Hashiri Shincha 2025
Kuritawase P. Free

Super Premium 97 P.

SKU
1916
Japan’s very first shincha of 2025 from the southern Pacific island of Tanegashima, grown in pristine natural surroundings. Cultivated without chemical pesticides, featuring the rare southern cultivar Kuritawase, sourced directly from Eiichi Matsushita. Harvested on April 7th, 2025. 80g
Details The Kuritawase cultivar is high in catechins (20%), including 0.4% EGCG3''Me and the highest GCG content (1.6%) of all green tea varieties. Native to Tanegashima, it grows early and is known for its strong umami taste.
Character Very harmonious, distinctly bitter and pleasantly astringent (relatively high catechin content, no. 1 GCG, methylated catechins), notes of creamed spinach and walnut, very powerful and nutritious, full-bodied, invigorating, wonderfully vegetal, easy-to-drink
Tea Garden Tanegashima Shoju-en, Mr. Eiichi Matsushita
Terroir Banyamine, Tanegashima, Kagoshima, Japan
Harvest 1st harvest - April 7th, 2025
Cultivar Kuritawase
Elevation 223m above sea level
Steaming Short (asamushi, 30 seconds)
Shading No shading necessary due to weather conditions
Cultivation Cultivated without the use of pesticides
Laboratory Tests Radioactivity (annual test of region); pesticides (04/2025)
Awards Farmer awarded 2nd place in the Seicha Kyoshinkai Contest in 2008 (aracha tea category)
Grade 97/100 p. (shincha category); Super Premium
€18.90
80g

Delivery : up to 5 business days

Incl. VAT, excl. shipping

SKU
1916
€236.25 / 1kg
In stock
Hashiri Shincha 2025 Kuritawase

Tea Farm

Mr Eiichi Matsushita 松下栄市 is a passionate tea farmer operating the tea farm in its 4th generation. When steaming and processing the tea, Mr Matsushita himself stands at the machine to monitor the process. The family resettled from Shizuoka to Banyamine, Tanegashima in 1909 and brought their tea-making expertise with them. Mr Matsushita has served as the president of the Tanegashima Arasha Factory Association for 12 years. His tea fields are located in the best green tea terroir of Tanegashima.

Hashiri Shincha 2025 Kuritawase

Character

Tasting Notes

The aroma of the freshly steeped leaves already reveals the delightful umami character of this shincha, made from the nutrient-rich Kuritawase cultivar. The lush spinach-like aroma that was so prominent last year is more subtle this time, lingering gently in the aftertaste. In its place, the tea appears brighter, almost slightly floral, with a hint of the aromatic finesse reminiscent of a Pho broth. The intense and sweet umami continues to tingle on the palate for minutes after drinking, paradoxically becoming even purer and more pronounced. When brewed slightly stronger, a beautifully refined bitterness comes to the fore, capturing the same distinctive flavour you’d expect from biting into a fresh, deep-green tea leaf. With each subsequent infusion, the grassy freshness becomes more pronounced, joined by a light, springlike kiwi-green brightness. We recommend brewing this freshly harvested shincha at least four times – ideally more – to truly enjoy its full depth of flavour and natural richness.

Leaf

Robust, dark green needles

Cup

Deep green yellow

Hashiri Shincha 2025 Kuritawase

Shincha 2025

Shincha, which translates from Japanese as "new tea", marks the start of the tea season in Japan and is eagerly awaited every year. For the Japanese tea world, it is considered the highest quality tea of the current season and embodies the perfect freshness of Japanese green teas thanks to its extensive aroma spectrum. Only the tea buds and young leaves, the first shoots of spring, are harvested. Their wealth of valuable nutrients is decisive for the unmistakable freshness and strength that makes shincha so exceptional. Small harvest quantities and high demand make this special first harvest a highly limited, seasonal tea.

Yoshien Labortests

Laboratory Tests

We go to great lengths to identify the finest organic tea farms across the world’s most celebrated terroirs. All our teas are sourced directly from the farmer and, with a few exceptions, are certified organic or come from pesticide-free farms. Each batch of tea for every harvest is tested for pesticides and other pollutants in an independent German lab to ensure they meet our strict quality standards as well as HACCP food safety requirements. Likewise, the regions of Japan from which we source our teas are tested for radioactivity for every harvest.
Yoshien

Yoshi En

Premium Organic Teas

Our comprehensive portfolio focuses on organic, single-origin teas sourced directly from renowned farms. We believe in creating partnerships with farmers who share our values and are committed to sustainable, responsible tea cultivation. Thanks to these strong relationships our exciting range is constantly growing and evolving. As an international team of dedicated and passionate tea experts, we are committed to preserving centuries-old tea culture while ensuring it remains relevant and continues to bring joy in the present. About Yoshi En.

Cultivation & Processing

The tea farm is located in the north of the picturesque Tanegashima Island, about 115km south of Kagoshima City. The warm, subtropical climate and the fresh sea breeze, which carries minerals and morning fog to the farm, ensure an ideal climate for the cultivation of early growing shincha cultivars. The tea field is perched at 223m elevation in the highest part of Banyamine, which is considered the top terroir on Tanegashima.

The tea farmer uses as few pesticides as possible. For the 1st and 2nd harvests (ichibancha and nibancha), no pesticides are used. The tea is only briefly steamed (asamushi) to best bring out the refreshing and slightly milky-sweet flavour of the tea.

Single Origin

This tea is sourced exclusively from the above-mentioned tea plantation in Tanegashima and is purchased directly from the farmer.

100% pure

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped teaspoons (ca. 5-8g) per 100–300ml water (55–60°C). Steep for 2 minutes.

We recommend enjoying this tea in several infusions in order to fully savour the special character of shincha:

1.   60°C, 120 sec.

2.   60°C, 10 sec.

3.   70°C, 20 sec. 

4.   70°C, 30 sec.

5.   80°C, 20 sec.

Packaging

Packaged specially for us in high-quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouches at the farm.

Recommended Teapot

To highlight the delicate aromatic balance of umami, freshness, and bitterness, we strongly recommend a Banko Kyusu for this year's Shincha, as it especially brings out the tea’s gentle sweetness and thus particularly enhances its character. Alternatively, a black Tokoname kyusu can be used, which has more of a neutral effect.

Recommended Storage

A high-quality tea caddy made of cherry bark (solid wood, kabazaiku chazutsu) is ideal, though any airtight tea caddy with internal coating will suffice.

Awards

The tea farmer won 2nd place in the regional Seicha Kyoshinkai Contest in 2008 for his aracha tea.

Our recommendations

Loading...
The image could not be loaded.