Sencha Natural Farming

This Sencha is produced by the same farmer as the Sannenbancha and follows the same uncompromising natural-farming philosophy. The tea comes from over 100-year-old zairai tea plants, growing without fertilisers, herbicides, or pesticides, and without human intervention beyond harvesting. For more than a decade, these trees have been cultivated strictly according to natural farming principles, allowing the plants and soil to regulate themselves.

Processing follows the asamushi style typical of Nara, with a short, gentle steaming that preserves structure and clarity rather than intensity. The leaves are hand-plucked, a detail clearly reflected in their unusually large size—an immediate indicator of careful, selective harvesting rather than mechanical picking.

The dry leaves offer a restrained but complex aroma: mossy and earthy, with notes of warm milk and a faint grassy undertone. In the cup, the tea opens quietly. Aromatics remain subtle at first, increasing gently toward the finish. As expected from natural farming, there is no umami emphasis; instead, the profile leans toward hay, green almond, and a soft vegetal sweetness. The mouthfeel is distinctive and rounded, reminiscent of dried banana, with complete absence of bitterness.

This is a sencha that rewards attention rather than demanding it—calm, transparent, and deeply rooted in its place and method of cultivation.

Written by Gabriele

Sourcing Sencha Natural Farming in Japan