Shuntaro Wakocha 2025

Can a black tea remember where it came from?

Shuntaro Wakocha 2025 is a first flush Japanese black tea made exclusively from the rare Shuntaro cultivar. Though best known in green form, this cultivar’s lineage, which includes the black tea cultivar Benitachiwase, makes it unusually well-suited to a deeper, oxidized expression.

The result is a cup that opens with notes of cardamom, ripe plum, and jasmine—aromatic, soft, and gently spiced. A sweet, fruity nose leads into a clean, refreshing body that bridges the warm complexity of black tea with the clarity of Japan’s early-season harvests. As the finish fades, a subtle taste of spinach emerges, linking this tea unmistakably back to its shincha origins.

Written by Dominik

The farmer

Master Iba Akihisa (射場彬央) cultivates Shuntaro on Tanegashima Island, one of Japan’s southernmost tea-producing regions. He is also the only farmer in Japan producing black tea from the rare Shuntaro cultivar, a unique expression of his experimental approach and deep knowledge of tea craftsmanship.

Thanks to its southern latitude, Tanegashima is among the first regions in Japan to begin harvesting each year, with the first flush typically starting in early April. This early harvest contributes to the tea’s freshness and vibrant character.