Value Village ／ Food & living
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Green tea has spread around the world, but "bitter" and "astringent" are common reactions, and questions about brewing never stop. Japanese teas differ sharply in the water temperature they need, and that temperature decides the taste. Here is the guide, type by type.
| Type | Water temperature | Leaves (per person) | Steeping time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyokuro (shade-grown, premium) | 50–60°C | 3 g (20–30 mL water) | 2–2.5 min |
| Premium sencha | Around 70°C | 2–3 g (60–80 mL water) | 1.5–2 min |
| Standard sencha | 80–90°C | 2–3 g (90–100 mL water) | 1 min |
| Fukamushi (deep-steamed) sencha | 70–80°C | 2–3 g | 30 sec – 1 min |
| Hōjicha (roasted), genmaicha (with roasted rice), bancha | Boiling (95–100°C) | 3 g | 30 sec |
[Verify] Check the caffeine figures under "infusions" in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th edition), and the production figures against MAFF's "Crop Statistics".
After the umami compounds come out in the first steeping, use slightly hotter water for a shorter time for the second, and the balance of astringency and aroma shifts. Enjoying the leaves up to the third steeping is normal.
Too many leaves and the astringency comes out first. The guide is 2–3 g (one teaspoon) per person.
Damp leaves left sitting grow bacteria and lose flavour. Once you have finished pouring, discard the leaves and wash the pot.
Unopened, the fridge or freezer is fine, but once opened, taking the pack in and out causes condensation and damp. After opening, keep it in an airtight container in a dark place at room temperature, and use it within about a month.
Cold brewing at low temperature draws out little astringency (catechins) or caffeine, and brings out the umami (theanine). The character is different, not weaker. For hygiene, brew it in the fridge and finish it the same day.
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https://www.nihon-cha.or.jp/
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/syokuhinseibun/mext_00001.html
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/seisan/tokusan/cha/ocha.html
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Some ingredients need thorough cooking. Eat raw only foods that are sold for raw consumption. If you have allergies, check the ingredients.
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