Japan mainly produces green tea. Sencha powder and matcha powder, both familiar to many drinkers, are in fact two different teas.
Sencha powder
- Sencha is grown in sunlight from planting through harvest. It is not shade-grown.
- The leaves are rolled during processing. Moderate rolling brings out different flavours in sencha.
- The taste is milder than matcha.
- Better sencha has little bitterness or astringency, and may carry a light clean aroma or a floral note.
Matcha powder
- Matcha is shade-grown before harvest. The leaves are not rolled during processing.
- The taste is richer and stronger than sencha.
- The flavour is mainly umami, sweetness, astringency and bitterness. Floral or fruit notes are rare.
If you like matcha but find it too strong for everyday drinking, sencha powder is another option. To try it, see our Yame Sencha Powder.