Tea Regions

30,000t / year

Shizuoka Prefecture is Japan's largest tea-producing region, accounting for approximately 40% of national production. Tea cultivation here is said to have begun in the Kamakura period when the monk Shoichi Kokushi brought tea seeds from Song Dynasty China and planted them in Ashikubo. Vast tea plantations spread across the Makinohara Plateau and beyond, producing a diverse range of teas centered on sencha, including deep-steamed sencha and hojicha. The region is also known as the birthplace of the Yabukita cultivar and has led innovation in Japanese tea production techniques.

24,000t / year

Kagoshima Prefecture is Japan's second-largest tea-producing region and has rapidly increased its production volume in recent years. Its warm climate enables the earliest 'first flush' new tea shipments in the country. Expansive tea gardens spread across areas such as Chiran, Ei, and Shibushi, with large-scale mechanized production well established. Deep-steamed tea made primarily from the Yutakamidori cultivar is the mainstay, characterized by its rich green color and sweet flavor profile.

Uji is a prestigious tea-producing region with over 800 years of history, regarded as the pinnacle of Japanese tea. Tea cultivation began here in the Kamakura period when the monk Myoe brought seeds from Toganoo. During the Muromachi period, 'Uji-cha' was established as the tea of choice for the Shogunate, and the region developed shade-growing techniques for gyokuro and matcha production. Today, Uji continues to be the cultural heart of Japanese tea, producing award-winning gyokuro and matcha of the highest quality.

Yame is one of Japan's premier premium tea-producing regions, having won the highest awards numerous times in the gyokuro category at national tea competitions. Tea cultivation is said to have begun here when a monk returning from Ming Dynasty China introduced tea growing during the Muromachi period. Traditional shade-growing methods are preserved in the misty mountain areas along the Yabe River valley. Yame gyokuro is treasured as a top-tier tea for its rich umami, sweetness, and distinctive shaded aroma. In recent years, the region has also expanded matcha production.

Sayama tea is the representative tea of the Kanto region, celebrated in a traditional tea-picking song: 'Shizuoka for color, Uji for aroma, but Sayama clinches it with taste.' Tea cultivation is said to have begun here in the Kamakura period by monks at Jikoji Temple. Located near the northern limit of commercial tea production in Japan, the thick leaves grown in the cold climate are finished with a distinctive strong roasting technique called 'Sayama-bi' (Sayama fire), producing a uniquely sweet and aromatic flavor.

Tenryu tea is a mountain tea produced in the mountainous areas centered on the Tenryu ward of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Tea gardens on steep mountain slopes along the headwaters of the Tenryu River practice highland cultivation at altitudes of 200-800m. Dense morning and evening mist, clean air, and mineral-rich mountain spring water nurture delicate tea leaves with a refreshing character. The terrain makes large-scale mechanization difficult, resulting in many hand-picked, small-batch premium teas. This lesser-known tea region is cherished by connoisseurs.

Honzan tea is produced in the upper Abe and Warashina River basins in northern Shizuoka City, considered the birthplace of Shizuoka tea. During the Kamakura period, the monk Shoichi Kokushi is said to have planted tea seeds brought from Song Dynasty China in Ashikubo, marking the origin of Shizuoka tea. This area is known as the 'root of Shizuoka tea.' It is also said that Tokugawa Ieyasu favored this tea during his retirement at Sunpu Castle. Leaves grown in the cool mountain climate are characterized by their elegant aroma and refreshing astringency, earning high regard as the quintessential 'mountain tea.'

Chiran tea is a renowned deep-steamed tea produced in Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture (formerly the towns of Chiran, Ei, and Kawanabe). Leveraging the warm climate of southern Satsuma and the volcanic Shirasu plateau, it is known for shipping new tea earlier than anywhere else in Japan. Chiran tea, primarily made from the Yutakamidori cultivar using deep-steaming methods, features a vivid green liquor and mellow sweetness. Quality has improved remarkably in recent years, with increasing awards at national tea competitions. The municipality boasts the highest tea production volume of any single municipality in Japan.

The Makinohara Plateau is one of Japan's largest tea-producing areas by cultivated acreage. It has a unique history of having been pioneered by former Tokugawa retainers in the early Meiji period. The vast, flat plateau enables large-scale mechanized cultivation. As a center for mass production of the Yabukita cultivar and considered one of the birthplaces of the deep-steaming technique, the orderly rows of tea fields stretching across the plateau are an iconic Shizuoka landscape. Makinohara continues to serve as a cornerstone production area supporting Japan's tea industry.