A journey to visit people who propose different ways to enjoy tea and support the future of Shizuoka tea.
In the second part, we will focus on people who are going beyond the boundaries of Shizuoka and Japan and are setting their sights on the world stage.
The process from tea leaves born from the tea tree to the consumer is similar to the process of a single drop of water at the source of a river changing shape before reaching the river's mouth.
Now, let's continue our journey along the river.

Click here for the first part

Sparkling tea "bodhi" that will change the way people toast around the world!

In the second part, the first thing we will introduce is Sparkling Tea Bodhi, which won the grand prize at the Japan's Treasures World Championship held in Singapore in the summer of 2023.
It is attracting attention as a new-generation non-alcoholic beverage made from lactic acid fermented tea using a patented method.



"Bodhi's winning the Grand Prix was a team effort," said Yasuma Kosuke, representative of Yasuma Tea, who was the team's public relations officer and in charge of the presentation.

This was Ama's second time participating in the Nippon no Treasure Contest. In the previous year's competition, he participated with "Shirahacha Tsukishiro," a rare high-quality tea made using a cultivation method that completely blocks sunlight, and won the Grand Prix at the Shizuoka competition. However, he was disappointed to come in second at the national competition.

"At the national competition, the way we showed our stuff and our presentation skills were completely different. If we didn't win the grand prize, we wouldn't be able to go to the world competition. That made me really sad.
At the same time, I was working with my neighbors Ikedaen and Nagamine Seicha in Yaizu on the development of a lactic acid fermented bancha tea product. So I asked them if they would like to enter the competition next year with that product.
Ikedaen manages the cultivation and drying, and Nagamine manages the fermentation, so I'm in charge of public relations and presentations."

Yasuma says that the biggest difference from his first attempt, which he took on alone, was that he was able to work on this as a team. He says that by utilizing each person's area of ​​expertise, what can be done and the possibilities have expanded.

By the way, even though they call it bancha, there are various kinds depending on the region of the country. Yasuma and his team started their efforts with the idea of ​​creating something that could be called the "origin of tea" in each region of Japan in their own region.
At first, they tried the well-known method of fermenting tea by barrel fermentation, but it didn't work as expected. Next, they steamed it and fermented it in a vacuum, which gave it a honey-like aroma and sourness that they had never had before, so they decided to aim to commercialize it and named it "Bodai Acid Tea" after the name of the area where the tea fields are located, "Bodai."

As we started selling this Bodhi acid tea and exhibiting it at exhibitions, people in the food and beverage industry said to us, "With that flavor, why not try making it sparkling?"
Some people even suggested that it could be used at weddings, so we made the logo and bottle stylish.
The reason we named our tea after the local area, Bodhi, and started focusing on evening tea was because we wanted to return to the origins of tea, so we named our product "bodhi," which is a Sanskrit word that is the origin of the place name Bodhi and means "enlightenment."

The birth of an unprecedented non-alcoholic beverage

As they progressed through the Shizuoka competition, the national competition, and the world competition, they repeatedly improved the bottle, logo, label, and even the taste, and finally won the title of World Championship Grand Prix.

"Winning the Grand Prix at the world championships gave me the confidence that this is something I can share with the world.
It is said that tea consumption is declining, but in fact alcohol consumption is also declining. Despite the fact that the demand for non-alcoholic drinks is increasing, there was nothing that satisfied everyone in terms of price and taste.
At the world championships, one of the judges, the owner of a large restaurant in Thailand, said to me, "This is what I was looking for!"

Until now, the non-alcoholic beverage market has consisted of either alcoholic drinks with the alcohol removed, or soft drinks like oolong tea and juice, so Yasuma thought that "bodhi" could be offered as a different option.

"Although bodhi uses tea as an ingredient, I think it will be a completely new way to use tea as a non-alcoholic beverage. Until now, when people in Japan talked about tea, they meant sencha, but I think it's time to move in a different direction."



