Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
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.
Point by point
| Dimension | Fukamushicha | Asamushi sencha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | Japan — Shizuoka | Japan — Uji |
| Flavour | vegetal, umami and creamy. full bodied, rich and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: steamed spinach, cream, sweet grass. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. | grassy, citrus and vegetal. light and silky in the mouth. Aroma: fresh grass, citrus zest, light seaweed. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °C, first steep 40s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °C, first steep 60s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °C, first steep 60s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 65–75 °C, first steep 60s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.