New Movement in Japanese Green Tea: SINGLE ORIGIN

Okutomi-en is a mid-sized farm that has a tea garden of3.1 ha in Sayama City, Saitama. They have been developing new business types with ambition. In 2006, they built a matcha factory that is equipped withthe first tencha-kiln in Kanto area.

‘Sayama-kaori’ was developed in 1971 by Saitama Tea Research Institute.  The flavor is strong in bitterness and astringency, but it tastes fresh. As it tastes like typical Japanese tea, ‘Sayamakaori’ is loved by those who drink Japanese tea habitually.

Mr. Masahiro Okutomi, the young owner of this tea farm, has actively entered Japanese tea competitions held overseas and he won the gold in matcha category at Ce Bon Rue Japon 2018, in France, and also he won the gold medal at Great Green Tea 2013 Competition in England.

‘Sayama-kaori’ goes very well not only with Japanese sweets, but it also goes well with cake and marron glace. As an after-meal beverage, it will enhance your satisfaction at your meal.

Masuoka-en owns a tea plantation of 3.1 hectares in kanekodai, Iruma City, Saitama. It went organic in1972 and was certified as an organic grower by passing JAS standards for organic vegetables in 2002. Masuoka-en is the only certified organic tea grower in Sayama.

The planter, Mr. Shinichi Masuoka, has been passionately researching organic growing method. His product, ‘Musashi-kaori’, an excellent organic tea which harmonizes citrus, fresh aroma with mild umami taste.

It won the gold medal at the organic tea category of C’est bon le Japon in 2018, a Japanese tea competition held in Paris.

‘Musashi-kaori’ is a brand raised by Saitama Tea Research Institute, and registered in 2001. As the cultivation field is not large enough for its popularity, you sometimes find it sold out if you visit this farm in late fall.

This tea tastes good as hot tea, but it also tastes good as cold tea because the leaves are roasted rather strongly.

Yokota-en has a tea garden of 2.3 hectares in Sayama City, Saitama. It produces and manufactures tea. As it was founded rather late, its factory, shop and the owner’s house are still new and the tea gardens are practically arranged.

The 6^th owner, Takahiro Yokota, is active in many ways. He puts a lot of effort to export his tea, has been cultivating with reduced amounts of agricultural chemicals for several years, and creates sweets using tea leaves.

‘Okuharuka’ is a new brand raised by Saitama Tea Research Institute in 2015. As ‘Okuharuka’ is deep and rich in umami taste and gives a sweet aroma like cherry leaves, it is very popular in Japan. The aroma like cherry leaves comes from the abundant coumarin.

In order to make the most of this cherry like aroma, it would be best to take it when you want to take a rest. If you drink it before your meal at a restaurant, you will be filled with something Japanese.

Ohnishi-en has a tea garden of around 3 hectares on Kanekodai-plateau in Iruma City, Saitama. The plateau is an ideal place for tea cultivation because of its abundant sunlight and well-drained soil. 

On the other hand, there is nothing on the plateau to prevent strong wind from blowing through, so it is not rare that tea trees are damaged by cold weather in early spring. In order to avoid such damages, there are a lot of fans installed to prevent frost. You won’t be able to find such a sight anywhere else but in Sayama tea plantation area.

‘Fuku-midori’ also represents Sayama tea.  It was raised by Saitama Tea Research Institute and registered in 2003. At Ohnishi-en, by withering tea leaves for a short while, they bring out citrus aroma just like grapefruit from leaves and produce tea with plenty of flesh  taste.

It is a good idea to drink this tea when you feel like taking a rest. If you drink it after your meal, you will have more satisfaction with the meal.

Shimizu-en is one of the old tea farms that  started cultivating tea in the middle of Edo Period.  It has a tea garden of 3.4 hectares in Fujisawa, Iruma City, Saitama. Shimizu-en, which has been working the land for a long time, sticks to the good old method of tea production, that is, picking tea leaves by hand.  At the prime time, they employ about 30 people to pick the leaves.

The 18^th owner, Mr. Tomoya Shimizu, is a hard worker. He makes tea bags while cultivating and manufacturing tea.

‘Yume-wakaba’ is a new brand raised by Saitama Tea Research Institute in 2006. This tea has the advantage of a floral aroma and a clear umami taste. As Shimizu-en’s ‘Yume-wakaba’ is withered for one to two hours, its aroma is even more highlighted.

It is recommended to take this tea when you want to be relaxed or to serve this after a meal at a restaurant.

Hiraoka-en has a plantation of about 3.3 hectares in Shimotomi, Tokorozawa City, Saitama. This area was developed by Kawagoe-han(local government) to make new vesitable fields in the beginning of Edo Period(1694～). Even now you can find things that will recall Edo Period: the farmland is divided in long rectangles; unique formation of the space composed of a thicket, cultivated land, residential site, and a grove. This area was registered as a historical heritage of Japanese agriculture in 2017.

‘Hokumei’ is cultivated in this historic plantation. It is a brand developed by Saitama Tea Research Institute in 1992. It has an aroma of young leaves. Its sweetness harmonizes with its astringency. The pale green color of the infused tea will give you fresh impression.

The next generation owner Mr. Tadahito Hiraoka is passionate about making wakoucha(Japanese black tea). This year he made a novel wakoucha that smells and tastes slightly like caramel, using eaves eaten by vermin. ‘Hokumei’ goes well with sweets such as chocolate, cake, and Japanese-style confection. Sweetness and astringency will enhance each other.

In Negishi, one corner of Kaneko plateau in Iruma City, Saitama, Nakashima-en is located. It is one of the pioneering tea farms that started to produce tea at the end of Edo Era.  Now, the 16^th owner, Mr. Katsunori  Nakashima, cultivates and produces tea with passion.  In 2009, he was given the Prize from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the National Tea Exhibition.

‘Toyoka’ is an old brand developed by Saitama Tea Research Institute. Although it was developed to be used for highest quality tea (gyokuro), this brand is disappearing, because gyokuro was not produced so much in Sayama. You can call this tea a brand that is in danger of extinction.  Nakashima-en is cultivating such a brand with love.

As you can tell from the fact that ‘Toyoka’ was first produced for use n gyokuro, Toyoka is rich in umami taste and deep in astringency. The merits of this tea is: the brewed tea is beautiful green: its aroma smells like raw vegetation.  You can take this as hot tea after meals or as afternoon tea. It is also nice to enjoy the fresh aroma by drinking this as cold tea.

Ohnishi-en was founded 250 years ago. It has a long tradition starting in Edo Period. The tea garden is located in Kanekodai, Iruma City, Saitama and has an area of

around 3.0 hectares.

‘Gokou’ is an old brand developed by Kyoto Tea Research Institute in1953. It is mainly used for gyokuro  or Matcha, but Ohnishi-en process its leaves to make sencha  Single Origin Tea’. It is characterized by its rich umami  taste and sweetness like milk.

You will feel satisfied if you take this tea when you want  to take a rest or after meals.

Atsushi Nakashima, the owner of Ohnishi-en, is a young master of hand-rolling of tea leaves. He has  been awarded the best hand-roller in Japan seven  times so far(as of 2019). He is a representative tea　

producer of Sayama tea.