News article
Foreign exchange students find sencha tastes like fried chicken—perception, origin, and how tea flavor varies by culture
A Japanese-language instructor at a vocational school observed international students from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Myanmar, and Indonesia describing a Nagasaki Sonogi sencha as having a fried-chicken aroma—a reaction traced to the cultivar's grainy character, strong roasting, and the brewing temperature (90°C rather than the usual 80°C), which emphasized roasted notes over umami. The finding underscores how taste perception varies by food culture: students unfamiliar with…
煎茶はファミチキの香り？外国人留学生の日本茶に対する率直な感想が興味深い！ - news.yahoo.co.jp
Key points
- Nagasaki Sonogi sencha (Saemidori cultivar) received strong student approval despite umami-forward profile; low astringe…
- Brewing temperature shift from 80°C to 90°C amplified roasted character and reduced umami perception, influencing flavor…
- Foreign students familiar with dashi-based cuisine (sushi, ramen) showed higher acceptance of umami-forward teas; younge…
- Bottled green tea from Itoen and Suntory, sold in Asia and North America, is the primary tea exposure for most exchange…
- One Asia-American student preferred Yame matcha over Uji matcha and actively prepared matcha at home in the US before ar…
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About this article
The numbers
Countries represented in student cohort: 5
What they said
“This...is fried chicken! It smells like fried chicken!”
「これ…ファミチキだ！ファミチキの香りに似てる！」
“Are foreign students also averse to bitterness and astringency?”
苦味や渋味は外国人も苦手？
“While matcha has sparked a global boom, this experience gave me hope for the future expansion of sencha and other Japanese teas.”
抹茶は世界的ブームが巻き起こっていますが、今回の出来事では煎茶など日本茶の今後の広がりにも期待を感じました。
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