A Tea Defined by Timing

Derived from the words shin (new) and cha (tea), shincha signals the beginning of Japan’s highly anticipated tea season, offering a rare opportunity to savor green tea in its purest form. Its bright aroma, tender leaves and umami character are treasured by tea connoisseurs throughout Japan and beyond.

Shincha is typically harvested from late March through April, although the exact timing depends on climate and elevation. For example, tea gardens in southern lowland regions like Kagoshima often begin harvesting in late March, while cooler, mountainous areas like Shizuoka’s Hon Yama region see their first flush a few weeks later.

Shincha, Sencha or Ichibancha?

Although the terms shincha, sencha and ichibancha are closely related and often used interchangeably, they each carry a distinct meaning.

Shincha (新茶) refers to the very first tea of the season, enjoyed immediately after harvest without any extended aging or resting. It’s celebrated for its vibrant freshness, grassy sweetness and umami character. Only available for a limited time in spring, it’s one of the most anticipated seasonal teas in Japan.

Ichibancha (一番茶) translates to “first-flush tea.” It refers more broadly to the first harvest of the year, which typically occurs from late March through early May, depending on the region. All shincha is ichibancha, but not all ichibancha is released as shincha—much of it is reserved, rested and processed into sencha.

Sencha (煎茶) is the most common style of Japanese green tea and can be made from first-, second- or even third-flush harvests. Sencha made from ichibancha tends to have a fuller flavor and richer aroma, while later harvests may be lighter and more astringent. Often matured slightly after harvest to balance the flavor, sencha is available throughout the year.

In short:

• Shincha = an ultra-fresh, seasonal expression of the first flush
• Ichibancha = all first-flush harvests
• Sencha = an everyday tea made from various flushes, including ichibancha

Each category is a distinct expression of Japan’s green tea tradition, showcasing the nuance, diversity and beauty of Japanese tea.

A Tradition of Reverence

Shincha’s roots run deep in Japanese tea culture, tracing back centuries to the country’s earliest tea-growing regions. The first harvest of the year was seen as the most precious—celebrated not only for its exceptional flavor but also for its connection to spring renewal and seasonal cycles.

During the Edo period (1603–1868), shincha was often presented as a treasured gift to the imperial court and regional lords. Because its arrival marked the start of the agricultural season, it was revered as a symbol of vitality, prosperity and good fortune. Over time, a reverence for shincha spread among tea merchants, connoisseurs and farmers, who began to share it more widely as both a cultural and culinary delicacy.

While sencha became the everyday green tea of Japan, shincha remained a rare, time-sensitive offering—available only for a few weeks each spring.

Today, shincha is crafted with great care and intention, carrying on a tradition of seasonal celebration that honors the land, the farmers and the fleeting beauty of early spring.

How Shincha Is Cultivated

Shincha cultivation begins long before the harvest. During winter, the tea bushes enter dormancy and store energy in their roots. As spring approaches, this energy channels into the emerging buds, producing nutrient-rich and remarkably tender leaves.

The moment the leaves are ready to pluck, farmers must act with precision, harvesting in the cool hours of morning to preserve the leaves’ delicate structure and vibrant flavor. Many of Rishi’s partners use organic practices and traditional methods, including kabuse (“wrapped”) shading, which enhances the leaves’ sweetness, vibrant green hue and umami amino acid profile. The bushes are typically wrapped for five to 10 days just before harvest to facilitate slower leaf growth.

Whether grown in the volcanic soils of Kagoshima or the misty slopes of Shizuoka’s Hon Yama region, shincha is shaped by its terroir, climate and the care of the farmers who tend it.

Partners in Exceptional Flavor

We proudly partner with some of Japan’s most revered tea producers to bring you the best of the shincha harvest each year.

One of our esteemed partners, Nishi-san, is a third-generation tea farmer from the Kirishima region in Kagoshima Prefecture. Renowned for his dedication to organic farming and traditional hand-harvesting techniques, he produces exceptional single-cultivar shincha. Nishi-san's meticulous cultivation methods yield teas with vivid green infusions and fresh, savory flavors that capture the essence of his volcanic mountain gardens.

Another important partner of ours is Onizuka-san, a fifth-generation tea farmer from Shibushi in Kagoshima Prefecture. His organic farming methods and meticulous soil care yield rich, juicy teas we always look forward to sipping. Onizuka-san’s shincha continues to stand out in our Garden Direct collection season after season.

From the high mountain gardens of Hon Yama in Shizuoka to the nutrient-rich terrain of Kagoshima in southern Kyushu, our partners cultivate exceptional first-flush teas using organic and time-honored farming practices.

Fresh, Fleeting and Not to be Missed

Shincha is the epitome of freshness. The leaves are young, tender and bursting with energy from the tea plant’s winter dormancy. Each infusion is richly aromatic, brimming with vegetal sweetness and layered with umami—qualities that fade as the season progresses.

Unlike teas that are stored and slowly released throughout the year, shincha is enjoyed immediately after processing. Minimally aged and never rested, it offers a pure expression of the spring harvest in its most lively form—transporting you to the lush gardens where it begins.

Whether you’re new to Japanese green tea or a seasoned connoisseur, shincha is a once-a-year ritual not to be missed. Explore our Shincha Collection and savor the freshest taste of the season—while it lasts.