Do you know “San-Pin Tea”? It is the most familiar tea for Okinawans, having been consumed on a daily basis since the days of the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. How did sanpin-cha come to be consumed in Okinawa about 500 years ago? And what is the secret behind the delicious taste of Okinawa Pokka Corporation’s “Ganso Okinawa Pokka Sanpin-cha”?

San-Pin Tea Culture Takes Root in Okinawa

How many people know what kind of tea it is when they hear the word “sanpin-cha”? From the main island to the outlying islands, sampincha is a familiar tea to Okinawans. In Okinawa, green tea is not a daily drink like in mainland Japan, and sampincha has been consumed in every household for a long time.

San-Pin” refers to jasmine, which grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Jasmine has pretty white flowers that grow in tropical and subtropical regions. The tea is richly fragrant, refreshing, and has a slightly bitter taste. In fact, many people are unaware that jasmine tea and sampincha are the same drink, only they have different names.

Okinawa was a country called Ryukyu Kingdom for about 450 years from 1429. It is said that San-Pin-Cha was brought back to the Ryukyu government by a company called Ryukyu Trading from China, where trade was thriving at that time, and that is how it became widespread in the Ryukyu Islands.

In China, jasmine has been widely cultivated from ancient times to the present, and is one of the most mass-produced teas in the country. In China, jasmine is also called matsurika, but it is more often referred to as xiangping, which is pronounced as “san-pin” in Ryukyu, and since then it has become popular as san-pin tea.

Okinawa Pokka Corporation is a wholesaler and distributor of beverages such as tea, coffee, juice, and instant foods. Okinawa Pokka Corporation, which was the first company to sell San-Pin Tea in cans, began in 1989 when a representative of Pokka Corporation (now Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage), headquartered in Nagoya, established an Okinawa sales office and one of its employees went there.

In order to develop Pokka Corporation’s products in Okinawa Prefecture, a factory was set up in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa, where canned coffee and other beverages, one of Pokka Corporation’s main products, would be manufactured. However, they wondered if they could create something unique to Okinawa. He decided to sell the canned San-Pin-Cha, saying, “Okinawa has San-Pin-Cha,” and he decided to sell it as a canned product.

At the time, sampin-cha leaves imported from China were widely available in the prefecture, and each household and workplace brewed sampin-cha in a teapot and drank it. The culture of taking a kettle full of boiled sampin-cha tea with you when you went out to work in the fields was deeply rooted in the local culture.

San-Pin Tea in a can, which many people advised not to sell.

Would they go to the trouble of putting it in a can, cooling it down, and then paying money to buy it? Most of the local people responded, “No one would buy that” or “It won’t sell. As expected, however, it did not sell at all at first, and the product gradually spread through tastings held at various places.

They even handed it out free of charge to cab drivers waiting for customers at Naha Airport to have them drink it. Thanks to such steady promotional activities, the product was recognized for its taste and convenience, and the number of people who picked it up gradually increased. It was not until five years after its launch in 1993 that the product really began to sell well.

In 1994, TV commercials began airing, accelerating its popularity. Following the canned product, a PET-bottled version of San-Pin Tea was also created.

Even today, sampin-cha leaves are sold in supermarkets in Okinawa Prefecture, but it is thought that the number of households that brew sampin-cha in a kyusu (Japanese teapot) and drink it in a cup is quite small.

Special-grade tea leaves produced by a traditional Chinese process

The base of San-Pin-Cha is made from green tea leaves. The fermentation of the tea leaves is stopped halfway through the fermentation process, and the tea leaves are then flavored with jasmine flowers to create sampincha. Like oolong tea, it is classified as a semi-fermented tea.

In the traditional Chinese method of making San-Pin tea leaves, fresh jasmine flowers are mixed with semi-fermented green tea leaves to transfer the aroma. Once the flowers are removed, new flowers are added to the tea to add fragrance. The more times this process is repeated, the more fragrant the sanbin tea leaves become.

As Toshinori Otake, manager of the sales section of the sales department, says, “A strong astringency is the key to Pokka’s san-pin tea,” the key to san-pin tea’s deliciousness is the aroma of jasmine and a slight bitterness. It is not only refreshing, but also has a deep flavor with bitterness.

Yoshihiro Kitamura, president and representative director (at the time of the interview), says, “We will not sell at a discount, but will firmly maintain the taste that has been loved by the people of the prefecture for many years.

Although many companies are selling San-Pin Tea as a product, no one has registered it as a trademark. When Okinawa Pokka Corporation first started selling canned sanpin-cha, there was some discussion about whether or not to register it, but they decided not to because sanpin-cha is a common noun, just like green tea and oolong tea.

Later, a mainland company applied for and received a trademark registration under the name San-Pin-Cha, but in an effort to protect the dignity of Okinawa’s history and culture, Okinawa Prefecture and the Okinawa Prefecture Tea Association filed an objection with the Patent Office and had the registration canceled.

Okinawa Pokka Corporation will continue to sell its products only in Okinawa Prefecture.

Okinawa Pokka Corporation does not sell San-Pin Tea outside of Okinawa Prefecture. And they have no plans to expand outside of Okinawa in the future.

The image of “San-Pin Tea = Okinawa” has become somewhat common throughout the country, and the number of people picking up San-Pin Tea as a souvenir has increased, but the percentage of purchases by Okinawans is overwhelmingly high.

If this is the case, the idea is to focus on pursuing a taste loved by Okinawans, rather than forcibly expanding sales channels.

In addition, there are still some places in Okinawa, such as small remote islands, where the product is not yet being delivered, so the current goal is to increase the number of sales outlets to reach all parts of the prefecture.

Okinawa Pokka Corporation’s San-Pin Tea, which has enjoyed unwavering support in Okinawa for a long time, will continue to maintain its beloved taste and continue to be a tea that will be familiar to the people of Okinawa for years to come.

In today’s world, where new products are being created one after another, San-Pin-Cha has remained true to its timeless style. It is because it is universal that it is accepted by the Okinawans and has become a natural part of their daily lives.

The post Okinawa Pokka Corporation, which develops “San-Pin Tea” loved by Okinawans / Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In Tottori Prefecture, which is not famous for its tea production, there is a tea farm that produces delicious black tea. It is the Jingamae Tea Production Cooperative. In winter, the tea grows strongly even though it is covered with snow, and it has a reputation for being sweet. In addition, the black tea grown naturally, without the use of pesticides or organic fertilizers, has been attracting attention in recent years as Tottori Prefecture’s “jiko-cha” (local black tea).

Jingamae area at the foot of Mt.Daisen.

Daisen-cho is located in western Tottori Prefecture. The Jingamae area is located in the center of the town. The name “Jingamae” comes from the fact that in 1333, a military commander from Hoki-koku established a camp here to protect Emperor Godaigo. To the north is the Sea of Japan and to the south is Mt. Daisen, the highest mountain in the Chugoku region, and there is a large difference in temperature between daytime and nighttime. The black-bok soil, formed by piling up volcanic ash from Mt. Daisen, has excellent drainage and is acidic, making it suitable for tea cultivation.

There is a tea grower in the Jingamae area who has been attracting attention for his tea production. They are Mr. Hashii and Mr. Hirasawa of the Jingamae Tea Production Cooperative.

The history of tea production at Jingamae Tea Producers Association

Even within Tottori Prefecture, there are only a few tea farmers, and most of them grow varieties of tea used for green tea and sencha. In Japan, tea has a strong image of being grown in places with warm climates, such as Shizuoka and Kagoshima prefectures, but they were inspired by someone who was growing tea in a neighboring town and started growing it in the Jingamae area as well.

He says, “It seems that tea has been grown here since around the 1965’s. There were many more tea farmers then. There were many more tea farmers back then, and they all decided to form a cooperative and grow tea together, which led to the construction of a processing plant in 1978. Now we manage three hectares of tea fields, and there are only two members of the cooperative besides myself,” he says.

