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Hashiri Shincha 2024
Sofu Pest.Free

Name: Hashiri Shincha Yakushima Sofu
SKU: 5660
Price: 16.90 EUR
Availability: OutOfStock

Super Premium 97 P.

SKU

5660

The very first shincha of the year 2024. Grown without the use of plant protection products on the southern Pacific island of Yakushima, Japan. Rare gourmet Sofu cultivar, harvested on 30/03/2024. 80g

Rare and aromatic Sofu cultivar
The tea plants benefit from the clear air and water in one of the rainiest places in the world

Character	Umami, extremely elegant and very refreshing, with a grassy hay aroma and notes of celery tuber plus essential herbs like yarrow
Tea Garden	Yakushima Tobucha farmer collective
Terroir	Anbo, Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Harvest	1st harvest (ichibancha): March 30th, 2024
Cultivar	Sofu
Elevation	108m above sea level
Steaming	Between asamushi and chumushi (35 seconds)
Organic Cert.	Cultivated without the use of plant protection products
Laboratory Tests	Radioactivity (region as of 04/2023)
Grade	97/100 p. (shincha category); Super Premium

€16.90

80g

Delivery : 1–3 business days

Incl. VAT, excl. shipping

SKU

5660

€211.25 / 1kg

Back in Stock after 2025 Harvest

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Incl. VAT, excl. shipping

5660

€211.25 / 1kg

Reminder set

The tea fields of the Yakushima Tobucha farmers' collective are located in Anbo, in the very eastern part of Yakushima Island. It is a region abundant with crystal-clear mountain water owing to the Anbogawa River, which originates directly in the Yakushima cedar mountains. The tea fields are located close to the ocean, allowing the fresh sea breeze to circulate through them. The teas are grown entirely without the use of artificial pesticides.

Flavour

The full-bodied, maritime umami and the full body lend this tea a nourishing character with a delicate bitterness, accompanied by a distinctive freshness on the palate and the citrusy, vibrant notes typical of Cultivar Sofu. With its strong maritime characteristics, Sofu represents the island terroir of Yakushima like no other tea, with its millennia-old, moss-covered cedar forests and an impressive arboreal and maritime flora and fauna.

Leaf

Alternating light and dark needles, small leaf pieces

Cup

Soft, yellowish green

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.

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.

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

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 1993, Yakushima is famous for its unique primeval landscape. 90% of this subtropical island is covered by the temperate Mononoke rainforest, which hosts approximately 300,000 tourists annually, of which many come for hiking activities.

The average temperature is 19.4°C, with an approximately 6–7°C difference between day and night as a result of the high mountains. The snow-covered Mt. Miyanoura peaks at 1936m above sea level and is the highest mountain in Kyushu. Yakushima is therefore referred to as the “Alps of the Ocean”.

The island receives the highest rainfall in Japan at 4400mm per year. As a result, Yakushima not only boasts many waterways and springs, but also a large amount of fog.

Clear water, fog and significant fluctuations between day and night temperatures in this subtropical climate come together to create some of the best conditions for cultivating high-quality sencha.

Single Origin

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

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped teaspoons per 100–300ml water (50–60°C). Steep for 2 minutes. Suitable for several infusions.

For a particularly strong infusion which contains the full character of the cultivar, we recommend using nearly boiling water (90–100°C) and steeping for 1 minute.

Packaging

High-quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouch with 9 protective layers to preserve flavour and protect against oxidation and contamination.

Recommended Teapot

A high-quality violet Banko kyusu with a fine ceramic strainer best enhances the aromas, flavour complexity, body and umami of this shincha. On the other hand, a classic black Tokoname kyusu would be ideal for emphasising the fresh sencha grassiness of this umami-rich tea.

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.

Test results

The purity of our formulas is important to us. This is why we have both our raw ingredients as well as our finished products extensively tested by independent laboratories to confirm purity and active ingredient content. Here, we have provided the results of some of the tests carried out on this product.