Sencha is distinguished by delicate sweetness and mild astringency. It is also high in vitamin C. Sencha is kept under cloth canopies for the few weeks prior to harvest to concentrate the chlorophyll of the plant, deepening the color and delicate flavor. Then, it is manufactured by steaming followed by withering to reduce moisture and finally repeated rolling and quick drying to obtain the needle-like leaf shape. All Japanese green tea has flat leaves, not rolled in their final form.

The taste is delicately herbaceous and different than Senchas from China or Taiwan which are less herbal and more vegetal. Quality and price vary widely, some Senchas being wildly expensive. The liquor is pale yellow, the flavor delicate and soft. Clean, crisp and invigorating.