Suginami's Japanese Tea Specialty Store, Tokyo Handaen Chaho, Begins Accepting Reservations for Various New Teas. A total of 6 types of new teas will be released this year, including the already available 'Hand-picked Shincha Kirishima Nouveau' and 'Reservation-only Shincha Hachijuhachiya'.
Tokyo Handaen Chaho has started accepting reservations for 'Hand-picked Shincha Nishi Kaoru', 'First-picked Shincha Zuiho', 'Shincha Haruchiyo', and 'Shincha Handa Yutaka' from April 2nd. Choose your favorite from a diverse selection of new teas.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 23:27
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Tokyo Handaen Chaho Co., Ltd., a Japanese tea retail and wholesale business (Head office: Suginami-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Minoru Handa), began accepting reservations for "Hand-picked Shincha Nishi Kaoru," "First-picked Shincha Zuiho," "Shincha Haruchiyo," and "Shincha Handa Yutaka" on its online shop from Thursday, April 2nd.
Including the already available "Hand-picked Shincha Kirishima Nouveau" and "Reservation-only Shincha Hachijuhachiya," a total of 6 types of new teas will be released this year.
■ Appearing in new packaging! About the 4 types of new teas scheduled for in-store sales
The four new teas for which reservations have just begun are "Hand-picked Shincha Nishi Kaoru," "First-picked Shincha Zuiho," "Shincha Haruchiyo," and "Shincha Handa Yutaka." They are scheduled to be sold at the online shop and in stores.
● "Hand-picked Shincha Nishi Kaoru" 90g 2,800 yen [Scheduled to ship around April 30th]
This new tea uses 100% hand-picked new shoots from Nishi Tea Factory in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture.
It is finished with a light steaming method to maximize the aroma and umami of new tea.
Please enjoy it by steeping it slowly with lukewarm water.
● "First-picked Shincha Zuiho" 90g 1,950 yen [Scheduled to ship around April 15th]
This is the "hashiri" (first of the season) new tea, delivered around mid-April, ahead of other new teas.
It possesses a vibrant and powerful "greenness" and offers a refreshing aroma characteristic of new tea.
It is the perfect new tea to celebrate the arrival of a new season.
● "Shincha Haruchiyo" 90g 1,650 yen [Scheduled to ship around April 30th]
This new tea is a blend of multiple tea varieties such as "Yabukita," "Saemidori," and "Yutakamidori," pursuing a balance of color, aroma, and taste.
If you like our most popular sencha "Chiyo no Kaori," this one is highly recommended.
● "Shincha Handa Yutaka" 90g 1,380 yen [Scheduled to ship around April 30th]
This new tea primarily uses "Yutakamidori" from Kagoshima Prefecture. It is finished with a deep steaming method, offering a deep green color, a refreshing umami, and a mellow astringency. If you like our deep-steamed tea "Koi Midori," this one is highly recommended.
■ About "Reservation-only Shincha Hachijuhachiya"
Reservations for "Reservation-only Shincha Hachijuhachiya," the most popular new tea since Tokyo Handaen Chaho's founding in 1947, are also being accepted until Monday, April 20th.
Every year from mid-April, Representative Minoru Handa visits tea fields in Kagoshima, Shizuoka, and Kyoto to directly check the weather conditions and the state of the tea leaves for that year. The finest first-picked teas, highly praised by producers in each region as "this year's best," are blended to create the "refreshing umami unique to new tea," and then undergo final finishing at a partner factory in Ujitawara, Kyoto. This is truly an exquisite product that brings together the best of tea producers nationwide.
New tea harvested on "Hachijuhachiya" (the 88th day from Risshun, usually around May 2nd), which is rich in umami and nutrients, has long been valued as an auspicious item for longevity. Please enjoy it to celebrate the arrival of a new season and pray for a year of happiness and good health.
Furthermore, only customers who purchase "Reservation-only Shincha Hachijuhachiya" will receive information about the "Limited Kuradashi Nama Shincha" which will be delivered around October 10th each year.
Limited Kuradashi Nama Shincha
In the Edo period, when tea processing and distribution technology was not as advanced as it is today, the Tokugawa Shogunate had new tea harvested in Uji in spring transported to Edo Castle in tea jars. To prevent the tea from spoiling in the summer heat, it was stored in cool mountain passes or warehouses during the summer and opened around November. This is the origin of "Kuradashi tea" and "Tsubokiri tea." Tokyo Handaen Chaho's "Limited Kuradashi Nama Shincha" is sencha made by storing new tea harvested in May as aracha (unrefined tea) at low temperatures. It is aged over the summer and then fired in early autumn. You can enjoy the unique taste of Kuradashi tea, which retains the fresh greenness of new tea while developing depth and softness through aging, experiencing the change from "Hachijuhachiya new tea."
■ Tokyo Handaen Chaho Company Profile
Trade Name: Tokyo Handaen Chaho Co., Ltd.
Established: March 14, 1947
Representative: Representative Director Minoru Handa
Location: 1-14-16 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0004 (Asagaya Main Store)
5-28-7 Ogikubo, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0051 (Ogikubo Store)
Phone Number: 03-3314-4187
FAX: 03-3314-4188
Contact: info@tokyohandatea.com
Online Shop: https://handaen.official.ec/
Instagram: @tokyohandaen
X (formerly Twitter): @tokyohandaen
Facebook: @tokyohandaen
Online Shop for Overseas: https://www.tokyohandatea.com/
English Instagram: @tokyohandatea
English Facebook: @tokyohandatea
■ Store Information
【Asagaya Main Store】
1-14-16 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0004
3 minutes walk from "Minami-Asagaya" Station on the Marunouchi Line, 8 minutes walk from Asagaya Station South Exit on the JR Line
Business Hours: 10:00~18:00 Closed: Sundays
TEL: 03-3314-4187 FAX: 03-3314-4188
FAQ
How many new teas are available for reservation this time?
Four new teas, 'Hand-picked Shincha Nishi Kaoru', 'First-picked Shincha Zuiho', 'Shincha Haruchiyo', and 'Shincha Handa Yutaka', are newly available for reservation. Including the existing two, there are a total of six varieties.
What are the characteristics of the 'Hachijuhachiya New Tea (Reservation Only)'?
It is an exquisite blend of first-picked teas carefully selected by the representative from tea fields across Japan, finished in Ujitawara, Kyoto. It is considered a lucky charm for longevity.
Where can I purchase the new teas?
You can purchase them at the online shop and in stores such as the Asagaya Main Store and Ogikubo Store. Some products are reservation-only.