Delivering Rare Organic New Tea. Enjoy the True Flavor of Tea, Packed with the Blessings of Early Summer.
Shincha season has finally arrived.
At KOTOSHINA, we bring you organic shincha grown in harmony with the tea plant's natural growth cycle, without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Kyoto and Shincha
The first tea leaves picked on the "88th night," 88 days after the start of spring (around February 4), are known as shincha.
Regarded as the season's "first harvest," it's long been considered a symbol of good fortune, believed to bring health and longevity for the year ahead. In Uji, Kyoto's famous tea-growing region, festivals honoring the shincha harvest have been held since ancient times, reflecting the special place this tea holds in the hearts of Kyoto's people.
Column: "Savoring the Season, Enjoying Shincha"
Shincha is also rich in nutrients stored in the roots over winter, giving it the distinctive flavor and benefits unique to the first harvest of early summer.
Theanine: Balancing Body and Mind
Theanine, the umami component synthesized in the tea plant's roots and stored in its leaves.
It's especially abundant in shincha, made from the plant's freshest new buds, and since it hasn't yet converted into the bitter compound catechin, it offers a smooth, mellow richness without any bitterness.
Theanine has also drawn attention for its calming effect on the brain, and is said to help ease and improve a range of mind-body imbalances.
During this time of year, when stress from environmental shifts and the fatigue of a changing season can weigh on us, we recommend taking a moment to unwind with a cup of theanine-rich shincha.
How to Brew Shincha
To bring out the fresh, dewy flavor unique to shincha, we recommend brewing with slightly hotter water, around 70–80°C, for about 60 seconds.
As the season warms, shincha also makes a wonderful cold-brew tea.
Place one tea bag in 250mL of water and let it steep for at least an hour — this brings out the beautiful color of the new buds along with the tea's clean, gentle, natural flavor.
We hope you'll enjoy this rare, seasonal tea, available only during this brief window.
Shincha 2024 — Organic Premium Sencha
Price: ¥3,780 (tax included)
Volume: 3g × 15 bags
Available at: Kyoto BAL Main Store, Online Shop, Isetan Shinjuku
2024 Shincha Related Event
To celebrate the launch of our 2024 shincha, we're holding a related event.
For more details, please see here
