Kagoshima Shincha 2026 First-Flush Sencha Green Tea ⋅ 40g

⋅ Limited Edition
⋅ First harvest of the year
⋅ The very first Japanese shincha
⋅ Intense vegetal flavor, sweet notes with a hint of umami

Japanese shincha green tea, made from the very first harvests, is the most eagerly awaited tea of the year in Japan. This 2026 vintage comes from plantations in Kagoshima, at the southern tip of the archipelago. The exceptional sunshine in this region allows the tea plants to accumulate nutrients during the winter. In the spring, these young shoots concentrate this richness in every leaf to develop a delicate aromatic profile that is enjoyable both hot and cold.

Shincha is distinguished by its distinctive freshness, which stems from its low catechin content (the compounds responsible for astringency) and its high concentration of amino acids—particularly theanine—which accumulate during the winter due to the lack of photosynthesis.

In Japan, the arrival of shincha is a cultural event comparable to Beaujolais Nouveau in France. People follow harvest announcements, prices are higher than during the rest of the year, and according to popular belief, drinking the first tea of the season is associated with good fortune and longevity.

Like cherry blossoms, shincha follows the rhythm of the seasons from south to north across Japan:

Kagoshima (Kyushu, southern region) · Available around April 22
Yame / Fukuoka (Kyushu, central region) · Available around May 20
Uji (Kyoto, north-central region) · Available the first week of June