The First Pour of the Season: Ichibancha 2025 at Matchaya, ASHTA District 8

Some things at ASHTA aren’t loud, but lasting. Like the quiet return of a tradition worth waiting for. In a time where matcha is becoming increasingly rare, the return of Ichibancha feels like a calm promise. A soft beginning. A familiar ritual making its way back into our cups.

Ichibancha, or First Flush, refers to the very first green tea harvest of the year in Japan. Out of only four flushes that occur annually, this one is the most delicate and revered. The leaves are young, tender, and packed with flavor, making each sip feel both fresh and deeply grounded.

This offering is a celebration of patience, timing, and appreciation for fleeting moments. For matcha enthusiasts, it’s a tradition worth waiting for.

This year, Matchaya brings back two special menu items that beautifully embody the season:

Kina-Mitsu Koicha Milk

A warm and mellow blend of roasted kinako and kuromitsu syrup, paired with creamy, umami-rich ceremonial grade matcha. Think subtle nuttiness with a whisper of sweetness, a combination that might win over anyone who secretly loves peanut butter more than they admit.

Okumidori Soft Serve

Thick, creamy, and unapologetically umami. This indulgent soft serve is dusted with matcha powder and served in a cone wrapped in a sleeve that reveals the matcha harvesting process, a visual reminder that every scoop has a story.

Guided by the soul of ASHTA, we believe in moments that unfold slowly, in finding meaning not just in what we see, but in what we feel. We are drawn to craftsmanship, to stories that steep in time. That’s why each season, we don’t just welcome trends. We embrace what lingers. 

So while the world holds its breath for the return of greener days, Ichibancha invites us to pause, to appreciate the rare, the seasonal, the fleeting. In each pour, a reminder: that the most beautiful things come in limited harvests. And when they do, they deserve our full attention.