埼玉県
Sayama
狭山
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.
Altitude
50–200m
Latitude
35.85°N
Climate
Inland climate of the Kanto Plain. Winters bring dry, cold north winds (karakkaze) and harsh cold. These severe winters produce thick tea leaves that give Sayama tea its distinctive body and depth. Average annual temperature is around 14°C with approximately 1,400mm of annual rainfall. This region is near the northern economic limit of tea cultivation in Japan.
Soil
Volcanic ash soils of the Kanto loam layer. Well-drained and slightly acidic, suitable for tea cultivation. Features the deep soil structure characteristic of the Musashino Plateau.