Grown by the Kawaguchi sisters in Kirishima, this Ohashiri Shincha is an ultra-early first-flush, picked at the very start of spring. Lively and umami-rich, it bursts with bright vegetal notes and a hint of young asparagus.
Kawaguchi Sisters Shincha is a fresh Japanese green tea. Best brewed quickly - for 90 seconds - the result is a delicate yet invigorating grassy cup, with a savoury-umami first sip, typical of high-quality first-flush teas.
Enjoy it in the afternoon with something sweet. To get the most out of this special tea, we recommend using the leaves twice.
Please note: this is a wonderful small-batch tea and as a result, one to truly savour and enjoy. One tube contains 25g - enough for 20 cups of tea.
Koukien Tea Garden, Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
MORE ABOUT
THIS TEA
Translated into English, 'shin - cha' means “new tea”, while 'hashiri' means “to run”, in relation to a first flush and early harvest. Adding the “O” means “big,” referring to the way the farmers rush to the fields to harvest these early, tender leaves.
The Kawaguchi sisters, Akane and Yurie, are breathing new life into their great-grandfather’s small tea farm in Kirishima. As next generation tea farmers, they balance traditional tea growing techniques with experimentation in an effort to create opportunity and breathe new life into this traditional art form.
We visited the Koukien Tea Garden in spring 2025 as part of a wider sourcing trip to Japan. Whilst we were there, the sisters insisted we join them for a cup of their newly processed Ohashiri Shincha before a quick tour around the factory and fields. Much to our Supply Chain Director, Josh’s delight, they served the tea alongside a Tokyo Banana Cake. Enjoyed meters away from the sounds and smells of a busy tea factory, it was a cup that stays with you long after it’s finished, and one we knew would be a perfect guest tea to share with you this summer.
TEA
2.5g or 1 heaped tsp / 150ml water
WATER TEMPERATURE
65°C
BREW TIME
90 secs
ENJOY
without milk
OUR APPROACH
Quality
We work hard to find, taste and select exceptional teas, first and foremost looking for quality and flavour in the cup. We focus on single-origin, whole leaf teas where the character is a direct reflection of the area in which it is grown, as well as the craft involved in growing, plucking and processing the leaves.
There are an infinite number of teas being produced every year, so our role is to find and bring you some of the best. Our care in curating the range, as well as the quality of the product itself, has earned us both our customers’ trust and multiple Great Taste awards.
Sourcing
Not only does the tea need to taste good, it is also important to us that we know exactly where each tea comes from and who is responsible for harvesting and crafting the leaves we buy.
We work exclusively with trusted farms, co-operatives, partners and suppliers who share our values. We source from 13 growing regions around the world, always paying well above fair-trade prices.
Brewing
Sourcing and curating a collection of delicious, award-winning teas from around the world is only the beginning. We then provide the knowledge and tools you need to help you bring out the best possible flavour in every cup when brewing at home.
As a team of passionate brewers, blenders, tasters, curators and, perhaps most importantly, drinkers of delicious tea, we get excited about helping you make a delicious cup of tea every time.
Packaging
We are committed to reducing any environmental impact our packaging has before and after use. There is no perfect solution so we focus on keeping it as minimal and as natural as possible, without compromising on the quality of our product. We are proud to say that our entire retail range is now both fully compostable and 100% plastic-free. Find out more here.
OUR APPROACH
Quality
We work hard to find, taste and select exceptional teas, first and foremost looking for quality and flavour in the cup. We focus on single-origin, whole leaf teas where the character is a direct reflection of the area in which it is grown, as well as the craft involved in growing, plucking and processing the leaves.
There are an infinite number of teas being produced every year, so our role is to find and bring you some of the best. Our care in curating the range, as well as the quality of the product itself, has earned us both our customers’ trust and multiple Great Taste awards.
Sourcing
Not only does the tea need to taste good, it is also important to us that we know exactly where each tea comes from and who is responsible for harvesting and crafting the leaves we buy.
We work exclusively with trusted farms, co-operatives, partners and suppliers who share our values. We source from 13 growing regions around the world, always paying well above fair-trade prices.
Brewing
Sourcing and curating a collection of delicious, award-winning teas from around the world is only the beginning. We then provide the knowledge and tools you need to help you bring out the best possible flavour in every cup when brewing at home.
As a team of passionate brewers, blenders, tasters, curators and, perhaps most importantly, drinkers of delicious tea, we get excited about helping you make a delicious cup of tea every time.
Packaging
We are committed to reducing any environmental impact our packaging has before and after use. There is no perfect solution so we focus on keeping it as minimal and as natural as possible, without compromising on the quality of our product. We are proud to say that our entire retail range is now both fully compostable and 100% plastic-free. Find out more here.
WHOLE LEAF TEAS
CAREFULLY SOURCED
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