Collection: Shincha

What is so special about Shincha?

During the winter the tea plant goes dormant and slowly pulls nutrients from the soil. The first leaves of the season are rich with these nutrients, including amino acids and catechins. These enhance the flavor and aroma of this first-harvest tea. Shincha has a bright, luminescent green color, strong aroma and pronounced sweetness. For our Shincha we use tea leaves from specially contracted tea farmers and process it as little as possible to maintain its freshness.

Are most of your teas made from Shincha?

Yes, eventually, most of Den’s Tea teas will be made from Shincha - the first flush tea. So, any tea – Sencha, Gyokuro, Matcha, Kukicha, Genmaicha…etc. could be Shincha as long as it’s the first flush tea, however we normally call it Shincha only for the first flush SENCHA that is released right after its harvest in April and May.

What is different between Shincha and regular Sencha if they are both made of the first flush tea anyway?

The key is the roasting process. There is a roasting process to produce most types of Japanese teas. This process not only adds a nutty flavor to the green tea, but also takes out the moisture so that the quality of the tea lasts longer. But the roasting process might erase the grassy or fishy aroma that is also an appreciated flavor for Japanese green teas. For Shincha, we roast as little as possible to leave the natural grassy flavor. This is done only for seasonal Shinchas since we assume that it will be consumed shortly after purchase. I recommend you consume Shincha within a month of arrival at your door. You may see some degraded quality if you try to keep it longer because the moisture level of Shincha is higher than regular Sencha. Thus, Shincha tastes fresher and has especially a natural flavor that doesn't exist in regular Sencha. That’s why we import our seasonal Shincha by air shipment. Whereas our regular Sencha has calmer and more mature flavor than Shincha has. Each Sencha has its own enjoyment.

How is Hashiri Shincha different from Hachiju-Hachiya Shincha?

The difference has to do with the harvest time and steaming process. Hashiri Shincha is harvested and produced between April 20th and 25th, and Hachiju-hachiya Shincha is from May 1st to 5th. Hashiri Shincha is Asamushi* Sencha with a young, powerful earthy flavor. Hachiju-hachiya** Shincha is a Chu-mushi Sencha that offers a tasty, deep cup while maintaining its very fresh flavor.

*Asamushi – Asa means light and mushi means steaming. It is lightly steamed Sencha. The needles are grassy colored and the shape is beautiful.

**Chu-mushi- Chu means middle. It’s moderately steamed Sencha which produces a well-balanced flavor and cup.

For information about Fukamushi Sencha, a deep steamed Sencha, see our Fukamushi Sencha product page.

Den’s Favorite Brewing for Shincha

We recommend using 160°F water and infusing for 90 sec. This way, good Umami and mellow greenish flavors are extracted by the lower water temperature. However, you can also brew with hotter water, say 200°F for 45 sec. This way, the wild grassy flavor comes on strong and you can taste the deep natural flavor. I recommend you try brewing it both ways.

Shincha Trivia

When you brew Shincha you may notice what looks like white dust on the surface of the infused liquid. It is not dust at all, but a substance that grows on new buds and leaves called “Mouji”. Mouji shows up only on very young buds and tea leaves. It protects the new growth from the sun and insects and also helps maintain moisture and temperature. Mouji disappears when tea leaves are mature enough that they no longer this protection. Mouji in your cup is safe to consume and proof that your Shincha is made from young buds and leaves. So, if you see something like dust in your cup, please don’t worry, it’s just one more gift of mother nature!