Located in the eastern part of Tokushima Prefecture, Kamikatsu Town is the smallest town in Shikoku with a population of about 1,500, consisting of 55 villages of various sizes, but it is also known as the first progressive town in Japan to declare “Zero Waste” by setting a goal of “zero waste by 2020” in 2003.
What is Awa Bancha in Kamikatsu?
The road to the house of Ms. Ayame Tonokawa, a producer of Awa Bancha (late-night tea), is narrow and winding, making it difficult for cars to pass each other.In the misty valley, terraced rice paddies can be seen.It is a beautiful town that resembles the original landscape of a Japanese farming village. Awa Bancha is a specialty tea that has been consumed in Tokushima Prefecture since ancient times.It is a “post-fermented tea” made by fermenting tea leaves with lactic acid bacteria, just like Pu’er tea in China and Goishi tea in Kochi Prefecture.
Upon arrival, Mr. Tonozawa, a master of Awa Bancha tea making, was picking tea leaves with local women wearing tea-picking baskets around their waists. “This isn’t a tea field. We’re picking tea leaves that grow wild in the mountains,” said Ms. Tonozawa Ayame. They made their way through the thickets, finding tea bushes and continuing to pick the leaves. The harvesting method is more like “plucking” the leaves from the branches rather than picking them.
“How much do you make?“ (Nakata)
“About 70 kilograms at our house. Most of it is for drinking at home and giving to friends, and we sell the rest at the market. It’s not a business. We’ve been doing this for generations, and I’m carrying on the tradition,” said Ms. Tonekawa.
Awa Bancha is rarely seen in markets, but it’s quite popular in Kamikatsu Town. It’s warm in winter and served chilled in summer. It’s even used for bathing infants.
How to make Awa Bancha, a tea produced by local communities helping each other
When I visited Mr. Tonokawa at his home at 9:00 a.m. the day after the harvest, he was spreading out the wild tea leaves that had been harvested over a five-day period on a large blue sheet in his garden.From there, he first removes branches and debris, then boils them in a large pot, twists them in a machine, and soaks them in a vat.The important thing is how the tea leaves are boiled. We don’t have a fixed temperature and time for boiling,” he says.I just check the leaves and when I think it’s time, that’s it.It’s like a hunch.I didn’t learn it from anyone, but I’ve been watching them since I was a child.That’s how I somehow learned it,” says Tonokawa.
The family-wide Awa Bancha production is a summer tradition in this area.During this time of year, vendors who rent out the tea twisters, pots, and boilers visit several houses a day to help with the Awa late-night tea production.The work is divided among everyone, and the tea making proceeds handily.
Neighbors also help with tea picking and tea production, but they are all volunteers.In this area, it has long been called “teama-nyaku” or “teama-kai,” meaning to help each other out when both parties are busy.We have always done it that way,” says Tonokawa.
After the tea leaves are boiled and twisted, they are transferred into a large bucket-like tub.A small pile of tea leaves is then placed into the bucket.When the last tea leaves were placed in the vat, and when they had been stepped on enough, the brownish boiled water was poured into the vat.The tea leaves soaked around the end of the rainy season are taken out at the end of the Bon Festival.During this time, the tea leaves are fermented, giving it a unique flavor.
“Shall we bring some stones?” At Mr. Tonekawa’s call, several large stones were carried from behind the house. These stones have been passed down through the Tonekawa family for generations and are used for pickling. This method is one of the reasons why Awa Bancha is called ‘pickled tea.’ The Tonekawa family uses heavier stones than other families, weighing 150 to 180 kg. The number of stones used also varies from family to family. Mr. Tonekawa is particular about how the stones are stacked. The direction and placement of the stones affect the pressure applied to the tea leaves.
“That’s it! After waiting about four weeks and drying them in the sun, the Awa Bancha is ready” (Mr. Tonozawa)
After finishing the work, everyone enjoyed drinking the chilled Awa Late Tea. It was memorable how Mr. Tonozawa and the local residents seemed to enjoy the process from tea picking to pickling. Awa Late Tea plays a significant role as a communication tool in the community. It felt like something far more valuable than simply selling the tea for income.
