Bio Aracha Shincha 2026

Partially shaded (7–10 days) Saemidori tea bushes grown on Mr. Kawaji’s farm in the Hioki region of Kagoshima Prefecture. Aracha Shincha represents the very first harvest of Japanese tea in a given year. This “new tea” is made from the youngest spring leaves picked in April, when the tea plants, after their winter rest, concentrate the maximum amount of nutrients and sweet amino acids in their leaves. The Saemidori variety from farmer Mr. Kawaji in the Hioki region of Kagoshima Prefecture offers an exceptionally fresh and lively character. The infusion captivates with an intense grassy aroma reminiscent of freshly steamed tea leaves, a pronounced umami flavor, and a pleasant natural sweetness.
This tea is processed as aracha—that is, raw tea prior to final sorting. As a result, it retains its authentic character and contains both larger leaves and fine leaf fragments, which give the infusion a full body and a distinctive flavor. Like most KEIKO teas, this tea is intensely steamed using the fukamushi method (100–120 seconds). Longer steaming breaks down the structure of the leaves, allowing for faster and richer extraction. The result is a deep green infusion with exceptional body, high yield, and a high theanine content, which manifests as a velvety sweetness and a long aftertaste. To fully appreciate the character of this tea, we recommend brewing it at a higher temperature of around 70 °C, which best highlights its fresh aroma and rich flavor.

How to brew Shincha

Use 5 grams of tea leaves for 0.5 litre of boiling water cooled to 65-70 °C, steep for 60 seconds. Infuse the second infusion for 30 seconds and the third for 60 seconds. Feel free to experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and the amount of tea leaves. You can also read our articles on tea preparation and water quality. These tea leaves are also suitable for Asian-style preparation, which includes multiple infusions: you steep 5 grams of tea leaves per 150 ml of water that has boiled and cooled to 55–60 ᵒC for 20 seconds, and in the following three infusions, you steep the leaves for 30, 40, and 50 seconds, respectively. You can also try steeping the leaves in lukewarm water at 37 ᵒC for 7 minutes, or in slowly melting ice.

Have a look at our blog articles:
Japanese green tea – in pursuit of umami.
Degustation Notes – Japanese Teas.