Because they are not large-scale farmers, it is difficult for them to manage their tea fields, and their yields are limited. He also thought that differentiation was necessary to promote the tea of Tottori Prefecture, which is not well known. Therefore, about 20 years ago, they adopted organic farming without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and obtained JAS organic certification, a national standard that only certifies fields that have been free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers for more than three years, and began delivering their products as an organic tea farm.

Encounter with Tea Making

The Jingamae Tea Production Association did not originally produce black tea, but they encountered the possibility of black tea production when someone advised them to do so. It was a comment from Kazuki Fujiwara, chairman of the “Black Tea Association,” a group of tea lovers in Tottori that started its activities in 1993. He said, “You can make black tea from ordinary tea leaves, so why don’t you try it?”

In fact, there are various types of tea, such as green tea, hojicha, and oolong tea, but the difference between them is not based on the variety grown but largely on the processing method used after harvesting.

Green tea, which is the most widely produced tea in Japan, is also called unfermented tea, and is generally fire-roasted, such as steamed or roasted, after the new tea leaves are picked. This is because if raw tea leaves are left as they are, fermentation will begin due to the action of oxidative enzymes. Fermentation is suppressed by repeatedly heating and cooling the tea leaves while they are fresh as much as possible, and the moisture content is lowered by rubbing and drying.

Black tea, on the other hand, is a fermented tea and is characterized by the fact that it is not steamed after harvest. The first step is a process called “wilting” to remove the water content without heat. The leaves are then blasted with air to reduce the amount of water in them by about half. After that, the leaves are rubbed to gradually promote oxidative fermentation. This process changes a type of polyphenol contained in the tea, giving it a unique aroma.

The tea leaves are then dried at the right time to complete the process.

Mr. Hashii and his colleagues, who were thinking of differentiating their tea from other tea gardens due to the small production volume, decided, “If we can make black tea, let’s try it,” and started producing black tea by using varieties of tea that had been grown for green tea.

Gradually gained recognition through trial and error

The varieties grown by the Jingamae Tea Production Cooperative are “Yabukita,” “Hokumei,” and “Okumidori. Benihikari” and ‘Kurasawa’ are also grown as varieties suitable for black tea.

Benihikari, in particular, is called “Beni-kei” and contains Assamese tea leaves, which are considered suitable for black tea, in its breeding process.

When they first started producing Benihikari tea, they did not have any specialized machines, so they had to customize their own machines for green tea while researching production methods, and went through a process of trial and error. Gradually, they were able to produce tea leaves of stable quality and became the talk of the town for their organically grown, domestically produced black tea. They also introduced tea machines and increased the ratio of tea production.

The resulting tea is now sold at roadside stations and local supermarkets under the name “Tottori Organic Black Tea. In addition, the tea is gaining recognition as it was ranked 9th out of more than 1,000 black teas produced in Japan in the “Domestic Black Tea Ranking” published by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun in 2023.

Tottori organic black tea, made from yabukita, which is also used for green tea, is gaining popularity for its low astringency and moderate sweetness.

Toward Natural Cultivation for Safer Drinking

In addition, in the last few years, the company has switched from organic to natural farming. Compared to organic farming, which uses naturally occurring fertilizers such as animal manure, natural farming uses no fertilizers at all. However, the black box soil of Mt. Daisen and the difference in temperatures have increased the flavor of the grapes.

Although weeding is time-consuming because weeds cannot be suppressed, the couple smiles as they say, “We can do our best when we know that everyone can drink our wine with peace of mind.

The National Black Tea Summit, which started in Tottori, Japan

One of the reasons why Tottori has come to be known as a local black tea is due in large part to the “National Locally-Grown Tea Convention”. Ji-chi-kocha” refers to black tea produced by taking advantage of local ingredients and characteristics, similar to locally brewed sake and beer.

In fact, the National Locally-Grown Tea Convention began in Tottori Prefecture.

From the Meiji period to the Showa period, black tea was produced in Japan and was also an export product. However, after that, it could no longer compete with foreign black tea and disappeared from tea production areas in Japan. Mr. Fujiwara, the chairman of the Black Tea Association, called for the production of black tea all over Japan, and at his suggestion, the Jingamae Tea Production Association started producing black tea.

The first Ji-Kocha Summit was held in Nawa-cho (now Daisen-cho), Tottori Prefecture, because it is a black tea-producing region and the founder, Mr. Fujiwara, lives in the same prefecture.

The Ji-Kocha Summit brings together producers of local black tea from all over Japan to connect tea lovers and tea producers and to revitalize the local community. The event has become an event that attracts thousands of visitors through a series of activities such as comparing local black teas from different regions of Japan and publicizing the local black tea map that shows the number of tea-producing regions. The Jingamae Tea Producers Association’s black tea has also become known to black tea fans nationwide through its participation in the summit.

We want to inherit a tea that can only be made in the camp structure

With no other tea growers besides Mr. Hashii and Mr. Hirasawa, we recruited new producers of local black tea, and one of them applied for the job because he wanted to promote local black tea. Mr. Kitaoka is an I-turner from Osaka. Mr. Kitaoka, who used to work for a trading company, and his naturally grown black tea are now considering entering it in overseas tea fairs and exporting it in the future.

The number of producers is decreasing and there are only a few of us left, but I want to keep the name Jingamae. I want to preserve the Jinkou name, even if in a small way, so that the tea will be recognized as a tea that can only be found here. We would be happy if we could export our tea and make more people aware of it,” says Hirasawa.

The production of local black tea started from a small tea plantation. The taste of this tea will continue to attract many people in the future.

The post Jingamae Tea Production Association, a domestic black tea with a sweet taste born from surviving a harsh winter in an organically grown field first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Suimeien Okamoto Tea Manufacturing is located in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, on the border with Shizuoka Prefecture, and has a beautiful, bright green tea plantation covering approximately 5 hectares. The company’s grandfather moved from Makinohara City in Shizuoka Prefecture, where the Makinohara Plateau is famous as a tea production area, to cultivate the land. The fourth generation, Hirotoshi Okamoto, is working to broaden the range of ways to enjoy tea by commercializing powdered and tea packaged products and opening the farm to the public. We will explore the tea production that Mr. Hirotoshi, who is looking to the future, is aiming for.

Toyohashi tea in Aichi Prefecture, where tea cultivation is also popular

Toyohashi City, located in southeastern Aichi Prefecture on the border with Shizuoka Prefecture, is the central city of the Higashimikawa region and has the fifth largest population in Aichi Prefecture. Bordered by Mikawa Bay in the west and the Pacific Ocean in the south, Toyohashi enjoys a relatively mild climate throughout the year.

Toyohashi is one of the leading horticultural production centers in Japan, boasting the nation’s largest shipment of cabbage and the largest production of shiso leaves in Japan. Because of this soil, Toyohashi tea is said to be “highly aromatic.

The origin of the tea is not known, but it seems that before World War II, there were several tea farmers in the Takashibara district in the center of Toyohashi City. In the 1950s, along with postwar reconstruction, the production of black tea became popular. Later, they began to produce sencha, leading to today’s Toyohashi tea. Another characteristic of Toyohashi tea is that the harvest season begins 3 to 4 days earlier than in Shizuoka because of the warmer climate.

Moved tea plantation from Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and cultivated the land from scratch

Suimeien Okamoto Tea, run by Hirotoshi, is located in Higashi-Hosoya, one of the five major tea production areas. The tea plantation, which covers an area of about 5 hectares, surrounds his house and produces several varieties of tea, ranging from early to late harvest: Ooi Wase, Kuritawase, Yaeho, Yutaka Midori, Saemidori, Tsuyu Hikari, Yabukita, Meiryo, Sayamakaori, Yamakai, and Okumidori. The reason for this is that the harvest period is 3 to 4 days. The reason for this is to ensure the distribution of high quality tea by harvesting tea leaves at the optimum time, which is said to be 3 to 4 days.

