2026 TANEGASHIMA HASHIRI | Yabukita Kabuse

Our first shincha of 2026 is here! Grown in the lush island of Tanegashima, this kabuse (shade grown) tea is a quintessential expression of organic farming from this island.  

Tasting experience: the dry leaves from the freshly opened bag offer notes of green fruit—apple and grape—while warm water draws out aromas strongly reminiscent of Japan’s coast, layered with rich umami.

Type: (shade grown) green tea

Origin:  Tanegashima, Kagoshima, Japan

GPS: 30.6° N, 130.9° E

Cultivar: yabukita

Harvest date: April 16, 2026

Shading: 2 weeks

What is Hashiri?  

Hashiri is the earliest tea released in the spring. Ozaki San (more about him below) specialized in the production of organic gyokuro, which is usually released in the autumn. This year, he created a ridiculously small batch (only 20kg) of this fantastic early release kabuse tea.

Tea Author, Shigehisa Ozaki:

Shigehisa Ozaki believes organic farming is not only best for the planet, it can also deliver the best tasting tea. Ozaki San advocates for farming as a long-term partnership with the soil, the plant, and the surrounding ecosystem.

His philosophy is not to force flavour through heavy inputs, but to create the conditions for the tea tree to express its natural strength: returning organic matter to the fields, nurturing microorganisms, avoiding summer harvests to protect the plants, and carefully timing new growth to reduce pest pressure without relying on pesticides. 

Terroir: Tanegashima

Discover a lush, sun kissed island that yields some of Japan's earliest tea harvests every year. The islands sustains coral populations, mangroves, tidal flats, sandy dunes, and sea turtle nesting areas. Beneath the fields, Tanegashima’s volcanic Kuroboku-style black soils retain water well and support vigorous crop growth, giving the island’s teas a distinctive sense of place shaped by ocean air, warm light, and mineral-rich volcanic ground.

Brewing Guide