The Tea Treasures of Shizuoka
Shizuoka is renowned as the leading producer of tea, contributing around 40% of the nation’s tea production. Highly prized for its exceptional quality, captivating aroma, and rich flavor, Shizuoka’s tea has won the hearts of many. Alongside sencha and matcha, the region offers various other tea varieties, including Japanese black tea and roasted green tea.
The prominence of Shizuoka’s tea can be attributed to historical and climatic factors. During the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu, a tea enthusiast, constructed Sunpu Castle and established “Ochamachi,” a town of tea merchants nearby. He designated the tea from Ashikubo Village (now Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City) as “Honyama-cha,” elevating Shizuoka’s tea to national recognition.
Shizuoka benefits from abundant natural resources, like Mount Fuji and Suruga Bay. The pristine streams from Mount Fuji and the sea breeze from Suruga Bay create an ideal environment for tea cultivation. The tea farmers and merchants in Shizuoka combine traditional and modern techniques, ensuring the continued enhancement of tea production quality.
The image depicts a tea plantation under the management of Arai En Honten.
