Sencha - Sencha

A type of green tea. Invented in 1738 (Genbun 3) by Nagatani Soen of Yamashiro (Kyoto Prefecture), it was well suited to Japanese tastes and has developed and spread to the present day. The picked tea leaves are first steamed, then rolled, then rolled, then rolled, then dried to make the finished product. Depending on the season of picking, it is divided into first, second, and third grade tea. First grade tea has soft leaves and a well-formed shape, and has an excellent aroma and flavor. Tea picked around 88 days after the beginning of spring is highly valued as new tea, with excellent taste and aroma. Medium and low grade tea is made from hardened leaves at the end of the first grade tea season or second and third grade tea, and contains fewer amino acids, more tannins, which are bitter compounds, and less umami.

A good quality tea has leaves that grow thin in the direction of their length, are tightly twisted, are uniform in shape, and are dark green in color and glossy. When brewed, the water should be a deep yellow-green color with little sediment and a clean, aromatic fragrance without any grassy or fishy smells. A good quality tea should have a mellow taste on the tongue with a good balance of bitterness, astringency, sweetness and umami, and a refreshing aftertaste. In the past, each place of production had its own characteristics and the quality varied, but now cultivation and production methods have improved and varieties have become more widespread, narrowing the quality gap and making the characteristics of each region more uniform. In mountainous areas and other places where it is difficult to expand production, the tea is still carefully picked and produced, and there are many good quality teas. If you are drinking a high-quality product, use about 6 grams of tea for three servings, cool the water to about 70°C, pour in 170 to 180 milliliters, and let steep for about 2 minutes.

[Kuwabara Muneta]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

緑茶の一種。1738年（元文3）に山城(やましろ)（京都府）の永谷宗円(そうえん)が創案した茶で、日本人の嗜好(しこう)によくあって発展普及し今日に及んでいる。摘み取った茶の芽葉をまず蒸し、粗揉(そじゅう)→揉捻(じゅうねん)→中揉(ちゅうじゅう)→精揉(せいじゅう)→乾燥の工程を経て製品になる。摘採の季節によって一番茶、二番茶、三番茶に分けられるが、一番茶は芽葉も柔らかく形も整い香味も優れ、なかでも立春から数えて八十八夜前後に摘んでつくられた茶は、いわゆる新茶として味、香りともに優れ珍重される。中、下級茶は一番茶末期の硬化葉や二、三番茶を原料としたもので、アミノ酸は少なく、苦味成分のタンニンが多く、うま味は落ちる。

　良品は形状が葉長方向に細く伸び、よりが固く締まっていて、全体に形がそろっていて、色は濃緑色でつやもある。茶をいれたときの水色(すいしょく)は濃黄淡緑色で沈殿の少ないもの、また香気は清らかな芳香で、青臭み、生臭みのないものがよい。味は苦味、渋味と甘味、うま味が調和して舌にまろやかな感じを与え、あとくち（飲んだあとに残るもの）の爽快(そうかい)なものが良品である。昔は産地により特徴があり、品質にも違いがあったが、現在では栽培、製造の方法も進歩し、品種も普及して品質の格差は縮まり、各地の特色もならされてきている。山間部などで生産規模の拡大がむずかしい所では、いまでもていねいに摘み取って製造しており、良品が多い。上級品を飲む場合、茶の量は3人分で約6グラム、湯は70℃ぐらいに冷まし、170～180ミリリットル注いで約2分浸出させる。

［桑原穆夫］

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