How to Brew Japanese Organic Green Tea from Shizuoka

Quick answer

Brew Shizuoka organic green tea with water around 70–80°C (158–176°F), steep for 60–90 seconds, and use about 5–7 g of leaf per 200 ml of water. This lower temperature and short steep keep the tea sweet and fresh rather than bitter.

Why water temperature matters more than steep time

Green tea leaves contain catechins that taste bitter and amino acids that taste sweet. Hot water pulls out catechins quickly, so boiling water makes even high-quality organic green tea harsh. Cooler water extracts the sweet amino acids first, giving you the fresh, umami-rich flavor that Shizuoka teas are known for.

If you do not have a thermometer, bring water to a boil and let it rest. After 5–8 minutes in a room-temperature kettle, the water will usually fall into the 70–80°C range. Pouring boiling water into a cold cup and then into the teapot also lowers the temperature by roughly 10°C per transfer.

Leaf amount and water quality

A common mistake is using too little leaf to compensate for a short steep. For a 200 ml serving, 5–7 g of loose leaf is a good starting point; adjust to your taste. Because this is an organic tea, you do not need to rinse the leaves first—doing so would wash away much of the flavor you paid for.

Use fresh, soft water if possible. Hard water can make the tea taste flat and mask the delicate notes. If your tap water is very hard, filtered water is a simple improvement.

When to adjust the steps

The steps below are a reliable baseline for sencha-style Shizuoka green tea. If your tea tastes too bitter, lower the water temperature by 5–10°C or shorten the steep by 15 seconds. If it tastes weak or watery, increase the leaf amount slightly before increasing the temperature—more leaf adds flavor without adding bitterness as quickly as hotter water does.

For a second infusion, use slightly hotter water (about 80–85°C) and steep for 30–45 seconds. The leaves are already open, so they release flavor faster.

Step-by-step brewing

1. Measure the leaf: Put 5–7 g of loose leaf into a teapot or a strainer. If you do not have a scale, use about 1 heaped teaspoon per 200 ml of water. Do not pack the leaf tightly; loose leaves need room to expand.
2. Heat the water and let it cool: Bring fresh water to a boil, then let it cool to 70–80°C (158–176°F). If you have no thermometer, wait 5–8 minutes after boiling. Never pour boiling water directly onto green tea leaves.
3. Pour and start timing: Pour the cooled water over the leaves and start a timer for 60–90 seconds. For the first attempt, aim for 75°C and 75 seconds. Do not stir the leaves; stirring speeds up extraction and can make the tea bitter.
4. Pour out completely: When the time is up, pour every drop into your cup. Leaving water in the pot continues extracting and turns the next sip harsh. Empty the teapot fully, even if you are not drinking the last few drops.
5. Taste and adjust next time: Sip and note whether the tea is bitter or weak. Adjust one variable at a time: lower temperature or shorter time for bitterness; more leaf for weakness. Change only one thing per brew so you learn what works for your water and taste.

Product facts

• Hagiri Organically Grown Tea From Shizuoka 100g - Japanese Organic Green Tea: Hagiri Organically Grown Tea From Shizuoka is a 100 g package of organic green tea grown in Shizuoka. The 100 g size gives you roughly 14–20 servings at the recommended 5–7 g per cup, so you can practice the brewing steps without running out quickly.