2011 Official Shincha Ordering Topic

[Drax]

I thought someone might have started the Official 2011 Shincha Ordering Topic by now. So, I guess I will do the honors this year.

In this topic we can discuss:

1. All things related to the upcoming Shincha
2. Vendors on our individual and forum-wide watch list for this year's Shincha
3. A "watch" for Shincha developments
4. What we are or have ordered for this Shincha
5. Past Shincha experiences as it relates to discussion of this Shincha
4. Other, any suggestions?
5. Oh, and alllll things related to the upcoming Shinchaaaaa!

Let the fun begin!

I carefully edited Chip's post from 2010. Other posts have covered the impacts of the recent earthquake, but unless if I missed it, I haven't seen an official discussion of ordering for this year...

Edit: Moved my matcha question to a more appropriate place...

[tjsan]

Probably the first preorder shincha online straight from the Kabuiragien - "88nights new season tea"

We will give the gift for the customers who reserve the new season teas in this year also.

http://www.kaburagien.co.jp/english/yoyaku/

[Chip]

And "Stickied" ...

2010 we had late freezes and snows prior to Shincha harvests. 2011 will of course be marked by the radiation scare in the aftermath of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

Although I will keep a watchful eye, I earnestly intend on proceeding with "shincha as normal" which includes tastings of at least 20 different shincha, many of which are shared through various tastings including OTTI.

I am optimistic of a better shincha/sencha than last year! Which shincha will reign supreme?

Bring it on!!!

[iannon]

I too eagerly await the season. I have intentionally deprived myself of Sencha for the past couple months as I explored Pu's

[olivierco]

My opinion hasn't changed much since last year:

I didn't buy many different shincha last year. Shincha are interesting but their non shincha equivalents are great as well and not so different.
I had some Kirameki (Tsuen) and some from Ippodo and I guess it will be the same this year.

[Kevangogh]

Of course it's too early to be sure, but looks like it will be late this year. There was light snow drifting around in Uji today...

[Chip]

I am sensing that due to the recent events in Japan, members are not looking quite so far into the future.

At least this is my current approach. I would not normally buy 2010 harvest at this time of year, just use up all my inventory and focus 100% on 2011 Shincha.

However I have just purchased 2010 sencha and have not focused forward "specifically." I have looked and am thinking about it much more generally. I am a bit more "short-sighted" this year so far.

By this time in most recent years, I would be doing an extensive pre-wish list.

I wonder if others are also a bit more "short-sighted" this year ... so far.

I am also betting that vendors are experiencing brisk sales at this time of year compared to years past ... panic buying.

[entropyembrace]

I´ve not participated in shincha before....other than through OTTI 1 but I´m planning on getting into it this year....just waiting for the harvests to come in to see whats available before I start placing orders.

[Chip]

I´ve not participated in shincha before....other than through OTTI 1 but I´m planning on getting into it this year....just waiting for the harvests to come in to see whats available before I start placing orders.

Excellent! Shincha is a fun celebration period! Hopefully there will be a few Shincha OTTI again this year, that is the plan.

I think by this time in previous years, shincha talk had begun to grow to a furor and growing. It had a life of its own. Hopefully we are in a slightly delayed reaction mode at this point.

[AdamMY]

I think by this time in previous years, shincha talk had begun to grow to a furor and growing. It had a life of its own. Hopefully we are in a slightly delayed reaction mode at this point.

Well I am scaling back, Likely to use Shincha as an excuse to try Zencha (If they even carry a Shincha), and I want to try Ippodo's Shincha offering this year. Other than that its likely to be a few standby's from O-Cha.

[iannon]

I think by this time in previous years, shincha talk had begun to grow to a furor and growing. It had a life of its own. Hopefully we are in a slightly delayed reaction mode at this point.

Well I am scaling back, Likely to use Shincha as an excuse to try Zencha (If they even carry a Shincha), and I want to try Ippodo's Shincha offering this year. Other than that its likely to be a few standby's from O-Cha.

Zencha does offer most of their teas in shincha every year. I havent missed a year yet although I MAY skip this year and try some other vendors i havent before.. like Ippodo or Horaido. and usually i get at least something from somewhere ive never heard of before..like Hiruma last year for me. I will definately get some Maiko Kinari and perhaps some o-cha warashina..those 2 to start anyway

[David R.]

First year of shincha for me ! Last year, I decided to focus on Gao Shan cha.

I will try this new shop : http://www.thes-du-japon.com

It has just been launched by two french people, one of them is a French blogger who happens to be the first French "Japanese tea instructor." He also works in the shop Maruyama-en Honten in Shinjuku.

I figured he deserves a little "cocorico" !

[brlarson]

I placed a shincha order on March 16 with Sugimoto. I also got onto the list for Kaburagien's 88 nights on the same day. I haven't seen other offerings yet.

[brlarson]

I'm looking forward to the new season too. I am planning to increase my Japanese green consumption this year, starting with shincha, and will try to purchase regularly all year long.

I understand that there is constant pressure for the tea farmers to develop their land rather than farm it, so regular purchases are needed if we want to help them preserve their culture of quality tea.

[Xell]

First fresh shincha for me. Last year i tried it somewhere in the middle of summer and didn't really know what it is

Most likely i can try it already between 25 april to 2-3 may. They will start selling a week earlier, but it will be really expensive tea, i was told that most of the times it goes somewhere around 150-200$ for 100g