Shizuoka tea has a different aroma and taste depending on its region of origin.Kawane tea is considered well-balanced with moderate bitterness and astringency, Kakegawa tea is characterized by its mild sweetness, and Tenryu tea is considered a high-class tea with its rich flavor.Among such Shizuoka teas, the oldest tea, which has been in existence for more than 800 years and is said to have been a favorite of Ieyasu Tokugawa, is Motoyama-cha, produced in the mountainous area upstream from the Abe and Warashina Rivers in Shizuoka City.The characteristic features of Motoyama-cha are its bright color, pleasant flavor, and depth of flavor.In Shizuoka, it is generally believed that tea leaves grown in coastal areas with a mild climate have a fresh aroma and a clean taste, while tea leaves grown in mountainous areas have a temperature difference, so leaves that photosynthesize during the day rest in the cool air at night, storing nutrients and bringing out their richness and sweetness.When you taste tea in various regions, you cannot hide your surprise at the many different types and flavors.

Kojima Tea Shop, where the traditional taste and aroma are passed down from generation to generation

Since its establishment in 1868, Kojima Chaten in Shizuoka City has been focusing on local teas, especially Motoyama tea, and has continued to introduce their charms to the rest of Japan.Kojima Kohei, the representative of Kojima Chaten, is well known in the prefecture as he was deeply involved in the establishment of the Japanese tea instructor system, and Yoshio Suzuki, a tea master who has obtained the highest tea appraisal skill level, Jyu-dan (tea master 10th dan), of which there are only a dozen in Japan, selects, blends, and commercializes the tea products.

The tea master’s job is to buy tea leaves produced by farmers (rough tea = tea leaves that have been picked, steamed, rubbed, and dried by tea farmers), blend tea leaves that have their own characteristics, and process them into the final product through a variety of processes.He must be well versed in the characteristics of each production area and the differences between tea leaves, as he is the so-called producer who thinks about what kind of tea to make and selects the tea leaves.In 2007, Mr. Suzuki won the first prize at the 54th Tea Judging Contest, in which tea masters from all over Japan gather to identify the quality and production area of tea based on taste, aroma, appearance, and other factors.In addition to thorough selection and quality control of tea leaves, he uses a combination of shelf-type hot-air drying and direct flame burning, as well as far-infrared heating, to bring out the wonderful taste and aroma from the core of the tea leaves.Binchotan charcoal, which quickly rises in temperature and maintains stable combustion, is another of their specialties.

Tensui, the tea of the 10-step master and the profound world of tea

The “Tensui” created by Mr. Suzuki is a gem that was born from President Kojima’s request to blend the best tea.The tea is made mainly from Motoyama-cha, a tea loved by Lord Ieyasu, and other good tea leaves selected from tea leaves made using the deep steaming technique that originated in Makinohara, to create a perfect balance of water color, depth of aroma, and umami and astringent tastes.

During the tour, Nakata also had the opportunity to sample various stages of tea production. The tea leaves are first in their raw state, known as “rough tea,” and then undergo different levels of “firing” to achieve varying strengths. The final products include powdered tea, stem tea, and bud tea (made from the tips of leaves and buds collected during the production of sencha and gyokuro). Each stage offers distinct flavors and aromas. Sencha is characterized by its balanced umami, sweetness, and bitterness, as well as its refreshing aroma. However, the taste can also vary depending on the water temperature and steeping time. Mr. Kojima’s recommended brewing method is to preheat a teapot, add 5–6 grams of tea leaves, pour in 180–200 ml of water at around 70°C, and let it steep for about one minute. Of course, the tea cups should also be preheated. This results in a well-balanced tea. To bring out the umami, it is recommended to lower the water temperature to around 60°C.

After experiencing the differences in tea, we also tried “gougumi,” a technique where teas of different varieties and steaming methods are blended to create a high-quality, beautiful tea.

“The aroma, taste, and mouthfeel… even small differences in quantity can make a significant difference, which is fascinating. I’d like to try blending my own tea someday, but since there’s no right answer, it’s challenging. I need to study more” (Nakata).）

I would like to continue to provide tea that people can say is delicious, and I would like to keep the trust of those who have been drinking our tea.We also want to work hard every day so that more and more people can learn about the appeal of tea through our teas,” said Mr. Suzuki.Mr. Suzuki said.The combinations of Shizuoka tea alone are endless.The world of tea is still very deep.