Ama-san showed us around and showed us the bodhi (bodhi acid tea) tea fields, which were just a short walk away.
Unlike normal tea fields, they do not harvest first or second crops, but instead grow the tea leaves solely to make Bodhi acid tea.
I visited at the end of July. The leaves in the neighboring tea fields had already been cut, but the leaves in this field were still green.
The tea picking is scheduled for autumn, around October. By that time the leaves have hardened, so they are steamed as deeply as possible and then left to ferment in a vacuum.



We enjoyed some chilled bodhi tea that was brought to us at the tea fields.

When I opened the bottle, the sweet, mellow aroma of honey wafted through the air.
Take a big gulp.
A refreshing sourness spreads in your mouth, completely different from what you would expect from the sweet aroma. The aroma that passes through your nose changes from the initial impression of honey to a fruity one like cider (sparkling wine made from apples).
In addition, it had a fermented aroma similar to Pu-erh tea, and a distinctive flavor similar to the pan-fried tea recommended to me by "GOOD TIMING TEA" the other day.

This is certainly a mysterious and complex flavor that I have never experienced before. The aroma and flavor are so deep that it seems to be layered, so you can enjoy various changes by pairing it with the food you pair it with!
It also has a slight acidity that stimulates the appetite, making it a perfect drink for a toast.



"As a test, we also tried growing tea leaves from tea fields that were grown without fertilizer or pesticides, and it worked without any problems. If this is successful, it will help solve the problem of abandoned farmland, and because it will be a pesticide-free product, I think it may attract attention worldwide.
Tea has been consumed in Japan for over 1000 years, yet it is interesting to see how new things that have never been seen before are still being created. It is said that Japanese tea is in decline, but I believe that there is always room for new creation.

In fact, Yasuma-san was not born into a tea farming family, but was adopted into the family. Perhaps this is why he is able to continue taking on new challenges with his enthusiasm for research and new ideas that are not bound by conventional wisdom in the tea industry.
Coming from outside the tea industry, Ama-san has questions and suggestions that he throws at her, but she doesn't reject them, instead responds with interest to her predecessor (her father-in-law), senior tea farmers, and her peers. They are a source of encouragement for each other.

I'm excited and looking forward to not only the future of "bodhi," which is changing the way people toast around the world, but also to the new wind that Yasuma and his colleagues will bring to the tea industry not only in Shizuoka, but in Japan and the world.

At the time of our interview, we were told that Nagamine Tea's long-awaited in-house factory in Yaizu was soon to be completed. The tea harvest was completed last fall, and production has already started with tea leaves from the 2024 harvest. Bodhi is now made entirely in Shizuoka, including the bottling process, which had previously been outsourced.

There have been inquiries from overseas, so the day when toasting around the world will change may be approaching.


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Yasuma tea
[Address] 491-30 Toyosawa, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture
[Business hours] 9:00-17:00
[Closed days] None
[TEL] 0538-88-8893
[URL]http://www.ammaseicha.com/
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Bodhi Contact Information
Nagamine Tea
Late tea research group
[Address] 45 Isshiki, Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
[Business hours] 9:00-17:00
[Closed] Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
[URL]https://shop.bancha.org/
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The highest quality bottled tea, made with the pride of a tea wholesaler

Next, we would like to introduce "IBUKI bottled tea," a premium bottled tea that is building its branding with an eye on the global market. It is a luxury bottled tea brand launched in 2022 by Kanesu Seicha, a tea wholesaler that has been producing tea for four generations in Shimada City, one of the top tea producing areas in Shizuoka.



We spoke with Genki Komatsu, who is in charge of brand development and is also the fourth generation owner of Kanesu Tea.

Breaking away from the negative cycle in the tea industry

"In the tea industry, the number of companies going bankrupt or closing down has been increasing at an accelerating rate in recent years. As you know, sales fell sharply due to reputational damage caused by radioactive contamination following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since the COVID-2020 pandemic began in 1, it was thought that demand would increase due to people staying at home, but due to the effects of the weak yen and rising raw material costs, more and more companies have been closing down their tea businesses over the past one or two years.
Also, with the advent of bottled tea, mass production of low-priced tea became the winner in the market, and the production of first-flush tea in the high-priced range decreased.