Originally, the tea plantation was located on the Makinohara Plateau, one of the most famous tea growing areas in Shizuoka Prefecture, but due to the effects of the Pacific War, the second generation moved to the current location. The land, which was empty at the time, was cleared and cultivated into a unique undulating terrain. The land was slightly sloped to improve drainage, and a “culvert drainage system” was installed to collect water from the ground and underground and channel it into a drainage canal. The result is a tea garden with excellent drainage and soft red soil, which is said to be suitable for tea cultivation, enabling the cultivation of high quality tea leaves.

Tea making starts with soil preparation

Okamoto-san, the fourth generation of the family, grew up watching tea picking from his childhood. Tea fields spread out around his house and tea factory. The family runs the business from the management of the tea plantation to production and packing. What I make can make people happy. Also, everything from the tea plantation to manufacturing is my responsibility. It was a natural progression for him to choose to become the successor after experiencing firsthand the dreams and rewards of the business.
Okamoto-san says, “The taste and aroma of tea depends on the soil. Soft soil is necessary for the roots of tea trees to grow thicker and deeper. However, when tea is picked by machine, the soil is inevitably hardened. Therefore, after picking the second tea leaves, Okamoto-san mows and returns them to the field even after the third tea leaves have sprouted. Generally, this tea can be sold as the third tea, but Okamoto-san wants to increase soil organisms and maintain the soil’s own strength by feeding the soil with organic matter as much as possible.

Cultivate multiple varieties for staggered picking times

The family business has its own difficulties. If there are overlapping harvest times, there is not enough labor, and the best time to harvest the tea leaves may be missed. Since it is difficult to harvest 5 hectares of tea plantations at once, the farmers plant early-ripening and late-ripening varieties to ensure that all teas are harvested at the right time. The teas picked at the right time “feel completely different to the touch, so comfortable that I want to keep touching them. They are so comfortable to the touch that I want to touch them all the time.

The difference of a few seconds in the tea making process is reflected in the taste.

The harvested tea is consolidated at a tea factory located near his home. They are immediately steamed and then cooled by a cooler. Time is of the essence, as freshly picked leaves are quickly oxidized if left unattended. In addition, the green color of the leaves must be maintained while removing any foul smell, and it is said that the length of steaming time determines the taste, aroma, and color of the water. The difference of a few seconds makes a big difference in the taste, so even the slightest carelessness is not tolerated in the steaming process.

Okamoto-san, who is in charge of everything from harvesting to production, spends a month or so during the tea-picking season, with no time to sleep. Even under such circumstances, he says, “I do this work because I love it, so it’s not hard at all. I want to make tea that I am satisfied with,” Okamoto-san smiles.

Store at 7°C to prevent condensation and oxidation

Okamoto Seicha, which is also involved in tea sales, stores products after tea production in a refrigerator in the factory. The temperature is set at 7 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is too cold, condensation may form when the tea is taken out of the refrigerator and returned to room temperature. Tea is damaged when it absorbs moisture, so we want to avoid condensation as much as possible. On the other hand, if the temperature is raised, oxidation will occur. The temperature at the very edge of avoiding condensation and oxidation is 7 degrees Celsius,” he said.

Three generations of parents and children received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award

Every year, “tea fairs” are held throughout Japan, where producers compete to see how well their teas perform that year. Experts with tea judging skills evaluate four items: the appearance of the tea leaves, the color of the tea, the aroma, and the taste. Okamoto Seicha has received the “Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award,” the highest award, from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, for three generations of parents and children at both national and Aichi Prefecture tea fairs. The tea was especially recognized for its high aroma.

When asked what kind of tea Mr. Okamoto is aiming for, he replied, “Everyone has their own taste preferences,” and then added, “A tea that has a strong astringent taste typical of green tea, and that makes you feel a rush when you drink it. However, he said that it is not so easy to make green tea because it is a natural product. We can only try once a year, so we have to learn every year.

Working with his wife, he develops products that consumers demand.

In recent years, young people have been turning away from tea-leaf type teas. This is because brewing tea in a teapot is considered a hassle. Therefore, Mr. Okamoto has been working on the development of “powdered tea,” which can be brewed easily.

However, when powdered, it did not taste the same as tea brewed from tea leaves. Sometimes the color is not as beautiful as expected. The development of the product was a difficult process that involved changing the variety and trial and error in the process of making the powder. He actively adopted his wife’s opinion in the development process. Because she did not grow up as a tea farmer, she was able to fully reflect the viewpoint of an ordinary consumer. The result was powdered sencha, genmaicha, hojicha, and kocha teas.

The sales of the powdered teas allowed the company to discover a different customer base, and the company felt that it had a positive effect on the market. As a second step, the company began developing triangular tea bags, which are now sold through online stores and other channels. The new product is said to offer an easy way to enjoy a taste similar to that of leaf tea.

Our goal is to make teas that wholesalers nominate.

As the fourth generation, he is vigorously developing new products, but there are still many areas he would like to improve, such as efficiency and quality. As a family-run business, they plan to focus on countermeasures against delays in harvest time due to variety and weather conditions, as well as improving the quality of the tea trees themselves.

Although there are regions where the area under tea cultivation is expanding, nationwide tea production is on a downward trend. The amount of leaf tea consumed per household is also on the decline, and it must be said that the industry as a whole is shrinking. Despite the difficult situation, we would like to produce tea leaves with the utmost care so that our customers will say, “I want Okamoto Seicha’s tea. Mr. Hirotoshi, who loves tea and is dedicated to tea, continues to hold on to his aspirations.

The post The insatiable challenge to stop the trend away from Japanese tea. Mr. Hirotoshi Okamoto, the fourth generation owner of Suimeien Okamoto Tea Manufacturing Co. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Mr. Shintaro Tokunaga of Reiganji Tea Manufacturing in Kurogi-machi, Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, was awarded the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Prize, the highest prize, at the 40th competition held in 2023 of the National Youth Tea Judging Technique Competition, which aims to improve tea quality by training young tea producers nationwide to appraise tea quality by taste, aroma, appearance, etc. He is also a tea specialist who was inducted into the Fukuoka Prefecture Yame Tea Handmade Tea Competition Hall of Fame. Mr. Tokunaga welcomed us at his tea farm in the misty mountains.

Differences in temperature, fog, and fertile red soil concentrate the flavor in the tea leaves.

Mist slowly rising from the ground drifts through the trees, blurring the outlines of the forest. The tea plantation where Mr. Tokunaga grows the highest quality gyokuro, “Yame Traditional Gyokuro,” is located deep in the misty mountains at an altitude of 520 meters above sea level. There are few private residences in the vicinity, and the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

It is said that the fog moderately blocks sunlight, suppressing the production of catechins, which cause bitterness and astringency, and increasing theanine, a flavor component, when the tea leaves undergo photosynthesis. In mountainous regions, where there are differences in temperature, tea buds grow slowly and produce tea leaves with a rich flavor. In addition to these ideal climatic conditions, Mr. Tokunaga’s tea is blessed with clayey red soil that can hold nutrients, which makes his tea delicious.

Aiming to be a regular winner of the “National Tea Fair.”

Located on the highest point of the 6-hectare or so tea plantation owned by Mr. Tokunaga, this field is where he grows Yame Traditional Hon Gyokuro tea to be entered in the annual “National Tea Fair”. This tea was created using the best techniques and methods to promote the name of Yame tea, and there are strict rules for its cultivation.

