2010 Official Shincha Ordering Topic

[Ed]

Zencha Shincha is in the house!
the first of my two from them arrived today..will be trying it later!
Fuji The Ultimate!

w00t!

I'm looking forward to my two bags of Kinari from Maiko. I am not expecting it to arrive soon, considering the whole holiday week in Japan. I dunno if mail has been moving at all there.

[Victoria]

According to one vendor, it's more like a 4 day weekend thing and it's over now, so hopefully things are moving.

[putibungsu]

I am still patiently waiting for my order from Yuuki: a bag of Tenryu Misakubo, Tenryucha and Okuyutaka which according to their website will be released the last week of May.

[camw]

Noticed my YM and SM from O-Cha is on the plane out of Tokyo as of a couple of hours ago. Hopefully this means I'll have it tomorrow!

[Kevangogh]

Unlike in the USA, the post office in Japan operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including New Years. Some times of the year may be slower than others, but they don't stop for holidays.

[Chip]

Unlike in the USA, the post office in Japan operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including New Years. Some times of the year may be slower than others, but they don't stop for holidays.

This is good to know! Sometimes we can only go by dribs and drabs of information we are able to glean from vendor sites. And we all know that this information can often conflict with other vendor information.

My shincha list is coming together. I set a goal of cupping at least 20 shicha again this year from a wide range of vendors and types of vendors ... but they must have a strong commitment to Japanese teas, and though I personally prefer specialists, a few on this list are not. I believe this helps to keep me as objective and open minded as possible!

Anyway, I am currently up to 18 shincha on order from 7 vendors so far. (* indicates first time tasting this vendor's Shincha) In alphabetical order:

Den's
GreenTeaLovers*
Maeda-En*
Maiko
O-Cha
Yuuki-Cha
Zencha

Still planning on adding several from this group:
Hibiki-An
Kaburagien*
Rishi
Ryu Mei*

On the bubble:
Kyoto Obubu*
GreenTeaJapan*
Sugimoto
Umami Chaya*

I want to emphasize that I do not believe shincha is necessarily "better" than regular ichibancha (first flush) obtainable generally throughout the year, but this shincha is a celebration of new harvest.

[teaisme]

I want to emphasize that I do not believe shincha is necessarily "better" than regular ichibancha (first flush) obtainable generally throughout the year, but this shincha is a celebration of new harvest.

It's nice to see that some vendors share the same sentiment and don't make them so freaking expensive just because it's 'shincha'.

[Victoria]

Unlike in the USA, the post office in Japan operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including New Years. Some times of the year may be slower than others, but they don't stop for holidays.

This is good to know! Sometimes we can only go by dribs and drabs of information we are able to glean from vendor sites. And we all know that this information can often conflict with other vendor information.

I guess my point was rather to say that it is only a 4 day holiday and not a week long. And although the post office is open, many vendors do close down. By now those that did, are probably back to filling and shipping orders.

[Ed]

Yeah, I heard Japan's NIKKEI was closed the other day so I figured business and mail might not be flowing. If it is then that's great because I can't wait for a fresh cuppa shincha. It would be sweet if the Kinari arrived by this weekend.

[guitar9876]

Yeah, I heard Japan's NIKKEI was closed the other day so I figured business and mail might not be flowing. If it is then that's great because I can't wait for a fresh cuppa shincha. It would be sweet if the Kinari arrived by this weekend.

Dude.... mine too! Apparently my order of 3 bags of Kinari was shipped yesterday the 5th. Maybe just maybe...

[camw]

Noticed my YM and SM from O-Cha is on the plane out of Tokyo as of a couple of hours ago. Hopefully this means I'll have it tomorrow!

YM and SM arrived, hopefully others waiting will have theirs shortly!

[Ed]

Yeah, I heard Japan's NIKKEI was closed the other day so I figured business and mail might not be flowing. If it is then that's great because I can't wait for a fresh cuppa shincha. It would be sweet if the Kinari arrived by this weekend.

Dude.... mine too! Apparently my order of 3 bags of Kinari was shipped yesterday the 5th. Maybe just maybe...

I should have ordered 3 bags too! I just pre-ordered 2. I think I wound up getting a total of 4 bags of Kinari last year. I hope it's as good this year as it was last.

[Chip]

Noticed my YM and SM from O-Cha is on the plane out of Tokyo as of a couple of hours ago. Hopefully this means I'll have it tomorrow!

YM and SM arrived, hopefully others waiting will have theirs shortly!

argh ... I should have EMSed ...

[Chip]

Yesterday I emptied out the TeaFridge which did not take long!

Then defrosted it! And turned back on, and ready ...

This can only mean one thing, it is indeed Shincha!!!

I think I am up and over 20 Shincha on order!!! Someone tell me to STOP!

[laura99]

Noticed my YM and SM from O-Cha is on the plane out of Tokyo as of a couple of hours ago. Hopefully this means I'll have it tomorrow!

YM and SM arrived, hopefully others waiting will have theirs shortly!

argh ... I should have EMSed ...

I am waiting on this as well! Really looking forward to it.

Does O-Cha send a notice out when they ship? I have not seen anything on my YM, or the matcha I ordered last week. Just curious if they may be on the way.