Matcha vs Sencha: Which Japanese Green Tea Should You Buy?

Both are Japanese, both are green, both are healthy. But they taste different, brew different, and cost different.

By Aiko Tanaka·25 August 2026

A common question at our shop: matcha or sencha? The honest answer depends on what you want from your tea. Here is the comparison.

What they are

| | Sencha | Matcha | |---|---|---| | Plant | Same — Camellia sinensis | Same | | Processing | Steamed, rolled, dried | Steamed, dried, stone-ground into powder | | How you drink it | Steeped, leaf discarded | Whisked into water, leaf consumed | | Caffeine per cup | ~30mg | ~70mg | | L-theanine (calm-focus) | Moderate | High | | Cost per cup | ~15p | ~50p–£1 |

When to choose sencha

You want a slow, contemplative tea ritual — 60 seconds of steeping, watching the leaf unfurl.
You drink tea in larger volumes (2–3 cups a day).
You prefer fresh, grassy, vegetable-like flavours.

When to choose matcha

You want energy + calm focus in one drink — matcha's caffeine + L-theanine combo is unique.
You want to consume the whole leaf (more antioxidants per gram).
You drink one strong cup in the morning rather than several weaker ones.

What we recommend

If you are new to Japanese green tea, start with sencha. It is more forgiving (water temperature, steep time) and cheaper to experiment with. Once you know what you like, you can explore matcha.

Buy our organic sencha 100g — and if you are ready for matcha, browse our matcha accessories (we are launching a ceremonial-grade matcha in spring 2027).