The most notable feature of the tea plantation is the “straw covering,” in which rice straw is placed on shelves built over the tea plantation to block sunlight for at least 16 days at a light shading rate of 95% or higher (the straw in the photo is covered with a frost protection net). The rice straw maintains moderate humidity and temperature, and the raindrops produce a unique flavor known as “kaburakoso” (covered aroma). Another part of the rule is to hand-pick “one core and two leaves” of new shoots grown by “natural tailoring,” in which branches and leaves are not cut. Only those that have been carefully cultivated with time and effort are released to the world under the name of “Yame Traditional Gyokuro.

In fact, I used to live in the place where this field was originally located. But in 2012, a landslide caused by flooding swept away our house, leaving this place vacant, so we decided to take on a new challenge: growing tea to be entered in the National Tea Fair. Consistently achieving high rankings at tea fairs means that we are endorsed as a producer, which makes it easier for us to do business with tea wholesalers. Someday, I want to drink tea made by Reiganji Seicha! I would like to be able to have customers nominate Reiganji Seicha for their tea.

The company has entered its teas in the competition seven times in the past, and in 2023, out of more than 110 entries, it was awarded fifth place. I visited top-ranked farmers and learned how to make their grapes tastier. I heard that good results can be obtained when all the conditions, such as the amount and timing of fertilizer application and the timing of tea leaf plucking, in addition to climatic conditions, are perfectly matched. I still have a lot to learn, but I will continue to improve.

Knowledge of tea learned in Shizuoka forms the basis of the award

He also has an excellent eye for judging the quality of tea and won the highest award in 2023 at the National Young Tea Producers’ Tea Judging Technique Competition, where young tea masters from all over Japan gather to compete in tea judging techniques. Mr. Tokunaga has also jumped up the rank of tea master from Shodan to Rokudan. He has also won 10 consecutive championships in the Fukuoka Prefecture Yame Tea Handmade Tea Processing Competition, where he competes in the traditional “handmade tea processing technique,” and was awarded the title of Hall of Fame inductee. The foundation of his remarkable abilities was laid during his days at the “Kanaya Tea Research Center, Fruit and Tea Research Division, National Agricultural Research Institute,” in Shizuoka, Japan.

I drank tea from all over the country and learned the regional characteristics and trends of tea varieties. I think I developed my own standards of taste for tea, and my ability to taste tea grew as I developed a wider range of tastes. It was also important for me to learn hand-tea making professionally in Shizuoka. Once you have experienced hand-kneading, you can deeply understand the meaning of each processing step,” he says.

Te-momi” is the basic technique of tea making, in which steamed tea leaves are dried while being kneaded by hand. The tea leaves are then hand-rubbed with just the right amount of pressure to adjust the amount of water that comes out of the tea leaves, and the tea leaves are then shaped into a long, thin needle-like shape. When I look at the steamed tea leaves, I determine the quality and quantity of fiber in the tea leaves and decide how to rub them,” says Tokunaga. Mr. Tokunaga’s “discernment” is also utilized in making rough tea leaves by machine. He adjusts the steaming condition, air flow, and drying method slightly according to the tea leaves at the time, so that the result is as close to hand-kneaded tea as possible.

The taste of handmade tea is different from that of machine-made tea,” he says. The machine is more pressurized and the taste is a little more angular. Hand-kneaded tea is the best, but it cannot be mass-produced, so we are trying to make it taste as good as hand-kneaded tea, even if we use a machine.
Mr. Tokunaga brewed me a cup of tea that he had hand-pulled himself. It was indeed mellow and gentle. The taste showed that no matter what the times may bring, the handiwork of skilled craftsmen will never surpass that of machines.

Loving mountain tea and trying new varieties

The tea industry is in the doldrums, with an increasing number of abandoned fields throughout Japan. What does Mr. Tokunaga think of this situation? It may not be a good situation, but I still love tea. But I still love tea. To be honest, it is not easy to work in a place like ours, where the shape of the mountain is used as it is for tea plantations. But there are teas that can only be made here. I want to work hard and believe that the taste of the tea is worth the time and effort! I would like to work hard with the belief that we can make tea that is worth the time and effort. Also, Fukuoka Prefecture is currently developing its own variety of tea, and next year we will start trials to actually plant and grow it. We are going to plant this new variety for mountainous areas in our fields. I am excited to see what kind of tea we can produce,” says Tokunaga. We can’t wait to see what kind of tea the new variety, the result of many years of research, will grow into with the help of skilled tea growers and tea masters.

Incidentally, the trade name “Reiganji” comes from a temple known as the birthplace of Yamecha. The temple is said to have been built by Zenji Eirin Shuzui, who is said to have brought back tea seeds from Ming Dynasty China and introduced tea cultivation and production methods. Carrying the name “Reiganji,” a symbol of the birthplace of Yamecha, Mr. Tokunaga is moving forward strongly into the future. We can hardly wait to see what kind of world of Japanese tea Ms. Tokunaga’s “love for tea” will open up in the future.

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Yamato Tea, a nationally renowned tea brand

The history of Yamato tea dates back to 806, when Kobo Daishi brought back tea seeds from Tang Dynasty China, planted them in Uda, Nara Prefecture, and introduced the tea manufacturing method. Later, tea spread to temples, the tea ceremony culture flourished, and tea cultivation became even more prosperous. Yamato tea has now become a nationally renowned brand, and is even served at five-star hotels in Tokyo and in first-class airliners. The Uekubo Tea Farm is located in Momogano, Tsukigase-mura, Nara City, about 30 minutes by car from the city, in the mountains at an altitude of 400 meters. The vast tea fields sloping down from the small mountain are a refreshing contrast to the blue sky. The charm of the tea produced in Tsukigase is that it is sweet and beautifully colored. The tea leaves themselves are beautifully green, and the light green color of the tea itself is also beautiful. The taste is similar to that of gyokuro. These are made possible by the high quality mineral-rich soil, water source, and steep terrain. The tea leaves retain their natural umami and sweetness due to the extreme temperature differences. Early in the morning on sunny, cool days in spring and fall, a sea of clouds spreads over the area, creating a spectacular view. The fantastic sea of clouds provides a natural “cover” for the tea leaves, giving them a flavor similar to gyokuro.

Junichi Kamikubo, the third president of Kamikubo Tea En, received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award, the highest award at the National Handmade Tea Fair in 2017. He is the first tea master in the Kansai region to be awarded the title of “Tea Saint,” which is given to the winner of this award. Hand-moiling tea is a common practice before the introduction of tea machines, and can be said to be the origin of tea production. Tea making machines have been developed based on this hand-moiling technique, and the machines perform the steaming, rubbing, and drying processes. All processes of hand-kneaded tea are done by hand, and the finished product is as long, thin, glossy, and beautiful as a needle. Compared to machine-made teas, which are broken when they float in hot water, hand-momi-cha is characterized by its ability to return to the original form of tea leaves. This tea is widely acclaimed both in Japan and abroad for its artistic quality.

Dreaming of creating a space to touch tea

Mr. Kamikubo did not originally intend to take over his family’s tea business, but he had a strong interest in plants from an early age and wanted to work with plants. He decided to study tea professionally and chose to study at a tea research institute in Shizuoka. There, he met his mentor, who told him that if he was going to spend the rest of his life doing anything, he should acquire the skills to be the best at it and return home, so he decided to study hand-pulling tea. By the end of his two years of study, he was completely absorbed in the world of te-momi tea. The “hand-momi-cha” that Mr. Kamikubo makes depends on a variety of factors, including weather conditions, technique, intuition, his own physical condition on the day, and the growth of the tea leaves. He must be unselfish and not overbearing in his efforts to produce a good product. Otherwise, it is impossible to make a good quality handmade tea.

