Longjing vs Sencha

Longjing

Longjing is China's best-known green tea, prized for a fresh, nutty character with a gentle sweetness and a clean finish. The leaves are pan-fired in woks, which sets a toasted chestnut aroma that higher grades show alongside a soft, savory depth. The cup is smooth and rounded with almost no bitterness when brewed with cooler water.

Sencha

Sencha is Japan's everyday green tea, made by steaming the leaves to lock in a vivid green color. The cup is fresh and grassy with a pleasant vegetal depth, a gentle sweetness, and a clean, slightly brisk finish. Higher grades from the first harvest (shincha) add a softer, more umami-rich body. It pairs naturally with food and handles a second steeping well.

Longjing

Water temperature

80–85°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

2–3 min

Re-steep

2–3 times

Sencha

Water temperature

70–80°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

1–2 min

Re-steep

2–3 times

Longjing

Medium caffeine — roughly 20–45 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Sencha

Medium caffeine — roughly 15–35 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Longjing

China · Zhejiang

Longjing is traditionally associated with the West Lake area of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province.

Sencha

Japan · Shizuoka

Shizuoka is Japan's largest tea-producing region, with Uji and Kagoshima also famous for sencha.