Shincha & Kumpu Set

Each spring, as the weather starts to warm, the tea fields in the mountains south of Kyoto begin to awaken. The tea plants, after saving their energy during the long, cold winter, begin to put out tiny green buds. Over the course of a month, these buds start to grow, reaching up and up for the wide blue sky. When the time is right, tea farmers get busy harvesting the spry new leaves.

In the micro-climate where the new leaves grow, changes in the weather day-to-day affect the nuances that develop in the tea. As a result, the distinctive character of this year’s Shincha will never be repeated.

While we are excited for what the harvest of 2026 Shincha will bring, every release of Shincha shares the vibrancy and energy of just-picked tea leaves.

Deepen your appreciation of Shincha's vibrancy and Ippodo regular sencha's mellow depths with this comparison set.

For the set, we selected Kumpu, which is a different blend from Shincha, but serves as a good benchmark for Shincha's unique character each year.

In contrast to Shincha's robust energy, the Kumpu blend is elegant, with light astringency and pleasant umami that lingers after swallowing.

Like Shincha, Kumpu is also harvested once per year in late spring. We first allow it to rest until it develops a relaxed, mature flavor. We then blend it with previous harvests, to produce a consistent, delicious tea available throughout the year.

We love Kumpu for its calm maturity, while we love Shincha for its invigorating energy that only comes this time of year.

This bundle set includes both items shipped together as in a regular order.