The process of hand-pulling tea is divided into nine steps. First, carefully selected tea leaves are steamed, and then the steamed tea leaves are handled on a roasting furnace to remove water. Then, the tea leaves are rubbed so as to twist the stems, and gradually kneaded into a tea dumpling with full body strength. Next, the tea leaves are untied one by one and twisted to form a spindle shape. This “firigiri” process is said to be the most difficult. The tea leaves are then rubbed so that they form a wire-like shape. Finally, the tea leaves are shaped and dried.
These processes take six to eight hours, but in Mr. Kamikubo’s hands, the tea is as beautiful as if it were flowing. His artistic technique produces a tea that is as straight and shiny as a needle. Because of the time and effort required to make the tea by hand, even Mr. Kamikubo can only produce 400 grams of tea per year. Tea is a living thing, and so is the person who handles it. It is only a person who can read the heart of the tea leaves, which cannot be read by machines, and it is only because he or she puts his or her heart and soul into it, with the sole intention of delivering a good product to the drinker, that the tea is a gem. Therefore, it cannot be produced in large quantities, but its taste, aroma, and flavor are truly exceptional and can only be produced by hand.
We would like to set up a tea park here, where people can try hand-pulling and tasting tea. We would like to create a tea park here, where people can experience tea by hand and taste the tea. I would be happy if people come here to see, feel, and taste the tea and fall in love with Yamato tea. Mr. Kamikubo smiles as he aims to complete the tea park. I am looking forward to spending a relaxing time with Yamato tea while feeling the scenery and air of Tsukigase.

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Shiga Prefecture is said to be the birthplace of Japanese tea. The origin of Japanese tea is said to date back to 1200 years ago, in the early Heian period, when Saicho, the founder of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, brought back seeds from Tang China and planted them at the foot of Mount Hiei. We visited Mr. Haruki Fujimura, representative director of “Greentea Tsuchiyama,” a tea farmers’ cooperative in Shiga Prefecture, which is working to pass the baton of the tea industry to the future.

Tea production area developed in the Edo period (1603-1867)

Tsuchiyama-cho, located in the southeastern part of Shiga Prefecture, boasts the largest tea production and cultivation area in the prefecture. 805, Saicho, who returned from Tang Dynasty China, introduced tea cultivation to Omi Province, which is now Shiga Prefecture, and tea production also began in Tsuchiyama. Since Tsuchiyama was an inn town on the Tokaido Highway, tea was sold to people passing by, and its production expanded dramatically in the Edo period ( 1603-1867). At its peak, Tsuchiyama used the same tea leaves as green tea to make black tea and export it overseas, but this became difficult after World War II began, and the region gained a foothold as a producer specializing in green tea.

Tea that can be enjoyed from the second brewing

There are several traditional tea production areas in Shiga Prefecture, such as Asamiya and Masadokoro, but Tsuchiyama is characterized by rolling hills with long hours of sunlight, rich underground water from the Suzuka mountain range, and a temperature difference between day and night. This makes it possible to grow long, thick tea leaves, which have a strong flavor and aroma, and are said to be delicious even after the second or third brewing. Characterized by its elegant, mild, and deep flavor, it has long been a specialty of Shiga Prefecture.

Producing “Kabusecha” with a strong flavor

Another characteristic of Tsuchiyama is that it is known as a famous producer of “Kabusecha” tea. Kabusecha is a type of tea in which tea leaves are covered with a cloth or other covering before plucking to suppress the production of catechins and enhance the flavor and sweetness of the tea. The tea leaves that have been covered for a longer period of time are called “gyokuro,” and those that have been dried without being rubbed are called “tencha. Tencha is ground into a powder using a millstone, and this powder is called matcha, which is used in the tea ceremony.

Kabusecha production is thriving in Tsuchiyama, and has a solid track record, winning first place in Japan in the kabusecha category of the National Tea Fair.

Healing Tea from Tsuchiyama to the World

Haruki Fujimura is the representative director of “Green Tea Tsuchiyama,” an agricultural cooperative that produces tea with the concept of “bringing healing tea to the world. He has been in the tea industry since he was 22 years old, and has been in the business for 30 years this year. He wanted to acquire knowledge and skills beyond just making tea, so he became a certified Japanese tea instructor, also known as a “tea sommelier,” and is also involved in training young people at an agricultural university as an agricultural instructor.

In Tsuchiyama, many growers have traditionally produced Kabusecha, but about five years ago, we started producing about two thirds of our tea from Tencha, which is used to make Matcha. Japanese matcha has been booming overseas for the past few years, and the need for tencha will increase even more in the future.

Although the region as a whole has been increasing the percentage of its tea production from tencha processing every year, the price of tea itself has been declining in recent years, and producers are now facing a difficult situation.

From individual competition to regional cooperation in tea production

In order to overcome the difficult situation surrounding tea farmers, various reforms are being implemented in Tsuchiyama. One of these reforms is the establishment of an agricultural cooperative, Greentea Tsuchiyama.

One of the features of our company is that each member of the corporation is a farmer, but we all share the same fields and factories. In tea production areas, even though the factory is shared, it is rare to find an organization in which everyone shares the same fields. There is no such thing as an individual farm, but rather a system in which everyone works together to increase sales,” says Mr. Tsuchiyama.

Green Tea Tsuchiyama was originally established by Fujimura’s father in cooperation with five tea farmers.

At the time, when most tea farms were privately owned, many farmers were trying to ship their products as quickly as possible in a small area, which caused shipping times to overlap. To prevent this, Greentea Tsuchiyama was established to promote the joint purchase of fertilizers and the joint use of factories. Today, many young farmers belong to the company, and it has grown to the point where it produces about one-tenth of all tea produced in Shiga Prefecture.

Overcoming the adversity of being called a “cheap production area

Green Tea Tsuchiyama handles all aspects of tea production in-house, from cultivation to processing and sales. In 2018, the company built a new factory for tencha, the first in the prefecture, with the aim of producing its own tencha, the raw material for matcha, to boost sales and meet demand for the tea in a wide range of products such as chocolate and confectionery.

The factory is located in the Tsuchiyama area, where frost occurs in early spring, so the early sprouts are damaged by the frost. Tea can only be harvested safely in Tsuchiyama after May, the middle of the season. It has often been said that “Tsuchiyama is an inexpensive production area” because the harvest here begins when harvesting is completed in all production areas in Japan, and the tea can finally be shipped when the price of new tea has dropped completely. So, in order to survive, we need a stronger ground than other production areas,” he says.

Original products that meet the needs of the times and applications

At the same time as establishing a tea production system, the company is also focusing on the development of original products.

KOKUTAN,” with its luxurious black packaging, is a special Kabusecha blending two varieties, a gem that offers the sweetness of “Sae-midori” and the refreshing crispness of “Okumidori”. It is made from the most aromatic and rich tea leaves harvested at Greentea Tsuchiyama.

Other products include Hakuji, a top-grade Kabusecha tea that is mild and recommended for daily use, and Hekiryoku, an extra-grade sencha with a refreshing aroma and moderate astringency.

Developing sweets to enjoy with tea

In an effort to further expand its product lineup, the company has begun developing products other than tea leaves, including “Matcha Financier” and “Roasted Tea x Benifuuki Financier,” the first processed foods made with the company’s own tea, which went on sale in 2020. We thought, “Why not have confections that are not limited to tea leaves alone? The development of confections that go well with tea has been well received by employees and customers alike. Mr. Fujimura’s goal is to increase the number of original products using tea, such as chocolates and cookies, and eventually sell them in his own stores.

Bringing the potential of tea to the future through the efforts of the entire tea-producing region.

In 2022, a team of tea farmers, tea artisans, and agricultural cooperatives will launch a new hojicha brand called “Tsuchiyama Overnight Hoji. This initiative was started to make the name “Tsuchiyama” widely known. The tea leaves grown with great care in Tsuchiyama-cho are left to wilt naturally overnight (12 hours or more) to lose water, which gives the tea a flowery aroma. When the tea leaves are roasted, the sweet aroma of Taiwanese tea is followed by a savory aroma unique to hojicha, making it a tea that goes well with both Japanese and Western-style teas and meals. The tea is named “Overnight Hoji,” and is sold in a variety of variations by several businesses participating in this initiative.