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The post Kojima Tea Shop in Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where tea master Yoshio Suzuki, a 10th Dan tea master, produces authentic tea. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

About Iouzan Yakuoin Yuzanji Temple

It is not a so-called touristy temple.It is not a temple that is often mentioned in guidebooks.However, since its construction in 701 by Gyoki (a founder of Buddhism active from the Asuka to Nara periods), Aburayama Temple in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, has been revered by successive emperors, the Tokugawa family, and other feudal lords, and is beloved by local people.The name “Aburayama” comes from the fact that oil used to gush out from this place, and it is also called “sacred mountain for the eyes.
The temple was so named because Emperor Kohken (the sixth female emperor in history), who once suffered from an eye disease, visited the temple and washed her eyes with the sacred water from the “Ruri no Taki” waterfall that flowed through the temple grounds, and her eye disease was cured.Since then, many people have visited the temple to pray for the cure of eye diseases, and there are still many structures on the temple grounds that were donated in gratitude for the recovery of their eyes.Although not fancy, they are all valuable, including the Yakushi Main Hall and the three-story pagoda (Important Cultural Property), which were built by Minamoto no Yoritomo in gratitude for his recovery from an eye disease, and the Yakushi Nyorai kitchen in the main hall, which was donated by the famous historical figure Imagawa Yoshimoto.The main gate was originally located under the entrance to the palace of Kakegawa Castle, which was called the “Great Castle of the Tokai Region.” When the castle was closed during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the gate was donated by the feudal lord and relocated to the present location.

Because of its remoteness from other tourist attractions, there were not many worshippers when we visited.Other than us, there were only a couple of people on the temple grounds in the morning, who appeared to be locals.But perhaps it was because of this that there was a pleasant atmosphere in the temple grounds.

Not only for eyes, but also for legs and back.

I took a walk around the temple grounds with Nakata.The forest is said to have remained unchanged for 10,000 years in its natural state, with waterfalls and streams of clear water, and the only sounds in my ears are the rustling of the trees and the chirping of birds.Walking in the cool, clean morning air, you feel as if your body is naturally awakening.The vast temple grounds, covered with cedars and maple trees, are mysterious, and in the fall, visitors can surely enjoy the beautiful autumn colors of the leaves.

In fact, Aburazan-ji Temple is said to be “protected by the god of healthy feet” in addition to the blessings for eyes.The entire mountain is within the temple’s precincts, and it takes a lot of stamina to get from the lowest gate to the main Yakushi hall on the top of the mountain, but Nakata was able to keep up his light footing. It was also the first time for Hidetoshi Nakata to visit here.Why did he want to visit this shrine?　I asked him when he left the gate after praying.He replied, “Somehow, I got the impression from reading the materials that it looked good.
Perhaps it was because he had been to shrines and temples all over the country.Perhaps it was because he had been to shrines and temples all over the country, but he had a good intuition.I recommend visiting this place in the morning.It is definitely worth the trip.

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Shizuoka City Keisuke Serizawa Museum of Art

Located in Toro Park in Shizuoka City, the Keisuke Serizawa Museum of Art is an art museum where visitors can enjoy works donated by Keisuke Serizawa, a dyeing craftsman and living national treasure, to his hometown of Shizuoka City, as well as his collection of crafts from around the world.

Keisuke Serizawa’s works, with their distinctive characters and bold designs, still have many fans. Have you ever heard of Keisuke Serizawa, a dye craftsman who has many fans not only in Japan but also abroad? Even if you don’t know his name, you must have come across his designs at some point.

Serizawa was a central figure in the folk art movement of the Taisho and early Showa eras, along with Yanagi Muneyoshi and Hamada Shoji, and is known for a style that finds “utility beauty” in handcrafted everyday items used in everyday life, and that uses Japanese landscapes, flora and fauna, and characters as motifs, but also has a somewhat modern feel. He is known for his style, which is based on motifs of Japanese landscapes, flora, fauna, and characters, yet has a modern feel. Serizawa’s fresh colors and warm patterns, which are not bound by the conventional framework of dyeing, are loved by many people, and in 1956, he was recognized as a Living National Treasure for his katae-dyeing work.

The collection consists of about 800 Serizawa’s works and about 4,500 items from his collection. It is well known that he was influenced by Okinawan Bingata and Ainu culture, but he also looked around the world. I think he had a very sharp and strong eye,” said Seiichiro Shiratori, director of the museum.

An Art Museum Blended into Everyday Life

The works on display range from folding screens, kimonos, obi belts, noren (curtains), and other typical works of dyeing and craftsmanship, to matchboxes, calendars, wrapping paper, book bindings, sake labels, and more, and many visitors are surprised to discover that they were also his works.
The colors and compositions are fresh and dynamic. The colors and compositions are so fresh and dynamic, and I wonder what they would have looked like if he had designed something modern.
Looking at his wide range of works, it is clear that Serizawa was also active as a graphic designer in the modern sense of the word. His collection of crafts and folk art from around the world, which even Yanagi Muneyoshi admired, is also impressive. He called his collection “another creation,” and one cannot help but be impressed by how he was able to collect so many things from so many different countries at a time when it was not as easy to travel abroad as it is today. A visit to “Keisuke Serizawa’s House,” which was moved from Tokyo as an annex to the museum, offers a glimpse into the life of a dyeing artist in the past. This is where Keisuke Serizawa worked out his ideas for his works and carved patterns, and is also filled with his collection of furniture, woodwork, dye, ceramics, toys, and other artifacts from around the world.

