Why Chiran
Chiran is a district on the Satsuma peninsula in Kagoshima โ the southernmost tea-growing area of mainland Japan. The warm subtropical climate means Chiran's first-flush tea (shincha) is typically ready in early April, more than a month before Shizuoka's.
Volumes here are big and the fields are mechanised โ most of Chiran's tea is picked by riding harvester. That engineering-first approach produces reliable, modern-style leaves at a scale Uji and Yame can't match.
The Chiran style
Almost all Chiran sencha is fukamushi โ deep-steamed for 90 seconds or more (vs. 30 for a classical asamushi). The extra steaming breaks the leaves into smaller pieces, makes the cup cloudier, and produces a darker, thicker liquor. The result is a sencha that's forgiving of cooler or hotter water and harder to brew into bitterness โ a good profile for drinkers new to Japanese tea.
Signature cultivars
- Yutaka midori โ the most planted cultivar in Chiran. Deep green liquor, big umami.
- Saemidori โ a cross between yabukita and asatsuyu. Floral, sweet, premium.
- Asatsuyu โ sometimes called "natural gyokuro" โ exceptionally sweet, famously hard to grow.
Shincha โ first flush
Chiran shincha is the first Japanese tea event of the year. Auctions at Makurazaki kick off in early April, and bottles ship worldwide within a fortnight. Look for the 2026 vintage from late April.
Producers to know
- Kyowa Seicha (ๅๅ่ฃฝ่ถ) โ a major Chiran cooperative exporting heavily to Europe and North America.
- Nishi Seicha โ known for single-cultivar saemidori senchas.
- Chiran Tea Corporate โ consistent value-priced deep-steamed senchas.
Recommended Chiran teas
The first sencha of the year
Shincha season begins in Chiran. Bright, fresh, and very hard to forget once you've tasted it.
Buy Chiran tea on Amazon โ