I consider tea to be a luxury item, just like alcohol. In the past, people thought it was enough to just make tea as it is and sell it, but now I feel that the ideal way for a production center is to make tea that they can truly enjoy through trial and error, and then promote it. How many people can we create who will appreciate the taste of Tsuchiyama’s tea? That is what is necessary to continue tea production. With an eye on the future of tea, they are expanding beyond the boundaries of producers and companies. We look forward to the new challenges ahead for Mr. Fujimura and his team.

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Masadokoro is located in the mountains of the Suzuka Mountains on the east side of Lake Biwa. This small village with thatched roofs and clear water flowing from the verdant mountains has been producing “Masadokoro tea” since the Muromachi period (1333-1573). The tea is grown without the use of any pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and because of its rarity, it has been called “phantom tea.

Uji is a traditional tea production center, and tea is a traditional political center.

Masadokoro tea is said to have originated in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), when villagers were encouraged to cultivate tea for medicinal purposes in anticipation of the medicinal effects of the clear water of the Aichi River, which originates in the Suzuka Mountains on the border with Mie Prefecture, and the fog that forms in the valley. During the Onin War, when people evacuated from the capital of Kyoto to this area, the monks of Eigenji served tea grown in the temple, which became popular for its delicious taste. This led to the tea of Masasho being widely consumed in Kyoto, and the cultivation of tea leaves, which had been practiced only at temples, was introduced to the private sector, making Masasho a tea-producing area.

It is said that this Masasho tea was served to the young Mitsunari Ishida during the “Sankencha” episode, which led to his being taken in as a vassal by Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

A rare native species that has survived the harsh environment

Masasho tea is cultivated on a mountain slope at an altitude of 350 to 450 meters above sea level. The cultivation limit for tea is said to be 600 meters above sea level, so this is not a particularly high altitude, but the land is characterized by snowfall of more than 2 meters in winter. In addition, because of the short daylight hours in the mountains, the tea trees are covered with more than one meter of snow for about four months of the year. The harsh environment makes it difficult for varieties brought in from elsewhere to take root, and while the majority of tea trees grown throughout Japan are of the “Yabukita” variety, native varieties that have been handed down since the Muromachi period account for 70% of all tea trees in Masadokoro.

Fascinated by the original landscape of Japan, the land attracts young power.

Tea cultivation was once so important to the people of Masadokoro that it was said that “tea and forestry alone were enough to make a living. However, with the rapid economic growth after World War II, tea production declined as more and more people went out to work. The area of tea fields was reduced to one-thirtieth of its peak, and Masadokoro tea, which was no longer marketable, came to be known as “phantom tea.

Currently, there are about 60 Masasho tea growers. However, the scale of production is small, and most of them grow only enough for their own consumption and ship the surplus as a commodity. The lack of commercialization has allowed tea production to continue in a more natural way, leaving behind a unique landscape where tea fields blend into the daily lives of the people. Attracted by such an original Japanese landscape, young power is now beginning to gather in Masasho.

I found myself offering to do it myself.

When I first came here, I saw the old men talking about Masadokoro tea, and it was so cool. I wanted to do something to help, and that’s how it all started,” said Ren Yamagata, the representative of “Cha En Musubi.

Ms. Yamagata first encountered Masasho 10 years ago. While attending disaster-stricken areas as a disaster volunteer following the Great East Japan Earthquake, he began to think that he wanted to live in a place with strong community ties. It was around this time that he was invited to visit Masadokoro by his former teacher from his college days. When Mr. Yamagata met a local man of nearly 80 years old for the first time, he told him, “The tea here is entrusted to us by our ancestors. I want to take good care of it, but I don’t want my children to have to go through the same hardships we did. I want to take good care of it, but I don’t want my children to have to go through the same hardships that we did. That was my wish, but I want to preserve this tea somehow, ” she said earnestly. She was so moved by his words that she decided to move to the area , saying, “If I have to throw it away anyway, please let me do it! and decided to move to the area. While promoting the appeal of Masasho tea to the outside world through Cha Enmusubi, Yamagata also serves as the director of the Masasho Tea Production Promotion Association and is working to establish a production and sales system for the tea industry.

Tea plantation he inherited while working as a doctor

Another tea farmer who started growing tea after meeting Mr. Yamagata is Shigetaka Sato. He is a radiologist, which is surprising.

I was surprised to learn that he is a radiologist. ” Tea is a very familiar drink, but when I thought about it, I suddenly realized that I knew nothing about it. I wanted to learn more about it, so I was looking for a place in the prefecture where I could visit the production site, and that’s when I met Mr. Yamagata. The first time I was allowed to help pick tea, I enjoyed it more than I expected. After half a year of helping out every chance I got, he suggested to me, “If you’re going to help out so much, why don’t you start your own farm? I started growing my own tea.

Now, while attending the Masaki-cho in between work, he is enthusiastically working on tea cultivation with the help of the people around him. Under the name “Shige-Lu tea garden,” he grows tea leaves and promotes Masasho tea through workshops.

Tea trees over 300 years old

Tea plantations are usually thought of as neat rows of tea trees trimmed in the shape of a mantis, but Masasho’s tea plantation is a little different. The tea trees are scattered on the mountain slope and are generally short.

All the trees in this area are native species that are more than 100 years old,” he said. In the Masasho area, fields planted exclusively with native varieties are still scattered about as they were in the past,” says Yamagata.

The tree that spreads its branches as if crawling on the ground is over 300 years old, and is the oldest tree in the village. Of course, it is still in use today, and is designated as a natural monument by Shiga Prefecture. The tea trees in Masasho do not grow upward because of the heavy snowfall in winter, which causes the branches to bend under the weight of the snow. In spring, when the snow melts, a flattened tree emerges from the bottom and rises up from there,” Sato continues. The traditional native tea trees have disappeared since the end of World War II, due to the mechanization and diversification of the tea industry, and now only a few percent of them remain in Japan.

No pesticides are the norm.

Walking around the village, one comes across clean spring water here and there. In Masadokoro, such spring water is still used for daily life.

The village of Masadokoro is located at the headwaters of the Aichi River, which flows into Lake Biwa. The people of Masadokoro believe that it is wrong to pollute the water if we, who live in the headwaters of the river, pollute the water, and it is natural that they do not use agricultural chemicals or chemical fertilizers. They do not even use insect repellant spray in their tea fields to prevent any chemical residue in the tea. The people here consider the standard of “good tea” to be the taste of the tea itself, and by extension, the taste of the local climate. Tea production has continued here since long before the advent of pesticides. I want to carry on the tradition of Masasho tea using the same production methods as in the past,” says Mr. Yamagata, revealing the pride of a production center that has been in existence for hundreds of years.

Hirabancha, a new Masasho staple

In Masadokoro, tea leaves that have matured and become hard are harvested by the branch at the end of March to make Bancha. The tea leaves are packed into a large wooden bucket, steamed, and dried after the branches are removed.

Before Mr. Yamagata came to Masasho, there was a lack of manpower, and the tea leaves were often left untouched after they were cut down to make Bancha, but now the Masasho Tea Production Promotion Association systematically harvests them. Until recently, people used to say, “Bancha is a tea for daily use. However, since its commercialization as hira-bancha, the number of fans has increased, and now the image of “Masasho as hira-bancha” is gaining ground. Its low caffeine content and sweet, gentle flavor make it easy to pair with any meal, which is probably another reason for its popularity. Some sommeliers drink it between glasses of red wine because it washes away tannins.

