Fukamushi Deep-Steamed Sencha
Cloudy emerald, soft and savory: sencha steamed longer for a rounder, fuller cup.
Fukamushi is sencha steamed for roughly one to two minutes instead of the 20 to 30 seconds of a light steam.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 35 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 14.6 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Kyusu Teapot |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:80 |
| Dose & yield | 3g → 240g |
| Grind size | Fine Broken Leaf |
| Water temperature | 176°F / 80°C |
| Target brew time | 0:30-1:00 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 3 g loose-leaf green tea
- 240 g filtered water at 80°C
Required gear
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm the pot with hot water and pour it away, so the brewing water does not lose heat to cold ceramic.
- 0:10Add 3 g of leaf to the pot or basket, leaving room for it to open.
- 0:20Pour 240 g of water at 80°C over the leaf and cover. Start the timer.
- 1:05Remove the leaf or decant completely. Leaf left in the pot keeps extracting and turns the last cup bitter.
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 35 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Short steeps, fine strainer
Deep-steamed leaf is brittle and brews quickly. Keep the first steep to under a minute, and if the cup turns bitter, shorten it or let the water cool a little before pouring.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
Fukamushi is sencha steamed for roughly one to two minutes instead of the 20 to 30 seconds of a light steam. The longer steam breaks the leaf into fine fragments and gives a cloudy, deep green cup of sweet grass, umami and spinach with little bitterness. Brewed in a kyusu at 80°C for under a minute.
Origin & Story
Most sencha is steamed briefly to stop the leaf from oxidizing. Fukamushi, which means deeply steamed, gets roughly one to two minutes, several times longer than a light steam. The extra time breaks the leaf down into fine, almost powdery fragments, and it changes the cup as much as the leaf: a cloudy, dark green liquor, a rich savory taste, and little of the bitterness of a lightly steamed sencha.
The style is a modern one. Fukamushi is said to have emerged around the 1960s in Shizuoka, and several towns, among them Kikugawa, Makinohara, Kakegawa and Shimada, claim to be where it began. It is often explained as an answer to tea grown on the sunny Makinohara plateau, where the leaf can run bitter and astringent and longer steaming tamed it.
Broken leaf gives up its flavor fast, so fukamushi wants less time in the pot than ordinary sencha. About 30 seconds is usual and 45 to 60 seconds is plenty for a first infusion. Use water at around 80°C, a kyusu with a fine strainer and about 3 g of leaf for 240 ml, and expect a little sediment at the bottom of the cup, which is part of the drink.
In the cup sweet grass leads, then umami and a spinach-like depth with a soft sea-breeze edge. It is a good place to start if lightly steamed sencha tastes too sharp to you.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 70/100 |
| Acidity | 28/100 |
| Bitterness | 24/100 |
| Body | 60/100 |
| Aroma | 94/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Fukamushi Deep-Steamed Sencha?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 35 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Fukamushi Deep-Steamed Sencha?
Target 80°C (176°F).
How long should Fukamushi Deep-Steamed Sencha be extracted?
Timing: 0:30-1:00. Method: Kyusu Teapot. Ratio: 12g/L (3g leaves to 240g water). Grind or leaf format: Fine Broken Leaf.
What is the difference between fukamushi and regular sencha?
Fukamushi is steamed much longer, roughly one to two minutes against 20 to 30 seconds for a light steam. That breaks the leaf into fine pieces and gives a cloudier, darker green cup with a fuller, less bitter taste. It also brews faster.
Why is fukamushi cloudy?
Deep steaming breaks the leaf into fine, almost powdery fragments, and some of them end up in the cup. They make the tea cloudy and thick, and they settle at the bottom as a fine sediment.
Who should avoid Fukamushi Deep-Steamed Sencha?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Borosilicate Glass Teapot with Infuser
In this recipe: Teapot with room for the leaf to open
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