Fukamushi
Definition
A Japanese green tea steaming style that uses a longer steam time, typically 60 to 120 seconds, to break down leaves more thoroughly. It produces a deeper green, cloudier liquor with a fuller, sweeter body.
Why it matters
Fukamushi, literally "deep steaming," is a 20th-century innovation associated especially with the Makinohara plateau of Shizuoka, Japan. By extending the standard 30 to 40 second steam used in asamushi sencha to 60 to 120 seconds or more, processors soften and partially break down the leaf, producing many small leaf fragments and a high content of fine particulates. The resulting tea brews very quickly, even in lower temperature water, and yields a thick, opaque, vivid green cup with reduced grassiness and pronounced sweetness. Astringency is dampened because much of the surface area is already broken, releasing soluble compounds faster than catechins. Fukamushi sencha is especially popular among Japanese home drinkers who want a forgiving, flavorful daily tea. It is sometimes criticized by purists for its powdery cup and shortened leaf life, but it remains a defining style of Shizuoka production.