Since the museum is located in a park, natural materials such as stone, wood, and water were chosen to blend in with the natural surroundings, creating a relaxing and rich atmosphere suitable for viewing his works. It is not a fancy tourist attraction, but it is an art museum that makes you want to visit again when the exhibits change or when events are held.

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Aiming to create “tea that surprises and impresses the drinker,” Amma Seicha produces tea from its own unique perspective and ideas.
His attitude of never forgetting to challenge himself in pursuit of the ultimate taste of tea is bringing a new wind to the tea industry.

A unique background that led him to the world of tea in Shizuoka Prefecture

When most people think of Shizuoka Prefecture, they imagine large tea plantations stretching across the Makinohara Plateau, but Yasuma Seicha is located in Fukuroi City. Located in the southwestern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, Fukuroi City is famous for its melons, but tea has also been grown in the hills between the mountains since before World War II. Fukuroi City is said to be one of the oldest tea growing areas in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Amma Seicha was founded in 1946 by the first generation, Gohei Amma, and Kosuke is the third generation. Although not large in scale, the company has been in business for over 70 years, with the family handling everything from cultivation to processing and sales.

A tea plantation spreads out in front of the house, and a tea factory is also located on the premises. Every time I breathe, I feel the fresh aroma of tea tickling my nose.

Would you like to try picking tea? Nakada took Mr. Amma’s invitation and got on the tractor for tea picking for the first time.

It feels so good,” he said. Nakada was also soothed by the beauty of the tea fields.

Kosuke Amma, a third-generation tea farmer, has a unique career path. He was a high school Japanese teacher before becoming a web writer, and when he married, he took over his wife’s family’s business and started his own tea business.

My wife and I were classmates in junior high school. We are both from the area, so I grew up surrounded by tea plantations. However, I had only ever drank tea from a plastic bottle (laughs). I was so surprised when I drank the tea my wife brewed for me that I wanted more people to experience it. Of course, I didn’t have the skills or knowledge to be a tea farmer at first, so I studied at Shizuoka Prefectural College of Agriculture and Forestry first, and then started farming, ” said Amma. After having various experiences as a working adult, he studied at the school, which probably helped him develop his own unique way of thinking.

Tea with a particular flavor and sweetness

Amma Seicha’s teas have won awards in various contests, and in addition to its regular green teas, the company also produces Hakuha-cha ( white-leaf tea). The tea is grown under a specific timing of shading of at least 99.99% of the leaves from the sun. By doing so, the leaves turn white and the content of amino acids, the source of sweetness, increases dramatically. Specifically, the amino acid content is three times higher than that of ordinary sencha and approximately twice as high as that of gyokuro, which is known as a high-end tea. In addition, the amount of catechins, which are bitter components, is greatly reduced, resulting in a rich flavor and refreshing sweetness. Because of the difficulty of cultivation and production and the time and effort required, there are only a few tea growers, making it a rare and precious commodity. Mr. Amma also received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award for his research and presentation of this white-leaf tea.

I think there are many young people like me who have grown up not knowing the true taste of tea. I think it is my role from now on to think about how to make such people aware of the appeal of tea,” said Amma enthusiastically. To convey the true appeal of Japanese tea is something that only Mr. Amma, who is continuously pursuing delicious tea and trying to convey it to as many people as possible, can do.

Pursuing delicious tea to the end of the road

In addition to the pursuit of delicious tea leaves, Mr. Amma also pursues the deliciousness of tea in other areas. Specifically, he has researched and developed a kyusu, a teapot that is essential for drinking Japanese tea.

He jointly developed the kyusu and utensils with a tile installation store located in the same city of Fukuroi. The originally developed tile “ikiatsuki ” contains carbon, which has the property of adsorbing caffeine and catechins that inhibit amino acids, the source of umami and sweetness. In this way, we succeeded in making “Shiroba-cha,” which has a particularly strong flavor and sweetness, even more delicious. The concept of this kyusu and boinokuchi is ” to provide new value in pursuit of functionality.

Mr. Amma continues to take on the challenge of breathing new life into a traditional culture so that the tea culture will be preserved for future generations. Just as he was shocked by the deliciousness of tea, many people will learn the charm of Japanese tea by drinking his tea in the future.

The first time my wife brewed tea for me in a teapot, the taste gave me a “surprise”. I want to give people who drink the tea I make the same kind of “surprise” and “excitement” as I did at that time. With this in mind, I continue to explore new possibilities for tea today.

The post Bringing a New Breeze to Shizuoka, Long Known as a Tea-producing Area Mr. Kosuke Amma, Amma Tea Manufacturer / Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

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.

The post Elegant “Tenryu tea” made by one of the best in Japan, Kaneta Otaen Masataka Ota / Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.