After talking to Genki-san, I did some research.
Indeed, according to materials released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 5, the cultivation area per tea farm has tended to increase in recent years, with the expansion being particularly notable in Kagoshima Prefecture, which has a lot of flat land and a small slope.
Shizuoka Prefecture still has the largest cultivated area in the country, but the proportion of its land area is high in mountainous areas, and 15% of the tea fields are on an incline of 5 degrees or more. As riding machinery cannot be used, the area is not suitable for producing inexpensive third and fourth crop tea.
In Kagoshima Prefecture, even in mountainous areas, the slope is gentle and infrastructure development is well underway, so it is possible to use riding machines in most areas.
Most of the tea producing areas in Shizuoka Prefecture mainly produce first-grade tea, but tea leaf consumption and annual expenditure per household are on the decline. On the other hand, production of cheap third-grade and fourth-grade tea for bottled drinks is relatively steady, and consumption and expenditure on green tea beverages are on the rise.

While searching for a way to survive in Shizuoka Prefecture's tea industry, where this negative cycle continues, Kanesu Seicha decided to develop high-price demand and break away from its reliance on low-price structures. As one of the three pillars of the company's management, the company decided to focus on bottling tea. In fact, Kanesu Seicha had been involved in the bottling tea business for some time. They had been outsourcing production to other companies on an OEM basis, but Genki-san will return from Tokyo in 3 and the business will begin in earnest.

“Because Kanesu Tea had never created a brand before, we started by building it from the very basics. First of all, we set the brand mission as ‘to convey the value of genuine Japanese tea to the world for a long time.’”
To achieve this, existing sales methods are no good. The product must be groundbreaking, and the target must not be the existing market, but the world. Of course, deliciousness is a given.



Genki's father, Yukiya Komatsu, the company's CEO, is a tea master who has received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award and is one of the few Japanese tea appraisers in Japan.
Genki says that he has absolute confidence in the deliciousness of the tea his father makes.
To what extent can we bottle the tea without compromising its flavor? To achieve this, we built our own dedicated factory, and, inspired by sake brewing, came up with the filtered cold brew method, which uses a triple layer of filters to sterilize the tea leaves without heating them, and then extracts them at low temperatures.

We were not able to see the manufacturing process as it is a trade secret, but if you imagine the tea being extracted slowly, drip by drip, like the funashibori method used in sake brewing, it is the exact opposite. Freshness is important, so they don't extract the tea slowly.

The climate, history and nature of this land are captured in the bottle.

Not only was the shape of the bottle resembling wine at first glance, but the design of the label that goes around the bottle was also carefully crafted over several months.

The flagship product, "IBUKI," is priced at 750 yen for 24,840 ml and 180 yen for 10,800 ml (both including tax), which is also an outrageously high price.

"That's why we thought it was necessary to create something that was not only delicious, but also value that was worth the price."
"Genki-san said.
He says that in order to achieve this, "the story is important."
In addition to the special manufacturing method, all of the tea leaves used are supervised by tea master Komatsu Yukiya.
We blend the finest local teas, mainly from Kawane and Shimada, using a unique recipe to bring out the full potential of the tea leaves.
The water used to extract the tea comes from the local Oigawa River system. The water is naturally filtered through fertile stratum and undergoes minimal artificial processing, maintaining its extremely clean quality. It is further softened at the manufacturing plant to become "ultra-soft water," resulting in soft water that is perfect for bringing out the delicacy of the tea leaves.

Yes, IBUKI bottled tea is not just high-quality tea bottled in a bottle. It also contains the climate, historical background, and natural blessings from which the tea was born.

Shocking tasting

On this day, I was able to sample three types of tea: "IBUKI" and "KOUSHUN" sencha, and "NIROKU" Japanese black tea.
IBUKI, the brand's flagship and highest-end line, uses rare tea leaves called Kanaya Ibuki, which have been developed over more than 20 years at the company's own local farm. The name comes from the word "breath" which means "breath of life."

