2026 Uji Shincha First-Flush Sencha Green Tea ⋅ 40g ⋅ [Pre-order, Shipping in Early June]

⋅ Limited Edition
⋅ First harvest of the year
⋅ Pronounced umami
⋅ Balanced, aromatic flavor with a hint of astringency

Please note: This product is available for pre-order and will be shipped once it arrives in France, starting in early June.

Japanese shincha green tea, harvested from the very first crops, is the most eagerly awaited tea of the year in Japan. This 2026 vintage comes from Kyoto Prefecture. The cool climate of this mountainous region allows the tea plants to grow slowly and protected. In the spring, these young shoots reveal exceptional finesse and an aromatic balance of great nobility that is equally enjoyable hot or cold. Shincha is distinguished by a particular freshness due to its low catechin content (which causes astringency) and its richness in amino acids, particularly theanine, accumulated during the winter due to the lack of photosynthesis. 

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