I visited a tea
field at Tsukigase in Nara where tea has long been grown. The total amount of
tea produced in Tsukigase accounts for 2.5 % of that in Japan. Yes, not that
much. In addition, since it is close to Uji, which is one of the famous
Japanese tea areas, their tea has been blended and sold as Uji tea. So maybe it
is not widely known as a tea area yet.
The young tea farmer, Mr Iwata, has seven-hectare field in total there. But not only one. 33 fields are scattered at
Tsukigase. Even in the same town, all the fields have their own characters. Soil
is different, and the slope is different….He also grows wide varieties of tea, and
uses different ways of taking care of. That’s amazing!
Many are different, but his belief is one, “living with nature”. He sticks to “organic farming”
and “natural farming” to grow tea, which is like gradually steeping in your
body. He says that he wants to make good use of its "terroir" and grow tea only to be produced in Tsukigase . He learns the area’s history, and listens
to weather, and talks to tea. And he lives now while looking to the future of the
area and tea.
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| His Wakocha (black tea). He produces green tea too. |