"First of all, I'm not really thinking about pairing IBUKI with food. I think it's possible to drink it on its own or mix it with something (such as plain spirits or barley shochu).
The name KOUSHUN comes from the variety of tea leaves used, "Koushun." As the name suggests, this tea has a rich aroma.
NIROKU is a Japanese black tea. It was named with respect for Jiro Muramatsu (who passed away in October 2024), a pioneer of Japanese black tea cultivation known for Maruko Japanese black tea (the birthplace of Japanese black tea in Japan). The tea leaves used are from the "Izumi" variety cultivated by Jiro.

I was amazed at how beautiful the light blue colors were when the three types were lined up.
It is clearly different from bottled Japanese tea or any other bottled tea you may have had before. I think the color of the tea is the same as when it is brewed in a teapot, skillfully and accurately, with the right amount of tea leaves, water temperature, and extraction time.



The first place recommended to me was KOUSHUN.
The gorgeous aroma is obvious just by bringing the glass close to your mouth. First, I took a sip, and the flavor and sweetness unique to amino acids spread throughout my mouth. There was no unpleasant taste, and although the flavor was strong, it left a refreshing impression on my palate.

KOUSHUN thought that he had tasted the finest green tea he had ever drunk, but after drinking IBUKI, his memory of that supreme deliciousness was instantly renewed.

The moment I put IBUKI in my mouth, I was so shocked that I took a step back.
An overwhelming flood of umami flavor hit me, even after just one sip.
It's like having a rich broth in your mouth. Moreover, it's like the best broth has had all the fishy smell removed, and there's no bitterness at all. The rich aroma fills your nose, and the sweetness lingers in your mouth.

I thought KOUSHUN was delicious, like a drink to accompany a meal, and could be gulped down, but what about IBUKI? It's like enjoying an expensive whiskey straight, sipping it bit by bit. As Genki-san said, it could be enjoyed by mixing it with something, like a spirit.
I was simply amazed at how much umami could be contained in tea. I understand why many people are surprised and ask, "Is this really tea?"
Genki said that he hadn't thought about pairing it with food, but I think this rich umami flavor will stand up to strong-flavored foods like cheese, prosciutto, and smoked foods. If you pair it with something like wine, how much chemical reaction will it cause? Just imagining the synergistic effect of the umami flavors makes me shiver a little.

The last drink we tried was the Japanese black tea NIROKU. The first thing I noticed was its sweet, honey-like aroma. It had the natural sweetness that only Japanese black tea can have, but it didn't get in the way of the meal, and was delicious enough to complement it.

And then to the world!

"The demand for non-alcoholic drinks has been increasing in recent years. Until now, there were no options for people who could not drink alcohol at dinner parties. In that respect, IBUKI is available at around 1 yen per glass, which is in the same price range as wine or top-quality sake."

With IBUKI, both alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers can order drinks without hesitation, making dining out more enjoyable, and so the company has seen a lot of interest from high-end restaurants and first-class hotels, and is seeing positive results. In this context, the Imperial Hotel's new online mall and Kanesu Seicha are discussing the joint development of an original bottled tea, which was released in November last year.

However, it seems that there are not many local stores that anticipate such a high average customer spending.
He has said that he wants to spread the "culture of drinking tea" from his hometown of Shimada, one of Japan's leading tea producing areas, and perhaps one day he will be able to attract restaurants and customers to Shimada through a sort of reverse import.
Genki is actively involved in developing overseas markets and selling his products overseas, and this year he visited the UAE (Dubai) and other countries for market research and PR purposes.
They are of course considering exporting the product, but even if it is bottled, issues of freshness and how it is presented are unavoidable. Therefore, they are considering a system to invite overseas customers to the local area, so that they will "come all the way to Shimada" to taste this delicious product. In fact, they have already had visitors from overseas come to inspect the product.
I felt that IBUKI and other "IBUKI bottled tea" had the potential to become a pillar of local gastronomy, which is becoming increasingly popular among inbound tourists and the wealthy.

