Miyazaki Single-Cultivar Oku Midori Sencha (New Harvest 2026)

A Sencha for Umami Lovers

Umami is the keyword here.

This is one of our top-selling Japanese green teas, and it’s also one of the first teas that showed Leo just how premium green tea could be.

It has everything we love in a great Japanese green tea:

• Deep, savory umami

• Fresh grassy sweetness

• Creamy, satisfying mouthfeel

• Very little harshness

• Easy enough for everyday drinking

If Sencha were judged by umami alone, this one would easily be near the top of our list.

Almost Like Gyokuro—But Easier

This tea reminds us of Gyokuro because of its richness, creaminess, and concentrated umami.

The difference is that Gyokuro can sometimes feel almost too premium. It often demands careful brewing and can feel more like a special-occasion tea.

This one is much easier to live with.

You still get that luxurious, umami-rich character, but in a tea that is much more forgiving and practical for daily drinking.

Premium, but not precious.

Recommended Brewing

5g tea
200 mL / 6.8 fl oz water
140°F / 60°C
2 minutes

Important: Preheat Your Teapot

Before adding the tea leaves, fill your teapot with hot water to warm it up, then discard the water.

Because we recommend brewing this tea at only 140°F / 60°C, a cold teapot can quickly pull heat away from the water during the two-minute steep.

Preheating the pot helps maintain a more stable temperature and brings out more of the tea’s sweetness, creaminess, and umami.

What Does It Taste Like?

At 140°F / 60°C, expect:

Creamy · Umami-Rich · Sweet · Fresh · Grassy

The texture is one of the things we love most about this tea. It feels rich and satisfying in the mouth without becoming heavy.

The umami is powerful, but there is enough fresh grassy character and sweetness to keep everything balanced.

Don't Be Afraid to Brew It Hotter

Here’s where this tea gets really interesting.

Many Senchas become harsh, bitter, or unpleasant when brewed with very hot water.

This one is surprisingly forgiving.

You can brew it hotter—or even experiment with boiling water—and still get a delicious cup.

The flavor will change, of course. Cooler water emphasizes creaminess, sweetness, and umami, while hotter water brings out more intensity and brighter grassy notes.

We actually encourage you to experiment.

Porcelain vs. Clay

We also noticed a significant difference depending on the teapot.

For this particular tea, we prefer porcelain.

Porcelain seems to preserve and highlight the tea’s umami, sweetness, and clarity. Some clay kyusu we tested seemed to soften the flavor and hide some of the umami that makes this tea so special.

If you have both, try them side by side.

Why We Love This Tea

This isn’t just a tea that tastes good one way.

It changes depending on how you brew it.

Try:

• Lower-temperature water

• Hotter water

• Porcelain

• Clay kyusu

• Different steeping times

You may be surprised by how many different sides of the tea you can discover.

Is it the best Sencha for everyone? Probably not.

But if you love deep umami, creamy texture, fresh grassy notes, and a Japanese green tea that feels luxurious while still being easy enough to drink every day, this is easily one of our favorites.