shincha genmaicha

Genmaicha Shincha 2023 is here and waiting to comfort you. It is a perfect first harvest version of the classic Japanese toasted rice tea, but with the sublime complexity of the first spring plucking of the sencha leaves used to blend it. The toasted rice is warmly nutty and adds a sweetness which is in counterpoint to the crisp sweet grass and fruity, tangy apricot notes of sencha. If you love all things Japanese, do not pass up this comforting yet layered precious early spring grown green tea.

Unlike the affordable luxury it has become today, historically, tea was a pricey commodity. The Japanese peasants found it difficult to afford much tea and would mix it with roasted rice, which was abundant and cheap. Thus, they were able to squeeze more cups from the same amount of leaves. A recipe born of poverty, Genmai Cha has acquired an uptown chic and is now a favorite of urban dwellers in Japan and the West.