In recent years, due to these changes in demand, an increasing number of companies are getting involved in bottling tea. What are your thoughts on this?



"Of course we are rivals, but I don't think that we are simply increasing the number of competitors. I think it's a good thing for consumers to have more options. The market will expand, and ideally we will be able to boost the entire tea industry through friendly competition.
I believe it is necessary to think beyond consumption and into how we can give back to society.
So I think it would be great if high-end bottled tea could be created in each tea-producing region across the country, and I think it would be a lot of fun if that were to happen.



Japanese tea is a very delicate drink. Depending on the amount of tea leaves used, the temperature of the water, the brewing time, the water used, the shape of the tea utensil, and the drinker's physical condition and mood, the same tea leaves can become completely different.
It seems like the more expensive the tea leaves, the more delicate and labor-intensive they are. That's why bottled tea, which maximizes the potential of the tea leaves and bottles them in the best possible condition, can be said to be the "ultimately delicious" tea, where the maker's passion and skill are directly conveyed to the drinker.
The day may come when bottled tea will become a part of the tea culture, alongside gyokuro, sencha, Japanese black tea, and roasted green tea.

As some time had passed since our last interview, we asked him about his recent activities, and he told us that he will be visiting the Middle East for the second time this year in February.
Japanese embassies abroad hold "Emperor's Birthday Celebration Receptions" to celebrate the Emperor's birthday, and the ambassador invites high-level officials from various sectors of the host country to these receptions. Japanese local governments also have the opportunity to participate in these receptions as a place to promote exports and attract tourists.
Kanesu Tea was selected in response to a public call for proposals for a commissioned project from Shizuoka Prefecture, and will be promoting bottled tea in two Middle Eastern countries: the UAE (Dubai) and Bahrain.

"I never thought I'd have the opportunity to visit the Middle East twice in one year," said Genki.
We are sure they will take advantage of this opportunity to prove the value of genuine Shizuoka tea on the world stage. We hope this will be a stepping stone to pave a new path.


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Kanesu Tea
[Address] 834-1 Ushio, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture
[Business hours] 8:00-17:00
[Closed days] None
[TEL] 0547-46-2069
[URL]https://kanes.co.jp/
[Brand site]https://ibuki-tea.com
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Visit the "Tea Garden in the Sky"

So far, we have introduced the young generation of people who, despite the many dark topics surrounding the Shizuoka tea industry, such as its slump and declining industry status, are not giving in to adversity and are trying to pave the way for the future of Shizuoka tea with their passion and conviction.
However, their passion and new product development are only possible thanks to the producers who grow the tea leaves.
At the end of my trip, I wanted to meet the tea farmers who are at the source of Shizuoka tea, if we compare it to a flowing river.
So we headed up the Oi River, which is also used in the bottled tea of ​​Kanesu Tea, which we introduced earlier, and headed to Kawane Town.

We visited Tsuchiya Farm, which has been producing tea for three generations and is located in the Orokubo area, which is at an altitude of 600m, a particularly high point in the mountainous town of Kawane.
With the Southern Alps (Akaishi mountain range) in the background, the scenery of the tea fields clinging to the steep slopes amidst the majestic and harsh nature is truly a "tea plantation in the sky."



The tea produced at this tea farm has won numerous awards at quality competitions, including the highest award, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, twice. This is an incredible achievement. Tetsuro Tsuchiya, who is still actively working at tea production at the age of 2, is something of a legend in the tea industry.



We were greeted by Tetsuro's eldest daughter, Yuko Tsuchiya, the third generation owner of Tsuchiya Farm.
Having seen her father take tea making seriously, Yuko returned to her hometown with her husband to take over the family business.
"I left my hometown to go to school and get a job, so I haven't been farming for that long."
"Yuko was thinking about how she could be involved in her father's tea making and so she became a certified Japanese tea instructor.
Through activities such as tea picking experiences and model tours of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System "Shizuoka's Tea Grass Field Farming Method," he promotes the appeal of mountain tea from a different perspective than his father.

