High-grade “Tenryu tea” produced by nature
Shizuoka, famous for its tea, has different brands depending on the production area. While the coastal areas have a mild climate, the mountainous regions experience extreme temperature fluctuations. These differences in climate and geography, along with variations in cultivation methods, manufacturing processes, and tea varieties, have led to the emergence of over 20 production areas of varying sizes within the prefecture. Among these, the most famous are the three major Shizuoka brands—Honzancha, Kawanecha, and Kakegawa—and the high-quality tea known as “Tenryucha,” cultivated under the guidance of Mr. Ota.
Tenryu Tea is cultivated in the mountainous areas along the upper reaches of the Adako River, a tributary of the Tenryu River, and is considered the highest quality tea. It is primarily a lightly steamed regular sencha, characterized by its clear, transparent color, rich aroma, and a flavor that is both robust yet refined and crisp. The Adako River is renowned for its exceptionally clear water, even surprising Nakata, and has been selected as one of the “100 Famous Waters of the Heisei Era.”
Kaneta Otaen’s tea fields are located at a high altitude within the prefecture, making them ideal for tea cultivation. They focus on soil improvement using their own fully matured organic fertilizer.
“Tenryu tea has a small production volume, but its taste and aroma are exceptional. It has a rich umami flavor without any bitterness. Moreover, the flavor doesn’t fade even in autumn, so it can be enjoyed for a long time. This area is located at a high altitude, with clean water and air. Some people say the temperature difference between day and night is good, but in our case, we focus on the soil. We sometimes spend seven to eight years just on soil preparation,” said Mr. Ota.
Award-winning tea-making master
In fact, Mr. Ota is a master tea grower who is well known not only in Shizuoka Prefecture but also throughout Japan.He has received countless awards at tea fairs, and at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in 2008, Mr. Ota’s Tenryu tea was served to the heads of countries.He has also received numerous awards, including the Medal with Yellow Ribbon, the Emperor’s Award, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.Mr. Ota, who was born in 1940, must be over 80 years old, but it is hard to imagine him working vigorously in his tea fields in the mountains.The tea is not only full of elegant taste and aroma, but also of the vitality of its creator.
Passion for Tea Making
In recent years, efforts have been made to lease abandoned tea plantations in the upper reaches of the Adogawa River and select tea varieties suited to the soil of those plantations for cultivation.
“In sloped fields, the soil properties differ between the mountain side and the valley side. In such fields, we avoid using large machinery and instead carefully harvest the tea leaves by hand or with small machines. Even with the same variety, the taste varies depending on the field and soil. That’s why we cultivate 13 to 14 varieties tailored to each field,” explained Mr. Ota.
While most tea farmers simply sell the harvested tea leaves to wholesalers or markets, Mr. Ota takes it a step further by processing the tea himself and handling sales. He places a small amount of tea leaves in a dish-like container and pours a little hot water over them. The tea’s color is not green but golden. When sipped, the aroma and umami flavor gently spread to the back of the throat. Yet, it is not overly strong; instead, it gently permeates the body.
“It has a very rich flavor. The umami is amazing,“ said Nakata.
“Hearing people say that my tea is delicious is the greatest joy for me,” said Mr. Ota with a smile. “I continue this work because I want to convey the true flavor of tea. That’s why I keep the roasting process mild.”
According to Mr. Ota, the reason his tea is so delicious is that “the scent of the morning sun and the fields remains.” Indeed, the air I breathed in his fields felt unusually clear.
