Deep-Steamed Sencha Online｜Single-Origin Ise Tea from Kawamatatani

Fukamushi sencha is steamed 2–4 times longer than standard sencha, reducing bitterness and drawing out a smooth, rich umami. At Fujihachi Saryo, our deep-steamed tea is single-origin — grown in our own tea fields in Kawamatatani, Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture — delivering a flavour found nowhere else.

What is fukamushi sencha? — the mellow richness born from the process

"Fukamushi" means deep steaming. Whereas standard sencha is steamed for 30–40 seconds, fukamushi sencha is steamed slowly for 60–180 seconds — 2 to 4 times as long.

This extended steaming breaks down the cell walls of the tea leaves, finely dispersing the compounds responsible for bitterness. The result is a tea with less astringency and a smooth, rich, full-bodied flavour. The liquor takes on a deep, cloudy green — a hallmark of fukamushi created as fine leaf particles dissolve. That cloudiness is a sign of the tea's rich flavour and nutrition.

The optimal brewing temperature is around 70°C. Brewing at lower temperatures brings out more sweetness and umami.

Fujihachi Saryo's deep-steamed tea gains even deeper umami from the natural shading-like conditions created by Kawamatatani's terrain. The valley's mountain-surrounded geography blocks afternoon sunlight, allowing the tea leaves to slowly accumulate theanine — the umami amino acid — before harvest. Deep-steaming those leaves concentrates their richness still further, producing a depth of flavour that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

The umami of deep-steamed tea, nurtured by Kawamatatani

Kawamatatani is a historic tea-growing region in Iinandcho, Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture — known as the birthplace of Ise tea. Tea cultivation here is said to date back to the Kamakura period, making it one of the most storied places in Japan's long tea history.

This valley has a natural gift that other regions cannot match. The mountain-ringed terrain blocks afternoon sunlight, preventing the leaves from burning and allowing them to accumulate theanine at a leisurely pace. This is a natural equivalent of the shading process used to grow kabuse-cha (covered tea). The tea from Kawamatatani carries that deep sweetness and umami within it.

After harvesting, the tea leaves are carefully processed by a local tea producer who knows Kawamatatani intimately. Because growing, processing, and selling are all connected in one chain, we can deliver the full character of the tea leaves to you without loss.

Fujihachi Saryo's deep-steamed tea is single-origin — grown only in the single estate of Kawamatatani, with no blending from other regions. You taste the full, uncompromised character of this unique terroir.