This was completed in 2022 as a place to convey the unique charm of this area!



This "Tea Terrace in the Sky" is located on a hill overlooking the tea fields and the overlapping mountain ranges.

The experience menu where you can enjoy tea with the hospitality of Yuko on the tea terrace, which has a spectacular view of majestic mountains and an unobstructed sky, is very popular. There are many customers from the Tokyo metropolitan area and overseas.



On this day, when the heat of summer was still lingering, we were treated to iced sencha tea.

The variety I received was "Haru Midori."
In today's tea market, first-time transactions and getting ahead of the season are given priority, and there is a trend to prefer early-maturing varieties, so it seems that there are few farmers producing late-maturing varieties such as "Haru Midori."
"But it's a tea with a strong umami flavor and little astringency."



Put one teaspoon of tea leaves into a teapot, add ice and leave for 1 minutes, then pour in water and leave for 6 minutes.
Take your time and relax, listening to the sound of the wind and the birds singing.

"The way the ice melts varies depending on the temperature and intensity of the sunlight that day, so the time doesn't have to be exact. When the tea leaves have absorbed the water from the melted ice and become plump, add water. I'm using ice today, but you can brew it with just water, or in cold seasons you can use hot water too. You can brew it however you like depending on the season, your physical condition, and your mood.
If the leaves are good, no matter how you brew it, their good qualities will come out and you'll get a delicious cup of coffee.
It would be a shame to think too hard about making tea and end up feeling like it's too much of a chore. The most important thing is that people enjoy the experience, including the time it takes to make the tea."



The "Haru Midori" coffee was brewed slowly over a long period of time, and when I took a sip, the rich flavor slowly spread throughout my mouth.
The umami flavor, similar to soup stock, spreads throughout your mouth first, followed by a gradual sweetness.
It was so delicious that it seemed a shame to gulp it down.
It's also fun and delicious to watch the taste and aroma change with the second and third brews.

"Around here, making tea is said as 'ocha o soeru' (add tea). Whereas elsewhere you would say 'ocha, ojote' (make tea), here we say 'oi, ocha, soeru' (add tea), ryo.
I think this word was born because tea was a part of everyday life, and it was common to drink it together with someone, as if you were embracing each other. But you can also think of tea that you brew just for yourself as embracing yourself.

That's true. The expression "to accompany" tea probably came about because tea was a part of everyday life, not just something to brew.

"When you go to a cafe or coffee shop with someone, even if you're drinking coffee and not green tea, you say, 'Do you want to have some tea?' I think that's because it was so common to drink tea = green tea. But if people continue to move away from tea, the words may change from 'Do you want to have some tea?' to 'Do you want to go to Starbucks?' or 'Do you want to have some coffee?'"

Words are living things, so I think they change with the times, but that's sad.
That is why it is so important for them to increase the number of fans of the tea they produce, through experiences such as brewing and drinking tea and picking tea leaves.

A single-origin tea that is enjoyed once a year

Typically, tea farmers process the picked tea leaves at a shared factory to produce rough tea, which they then sell to JA and tea wholesalers, but Tsuchiya Farm processes the tea in its own factory and sells it directly to consumers.
Yuko says that she is particular about using single-origin coffee in order to differentiate herself from others. This commitment may also be an essential element in building a fan base.

