Asamushi sencha
Sencha steamed for only twenty to forty seconds, the shortest of the three standard depths. The leaf stays intact and needle-shaped, and the liquor is clear and pale rather than cloudy — the opposite end of the same axis as fukamushicha.
Character
Clear, bright and aromatic, with more distinct top notes and less body than deep-steamed sencha.
- Flavour
- Grassy, Citrus, Vegetal
- Aroma
- Fresh, Marine
- Mouthfeel
- Light, Silky
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Notes
- fresh grass, citrus zest, light seaweed
- Aftertaste
- Clean and bright, fading quickly.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- Japan
- Region
- Uji
- Cultivar
- Yabukita
- Oxidation
- Unoxidised
- Harvest
- Spring
- Processing
- Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 65–75 °C · 1 authored infusion
Kyusu brewing (Japanese style)
3–5 g/100 ml · 65–75 °C · 3 authored infusions
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
3–4 g/100 ml · 75–85 °C · 4 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
Common mistakes
- Expecting the deep green cloudy liquor of fukamushicha — clarity here is correct, not a fault.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Chumushi sencha
One variable, one step. Steaming time is the whole difference and it changes clarity, body and how long the tea forgives you.
- Uji sencha
Both light-steamed and aromatic. Uji’s cultivars add savoury depth that a Kagoshima asamushi does not reach.
- Fukamushicha
Opposite ends of the steaming axis, and the difference in the cup is dramatic. Cloudy dark liquor is not a sign of quality, it is a sign of deep steaming.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Kagoshima sencha
Shares 5 descriptors with Asamushi sencha: vegetal, grassy, silky, fresh and marine.
- Sencha
Shares 5 descriptors with Asamushi sencha: grassy, vegetal, citrus, marine and fresh.
- Yu Lu supreme grade
Shares 5 descriptors with Asamushi sencha: vegetal, grassy, silky, marine and fresh.
- Anji Bai Cha
Shares 4 descriptors with Asamushi sencha: vegetal, light, silky and fresh.
- Anji Bai Cha supreme
Shares 4 descriptors with Asamushi sencha: vegetal, light, silky and fresh.