Sencha vs Gyokuro

Same plant, same steaming — the difference is shade and water temperature.

Sencha grows in full sun and brews at 70-80°C into a bright, refreshing cup. Gyokuro is shaded for three weeks or more, which raises amino acids and lowers astringency, and brews at 50-60°C into a dense, savoury liquor. Gyokuro uses more leaf per cup and costs more per gram as a category. If you like clarity, choose sencha; if you want intensity, gyokuro.

Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) crop statistics; Ministry of Finance trade statistics; Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); prefectural and municipal official information. Checked 5 November 2026.