The packaging was devised to make it accessible to the younger generation, and tea bags were also created for easy drinking. As a result, new sales channels have been acquired, such as being placed in cafes and beauty salons, and the number of people who know about Masasho tea is steadily increasing.

I don’t want to destroy a scene that has continued for hundreds of years.

It is still not easy to make a living only from the tea business. Still, I don’t want to see something of value that has continued for hundreds of years to be lost. There is a charm to this land that I don’t want to see lost,” says Mr. Yamagata. Seeing Mr. Yamagata and Mr. Sato happily continuing to make tea, more and more people are coming to the Masadokoro, saying, “I want to try it, too. These changes are also creating opportunities for young people who once left Masadokoro to return to the area.

While strengthening its foothold as a tea-producing region, Masadokoro will pass on its unique tea production to the future. The breakthrough of Masadokoro tea, which has made a new start, has only just begun.

The post 600-year-old “fantastic tea” – “Masasho-cha” produced by the original Japanese landscape will be handed down to the future/Higashi-ohmi City, Shiga Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Asamiya Tea Katagi Kokaen is located in Shigaraki Town, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture,
It is a long-established tea garden that produces Asamiya Tea, one of the oldest in Japan.
They cultivate their tea completely without pesticides using only plant-based organic fertilizers and by hand.
The traditional Asamiya tea has a robust flavor and aroma that is inherent to the tea,
We continue to produce high quality teas that are gentle on the body.

Asamiya, a tea production area that has existed since tea was first introduced to Japan 1,200 years ago, is a village in the mountains of Shigaraki Town in southeastern Shiga Prefecture, known for its Shigaraki ware. The large difference in temperature between morning and evening is a source of quality tea leaves with a distinctive aroma and mellow flavor. Katagi Kokaen, which has been in the tea business here for generations, has taken on the challenge of cultivating tea without pesticides, which is not an easy task, and aims to produce world-class Asamiya tea.

Asamiya, a premium tea production area that has been in existence for 1,200 years

It is said that Japanese tea ceremony began 1,200 years ago when Saicho, later to become the founder of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, brought back tea seeds from China and planted them at the foot of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Asamiya, a tea production area that has continued since that time, is located in the Shigaraki Basin, south of Lake Biwa, on a plateau at an altitude of 300 to 500 meters. The area has ideal conditions for tea production, with a large difference in temperature between morning and evening, and the Shigaraki River valley, which tends to generate fog. The area is also blessed with high-quality water from the granite strata, which has been presented to emperors as ” fragrant Asamiya-cha,” a famous tea of high quality.

Rich green tea fields in the mountains

Driving through Shigaraki town, lined with pottery stores, to Asamiya, tea fields appear on the slopes of the mountain. The haiku poet Matsuo Basho, who visited this area, is said to have composed a poem entitled “Hiding in the Trees and Hearing the Tea Plucking, Hottogisu. The beautiful scenery of the tea fields, almost unchanged from that time, is a comforting sight.

Asamiya Tea,” known by those in the know, is now a single brand

Katagi Kokaen has been cultivating tea in the highest area of Asamiya, at an altitude of 450 to 500 meters. Currently, the seventh generation, Mr. Takatomo Katagi, is the head of the company and produces a variety of teas, including sencha, hojicha, oolong tea, and tencha.

Until a decade ago, Asamiya tea was mostly wholesaled to Uji and blended with tea from other regions and sold as high-end Uji tea, so it was completely unknown to the general public. My grandfather and father started selling Uji tea directly to households because they thought it was a waste of the delicious tea they were making,” he says. After Katagi-san took over the business, he began to put more effort into selling tea at his store and online, and is now the leading producer of Asamiya tea in both name and reality.

From father to son. A commitment to pesticide-free farming passed down from father to son.

What sets Katagi Kokaen apart from other tea growers is its pesticide-free cultivation: since 1976, all tea fields have been cultivated without the use of any pesticides and with minimal fertilizers. My father is a bit of an eccentric. He started growing tea without pesticides by himself because he felt he had to give his customers, who came to see him and buy from him, something they could drink with peace of mind.

At that time, it was common practice in the tea industry to use pesticides to prevent insect infestation and disease in order to increase production. It was a challenge that went against the grain of the times.

Tea leaves are processed without washing.

Unlike vegetables and fruits, tea leaves are processed without washing after being harvested from the fields. They are then put in a teapot, poured over with hot water, and drunk.

On the day I returned home after spraying with pesticides, I felt more sluggish than usual. This discomfort may be due to the pesticides. I thought, I can’t give pesticide-laden tea leaves to customers who buy it because they say it tastes good. The decision was based on his realization of the fear of pesticides.

Starting out by hand, without a role model

He searched for people who were growing tea without pesticides, but although there were people who were growing small amounts of tea for their own use, no one was growing tea without pesticides as a business. He had no choice but to start by hand. He decided to start growing tea in all of his tea fields at once.

The first two or three years,” he said, “we could hardly harvest anything because of diseases and insect pests. The surrounding tea farmers didn’t understand, saying, ‘It’s like growing insects instead of tea,’ but my father didn’t give up,” he said. But my father never gave up.” He had to work at other jobs to make a living, and the hard work continued.

Finally, in the third year, new shoots appeared.

In the third year, after much trial and error, the trees began to sprout new shoots. Thanks to the fact that we did not spray a drop of pesticide, spiders, praying mantis, ladybugs, and other insects returned to the field. The resistance of the trees must have increased, too. Geographical factors, such as the fact that the tea plantation was at the top of the list and that there were few insects to begin with due to the cold weather, also seem to have played a role in the success of the pesticide-free cultivation. From that year on, yields increased year by year, and the soil became richer and richer.

Putting our heart and soul into the steady manual work

For more than 40 years since then, he has been growing tea using no pesticides and as little fertilizer as possible, in an effort to bring man and nature into harmony.

The most difficult part of pesticide-free cultivation is weeding. If the weeds grow too much, they take all the nutrients from the trees, so we have no choice but to pull them out by hand,” he says. There are many hardships associated with pesticide-free cultivation, such as more manual labor and lower yields than expected. Even so, Mr. Katagi’s willingness to go to great lengths in pursuit of safety, saying, ” Tea is something people drink every day, ” is a belief passed down to him from his father.

From Weaknesses to Individuality. Asamiya tea with a clean taste

The tea leaves, which have been cultivated in a harsh natural environment, have a reputation for its original flavor. However, in the world of tea, the umami component is the most important factor in evaluating the taste. Chemical fertilizers affect this flavor. Therefore, if chemical fertilizers are not used, the tea leaves will inevitably have less umami. Mr. Katagi explains, “If we compare only the flavor, we may lose to other tea production areas that use chemical fertilizers. However, based on our experience, we have found that using organic plant-based fertilizers such as rapeseed oil and sesame oil pomace enhances the aroma of the tea. Asamiya’s native varieties have always been characterized by their aroma, and we hope to further develop the aroma,” he says.

Passing on Asamiya Tea to the Next Generation

The tea industry faces many challenges, such as theaging of producers and declining demand for tea due to the diversification of beverages. The same is true in Asamiya, where there are currently 35 tea farmers, but few of them are of the younger generation.

I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps because he took pride in his pesticide-free cultivation. I am now looking for new added value in addition to pesticide-free cultivation so that my son will want to take over the business with the same pride.

Passing on Asamiya Tea to the Next Generation

Katagi-san’s current target is the state of Michigan, Shiga Prefecture’s sister city in the U.S. About five years ago, he began selling his tea there. In Michigan, Japanese tea is still almost unknown. I want to bring Asamiya-Cha to people all over the world, but first of all, I want Michigan people to think of Asamiya-Cha when they think of Japanese tea,” he said. In fact, at a sales event in Michigan, Asagucha was well-received as ” refreshing and easy to drink,” and the company is feeling a positive response.

