Shincha

Shincha ( Japanese 新茶 , new tea ) is the pre-harvest of a year. The youngest and finest tea leaves are usually produced in a special, limited edition of Japan's best teas. Classic Shincha are shaded teas such as Gyokuro , Kabusecha or unshaded Sencha . The general harvest time for Shincha is usually the end of April, the traditional picking of Shincha begins on the 88th night (hachijuu-hachi-ya) after the beginning of spring (according to the Chinese calendar February 4th) and thus corresponds to May 2nd to 3rd . The main sales time is Japan's holiday week (Golden Week) in early May.

Shincha is offered in Japan just a few weeks after the first harvest and is usually sold out in May. Many Japanese tea producers hold happy festivals all over Japan. In Germany, there has been a strong increase in demand for these rare teas for some years. Shincha is characterized by its light, fresh and sweet taste.