration does not define every producer’s tea. See Ito En’s deep-steamed sencha brewing guide for a practical explanation of its short infusion time. More on fukamushicha →
The fine leaf can brew quickly. A strainer suitable for deep-steamed tea makes pouring easier, though some fine particles in the cup are part of the style. Begin with a short infusion and adjust for your leaf.
Starting recipe: 4 g leaf · 70 °C (158 °F) · 180 ml · 30 seconds. For a second infusion, begin with a shorter time because the leaves are already wet, then adjust by taste. The useful number of infusions varies.
Gyokuro: shade-grown, slow and sweet
Gyokuro is the special-occasion tea of the three — grown differently, and brewed differently.
Gyokuro (玉露, “jade dew”) is grown under shade before harvest, commonly for around twenty days. Shading helps develop its characteristic umami-rich taste. A concentrated serving made with cooler water is one way to enjoy it, rather than the only valid method. More on gyokuro →
A small, concentrated infusion can feel mellow and broth-like. Pour it into small cups and taste before deciding how to prepare the next infusion. The leaf-to-water ratio here is deliberately higher than for the sencha recipe.
Gyokuro is associated particularly with areas such as Yame and Uji, but the tea style does not establish a packet’s origin. Read the producer and origin information for the tea you are buying rather than inferring it from this general guide.
Starting recipe: 4 g leaf · 50–60 °C (122–140 °F) · 60 ml · 2 minutes. For later infusions, adjust time and temperature to taste or follow the producer’s recipe.
Matcha genmaicha: toasted rice and a lift of matcha
If gyokuro asks you to slow down, genmaicha is the opposite — the comfortable, all-day cup.
Genmaicha combines green tea with roasted rice. Despite the name, the rice is not necessarily unpolished brown rice; polished rice and glutinous rice are also used. Shinyusha’s tea specialist explains these differences. Matcha genmaicha adds matcha powder to the blend, giving additional colour and tea flavour. Ingredients and proportions vary by product.
Matcha genmaicha is normally infused and strained as a loose-leaf blend. It is different from preparing a bowl of plain matcha with a whisk.
Starting recipe: 4 g leaf · 90 °C (194 °F) · 180 ml · 30 seconds. Try a second infusion if you enjoy the result; the matcha contribution will generally be strongest in the first cup.
Brewing cheat-sheet: starting recipes
| Tea | Leaf | Water temp | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukamushi sencha | 4 g | 70 °C / 158 °F | 180 ml | 30 sec |
| Gyokuro | 4 g | 50–60 °C / 122–140 °F | 60 ml | 2 min |
| Matcha genmaicha | 4 g | 90 °C / 194 °F | 180 ml | 30 sec |
These three recipes deliberately give different results. Cooler brewing can emphasise a gentler balance in gyokuro, while hotter brewing is common for genmaicha. Boiling water does not literally scorch leaves during an ordinary infusion; temperature, time, and leaf quantity work together to shape extraction.
What to brew it in
A kyusu — a side-handle Japanese teapot with a built-in strainer — is the one tool that makes all three teas easier. Fukamushi sencha especially wants a fine mesh, because its fine leaf particles slip through a coarse strainer. For gyokuro, small cups and small pours suit its concentrated style.
New to brewing Japanese green tea? Our guide to the beginner's tea set covers what you need, and our kyusu care guide keeps your pot in shape.
FAQ
What is deep-steamed (fukamushi) sencha?
Fukamushi sencha receives a longer steaming treatment than ordinary sencha. Its more fragile leaf often contains fine particles, creating a cloudy green infusion and allowing a short brewing time. Exact processing and brewing times vary by producer and tea.
What water temperature should I use for Japanese green tea?
Follow the packet’s recipe first. The starting recipes here use 70 °C for deep-steamed sencha, 50–60 °C for concentrated gyokuro, and 90 °C for matcha genmaicha. These are not limits for each tea style: hotter or cold-brew methods can also work with suitable quantities and timing.
What's the difference between gyokuro and sencha?
Gyokuro is shaded before harvest, commonly for around twenty days, whereas standard sencha is generally grown without that extended shading. Gyokuro is associated with an umami-rich character and is often served as a small, concentrated infusion. Cultivation and brewing practices vary.
Is matcha genmaicha the same as matcha?
No. Plain matcha is powdered tea prepared in water, usually with a whisk. Matcha genmaicha is a blend of green tea leaves, roasted rice, and matcha powder, normally infused and strained. The roasted rice may be polished rice rather than brown rice.
Does Japanese green tea have caffeine?
Yes. Green tea naturally contains caffeine. The amount in a serving depends on the tea, how much leaf or powder you use, the water quantity, and the brewing method. Rice in genmaicha does not make it caffeine-free, and a cooler brewing temperature alone does not establish a low-caffeine serving.
How should I store loose-leaf green tea?
Keep loose-leaf green tea well sealed, away from heat, moisture, light, and strong odours. Follow the producer’s storage instructions and use it reasonably promptly after opening for its intended fresh character. A universal one-month deadline does not suit every package and tea.
Recipe note: these are home-brewing starting points, not specifications for every tea of the same name. Ippodo’s recipe collection illustrates how different methods can be used with the same tea category. Check your packet for ingredients, origin, and preparation advice.