Name: Shincha (新茶, first-flush spring tea)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 8 min
Yield: 2 small cups
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 6g shincha leaves; 160ml soft water, heated to 70 C; Additional hot water for warming the pot and cups

Question 1

What temperature should I use to brew shincha tea?

Accepted Answer

Brew shincha tea with soft water cooled to 70 C for the first infusion. This cooler temperature protects young first-flush Japanese green tea leaves from harsh bitterness while preserving fresh aroma, soft sweetness, and clear green flavor in a short 60-second steep.

Question 2

How much shincha should I use for two small cups?

Accepted Answer

Use 6 grams of shincha leaves with 160 ml of soft water for two small cups. The leaf amount looks generous, but concentrated leaf and brief steeping create sweetness, aroma, and body without forcing a longer extraction that makes shincha taste bitter.

Question 3

Do I need a kyusu to brew shincha tea?

Accepted Answer

A kyusu, or side-handled Japanese teapot, is ideal for brewing shincha tea, but a small glass jug with a fine-mesh strainer works well. The important technique is draining the leaves completely after each infusion so the young tea does not keep cooking between rounds.

Question 4

Why did my shincha tea taste bitter?

Accepted Answer

Shincha tea tastes bitter when the water is too hot, the steep is too long, or the pot is shaken. Use 70 C water, steep the first infusion for 60 seconds, and pour without swirling. Young first-flush tea leaves release roughness quickly when overhandled.

Question 5

Can I brew shincha tea more than once?

Accepted Answer

Yes, brew shincha tea again after the first 60-second infusion. For the second infusion, use slightly hotter 75 C water and steep only 20 to 30 seconds because the leaves are already open. A third infusion can be hotter and brief, with lighter aroma but clean flavor.

Question 6

How should I store opened shincha tea?

Accepted Answer

Store opened shincha tea sealed, cool, dark, and away from strong smells. Press air out of the packet, close it tightly, and use the leaves within a few weeks. Shincha is prized for volatile spring freshness, so it should be drunk within a few months of harvest.

Culinary Explorer

Shincha (新茶, first-flush spring tea)

Ingredients

shincha leaves

soft water

hot water (optional)

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
shincha leaves	6g
soft waterheated to 70 C	160ml
hot water (optional)for warming the pot and cups	as needed