Although tea consumption in Japan is on the decline, Japanese tea is attracting more and more attention worldwide due to the growing health consciousness and the Japanese food boom. In fact, exports to the U.S., Taiwan, and Europe have quadrupled in the past 10 years. Asamiya tea has a good chance of becoming a world-class Japanese tea.

Asamiya Tea will not abandon its commitment to pesticide-free cultivation, but will enhance its quality and brand power. Mr. Katagi is the one who will lead Asamiya-cha to the next generation and beyond. The challenge of Katagi Kokaen, which has been passed down from generation to generation in Japan’s oldest tea-producing region, will continue in the future.

We cannot mass-produce tea due to our commitment to completely pesticide-free cultivation and careful handwork, but we are proud of the high quality of our tea, which is healthier for the body. This tea is suitable not only for private use but also for gift-giving. We hope you will taste the original flavor of the tea produced by the tea tree itself.

The post Katagi Kokaen, a pesticide-free farm in Japan’s oldest tea production area / Koka City, Shiga Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In a very small area of about 13 hectares in Mizuho Town, Unzen City, “Unzen Tea” is grown using volcanic ash soil from the Shimabara Peninsula and original organic compost. We visited Mr. Atsushi Nagata, the third generation of Nagata Seicha, a tea farmer at the foot of Mt. Unzen, who continues to take on new challenges every day while maintaining his unique “Fukamushi Tamaraku” method.

Unzen Tea” grown in the rich soil at the foot of Mt.

Unzen, which rises in the center of the Shimabara Peninsula in Nagasaki Prefecture. Unzen, Unzen tea is grown in the mid-mountainous area at an altitude of 50 to 200 meters above sea level. The cultivation of Japanese tea began in this area around 1935 (Showa 10). While mandarin orange cultivation was being promoted as a national policy at the time, the first generation of Nagata Tea Company, which will be introduced later, planted tea trees in Mizuho Town that suited the soil and climate at the foot of Mount Unzen. For about 90 years since then , “Unzen Tea” has been produced in a small area of about 13 hectares. Because it is located in the southern part of the prefecture, the harvest is relatively early. Unzen tea, grown healthily in the clean air, rich soil, and sunshine, has a reputation for its umami taste and bright color.

Characteristics of Unzen Tea

When most people think of Japanese tea, the thin needle-like leaves of “sencha” tea probably come to mind. However, the tea produced in Nagasaki Prefecture is mainly steamed Tamaryokucha (steamed green tea with curved leaves). In the process of steaming raw tea leaves at high temperature to stop fermentation and then rubbing and drying them, the leaves become rounded. The tea is sometimes called “guri-cha” because it looks like a gradient ball.

Unzen tea is also a “steamed Tamaryokucha,” which is dried by letting air in the tea leaves without going through the “fine rubbing” process to shape the tea leaves like sencha, so that the tea leaves retain much of their flavor and have a mild taste with reduced astringency.

Nagata Seicha, which has been making Unzen tea for three generations

In the mountains of Mizuho Town, Unzen City. Driving along a mountain road covered with terraced fields, we saw the tea plantation of Nagata Seicha. When I visited there in early May, the harvest had just passed its peak. This year, due to the cold winter, the harvest of the early varieties was late, but the mid- and late-season varieties were as usual, so the harvest was quite tight,” he said. Mr. Atsushi Nagata of Nagata Tea Manufacturing welcomed us with a smile, saying that he is the third generation in the company’s 5-hectare tea plantation that has been in operation since 1935 and handles all aspects of Japanese tea production, including cultivation, production, and sales.

After graduating from Saga University, Mr. Nagata spent two years training in tea production at the National Institute of Vegetable and Tea Research in Shizuoka Prefecture before returning to his hometown, where he became fully involved in the family business at the age of 25. Currently, he grows more than 10 varieties of tea, mainly Saemidori, which is said to have a good balance of taste and aroma, and Okuyutaka, which was recommended to him by his former teacher during his training in Shizuoka Prefecture. Okuyutaka is a popular tea with a clean and refreshing aftertaste. He is always in pursuit of “truly delicious tea” while understanding the individuality of each variety.

Nagata Seicha has its own unique method of tea production. Unzen tea is basically steamed Tamaryokucha, but we have developed a method called “Fukamushi Tamaryokucha” in which the steaming time is longer than usual. We also roast the tea in a kettle to give it an aromatic flavor. This process has been continued since my grandfather’s generation. The result is a mellow green tea with a beautiful aroma and color. Mr. Nagata also makes various attempts to bring out the original flavor of tea, such as “wilted tea,” in which plucked tea leaves are slightly fermented, “white tea” that has not been heated and is brewed in water, and Japanese black tea. In collaboration with a trusted Japanese tea instructor, he is exploring and pursuing the unique appeal and possibilities of Unzen tea.

Initiatives of Nagata Tea Manufacturing

The soil at the foot of Mt. Unzen, where Nagata Seicha is located, is volcanic ash soil mixed with black soil and red soil. The soil drains well, and the tea fields are soft to the touch. Mr. Nagata has nurtured this soil slowly and carefully over many years. For example, in winter, he applies his original compost, a blend of organic matter based on cow manure, and in fall he spreads rice straw to retain moisture and prevent weeds. The compost and rice straw are all from the Shimabara Peninsula. They also cultivate tea completely without pesticides to ensure safe and secure tea production. My father always told me that good tea comes from healthy trees,” says Mr. Nagata. This year, he and his colleagues developed a method to crush wild boars captured as a measure against animal damage and use them as fertilizer, and have started soil cultivation using this method. In addition, they have been experimenting with the use of grape pomace from a winery on the Shimabara Peninsula as a fertilizer. The results will come out in a couple of years,” he said. We are looking forward to seeing the effects on the tea plantation. The goal is recycling-oriented agriculture with an eye on the future. We are challenging ourselves to find a healthy way of farming that we can pass on to the next generation.

Communicating the appeal of Unzen tea from the café

Mr. Nagata felt that simply growing tea leaves in the fields, processing, and shipping them as in the past was not enough to pass on and develop tea culture, so he opened the Japanese tea cafe “Poppoya Chaba” as a new base in 2017. About a 10-minute drive from the tea fields, the store overlooking the Ariake Sea and local train line in front of it was renovated from the home of Mr. Nagata’s maternal parents, giving it a nostalgic atmosphere.

The menu uses a variety of local organic and traditional vegetables as well as Unzen tea. It regularly holds events such as workshops for elementary school students and tea brewing classes, and has a store corner where Nagata Seicha’s tea leaves can be purchased. The company’s goal is to offer consumers the appeal and enjoyment of Unzen tea directly to them through a comprehensive process from planning to production, distribution, and sales. I am a producer who works in the field. However, I cannot know the reaction of consumers only by repeating trial and error in the field. Since establishing a base outside the fields, I have had more opportunities to interact with the outside world and gain new perspectives. I take the issues that arise from these interactions back to the fields and use them as my next goal.

The photogenic café, located right in front of the local train station, attracts tourists from inside and outside of the prefecture every day. The Shimabara Peninsula, a treasure trove of seafood from the sea and mountains, has recently seen an increase in the number of “food professionals” who have moved to the area to work in the agriculture and restaurant industries. I hope to spread not only Unzen tea, but also the food culture that the Shimabara Peninsula prides itself on, from this café,” says Nagata. Mr. Nagata loves Shimabara, where he was born and raised, and is excited about the new form he hopes to inherit.

The future of Unzen tea looks bright, as this small production area of about 13 hectares is expanding its possibilities beyond the boundaries of Japanese tea.

The post Unzen tea made by Nagata, Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture / Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

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.

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The post Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset “Awa Bancha” Ayame Tonokawa, spun by local people helping each other / Kamikatsu Town, Tokushima Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.