Shincha is a Japanese green tea. It is the tea from the first harvest of the year. The name literally means "new tea". It is processed and packaged immediately after it is picked. Because it is the first harvest, it is a seasonal tea. The picking begins in the warmer southern area of Japan, Kagoshima, and moves north to the colder areas, thus extending the season from May to July

Shincha has a very fresh aroma and a sweet taste. These fresh new leaves are packed with nutrients that the tea plants have stored during winter. In Japan drinking shincha on the 88th day after the spring equinox (February 4) is believed to bring good health for the entire year.

Since the shincha crop is seasonal, it is more rare than most teas. it can sometimes fetch $50.00 or more for a 100-gram packet. Shincha should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

License for photograph of shincha

Sources for this article
Eric Daams on E-zine articles.
Wikipedia