"The skill of tea makers is to blend tea to ensure a consistent taste and flavor every year.
However, because tea is an agricultural product, it is only natural that the growth and final product will vary from year to year. Therefore, we offer tea that is unique to our farm and that can only be enjoyed once in a lifetime.
Some farmers harvest the second and third harvests, but some don't even harvest the second harvest, and instead prune the first harvest (new tea) after picking. By doing this, they are growing tea leaves for the next year.
Although Kawane tea is a brand, it accounts for less than 1% of the total national production.
From the perspective of other countries and the rest of Japan, it is a production area that would not be affected much if it were to cease production. Moreover, the harvest season is later than in other production areas, so it is late to the new tea sales season that Japanese people love because they love the first harvests. If we were to sell it in the market, the value and quality of the tea we produce here would not match the market value. That is why we do not sell it in the market. We sell the entire amount at retail, with the desire to deliver it to people who understand the value of the tea here.
It wasn't just our family; tea farmers in Kawane started selling tea through mail order at the end of the Showa era.
Even before there were online stores like we have today, we used to take orders by phone or fax."

Those who preserve tradition and those who bring in new ideas

We asked Yuko about the new challenges faced by the people she met on this trip. What does she think about this, as both a producer and a pioneer?

"I believe that a breath of fresh air is necessary in any era and in any workplace. That's why I want people to continue to take on new challenges. I'm looking forward to seeing young people take on new challenges and people from different industries entering the industry.
For example, Hojicha, as well as Gyokuro, were considered to be of a lower value than Sencha.
However, when trendy cafes started selling Hojicha lattes and Hojicha soft serve ice cream, the value of Hojicha rose dramatically as it became popular. It's a bit misleading to say it's old, but it has created scenes and needs that the older generation would never have thought of.
However, I would like you to not forget your roots.
Tea is an agricultural product. The basics are the same as growing vegetables or fruits.

Yuko-san is also one of the people who brought a breath of fresh air to the industry. When she returned to her hometown, it was still rare for tea farmers to obtain qualifications as Japanese tea instructors, and her efforts to promote the appeal of the tea leaves they produced must have been an inspiration to the other farmers.

Every day, they are cared for, tended to, and watched over, and the blessings of nature are enjoyed. These tea leaves are turned into Sencha, Japanese black tea, and other types of tea, and there are people who can suggest various ways to drink them, and deliciously brewed tea is served in shops, and the tea is brewed at its best and bottled, so that you can enjoy its deliciousness anytime, anywhere.
Nature, time, and human effort. The tea leaves are grown with the blessings of these two things, and we want everyone to enjoy delicious tea.
It is these products, filled with the hopes and wishes of many people, that finally reach us, the consumers.

While I was speaking to them on the Tea Terrace that day, Tetsuro was working silently with a heavy machine into the furrows of the tea fields that could be seen from the terrace. The second and third harvests are not harvested, so the harvesting work has already ended, but both Yuko and Tetsuro agreed that the maintenance of the tea fields at each season throughout the year is essential to producing delicious tea.




On the day of our visit, vestiges of last season's tea grass farming methods were still visible in the rows of the tea fields.
Chagusaba farming is a traditional farming method in which, in the fall, when the heads of Japanese silver grass appear, Japanese silver grass and bamboo grass are harvested from the mountains and Chagusaba surrounding the tea plantations, dried, and then spread on the ridges of the tea fields before winter sets in. It is said that spreading this tea grass protects the tea plants from the cold and dryness of winter, and also brings organic nutrients to the soil, improving the taste and aroma of the tea.



When we visited, the summer heat was still intense, but we were told that tea grass will be spread in the tea fields again in the autumn.
Now, in the middle of winter, Tetsuro and Yuko are probably tending to the tea fields, waiting for spring.
The importance of change and the preciousness of protecting.
At the end of the trip, I felt like I had caught a glimpse of the true essence of tea making and craftsmanship.


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Tsuchiya Farm
[Address] 972 Mizukawa, Kawanehon-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture
[Business hours] 10:30-12:00, 13:30-16:00
[Closed days] None
[TEL] 0547-56-0752
[URL]https://www.tsuchiya-nouen.com/
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This is the last part of the journey to deepen Shizuoka tea, but I hope that you will also become familiar with tea in any form and in any place.
It was exactly 15 p.m.
"Shouldn't we have some tea now?"



Writer: Gohantsubu Labo Aoki Rika
Photo: Tsukasa Kozuka