Tea produced in Miyazaki prefecture is called Miyazakicha.
The production quantity of Aracha (Unrefined tea) in Miyazaki, famous for tea production, is the 4th place and the garden areas is the 6th in Japan. Tea is produced in the whole prefecture including major areas like Takachiho, Gokase, Miyakonojo, Kushima, and Kawaminami.
Sencha and Mushi-tamaryokucha are produced a lot. Tencha is also produced in some areas and Kamairicha produced in the northwest mountainous area is the top of the production quantity in Japan. Organic tea is exported enthusiastically due to the higher attention to Japanese tea in the world.
Miyazaki cha having characters of greenish and fresh flavor and strong taste has a reputation for quality.
Excellent environment for cultivation of tasty tea
Miyazaki prefecture has the symbol of “the sun and the green” and it has suitable conditions for tea cultivation.
- High annual average temperatures (around 17 degrees)
- Soil to keep moisture due to the ideal precipitation
- Fertile soil to supply nourishment
- Shorter sunlight hours due to mountainous terrain
- Fogged up often due to mountains
You may think it disadvantage for tea cultivation to have shorter sunlight hours but this is an important condition to bring out sweetness and umami. There are mountainous regions like Kyushu mountains and Mt. Kirishima in the west of the prefecture and this is ideal environments for tea cultivation.
Started the history of Miyazakicha around 1600
Kamairicha has been produced in Miyazaki prefecture since early times. A record says that the history of it has started around 1600 and it is believed that it came from Korea via Kumamoto.
Ikeda Teiki, a retinue in Miyakonojo Shimazu, learned the tea manufactures in Uji Yamashiro in Kyoto and spread it in his hometown in 1751. It is said that he offered tea to the emperor Momozono at the time in 1757 based on the manufacture process of Sencha he had learned during the time.
Rare Kamairicha from Miyazaki in Japan
There are a few tea gardens where Kamairicha is produced even in Japan that has many tea producing areas.
It is rare value tea that does’t reach even 1% of the total green tea production in Japan.
Kamairicha is tea manufactured by firing tea leaves with high temperature on a big pan, rolling to balance the moisture in stems and leaves, and shaping curled. Its characters are fresh pan parched flavor, transparent golden liquor color and refreshing taste.
Main cultivars in Miyazakicha
The types of Japanese tea produced in Miyazaki prefecture are mostly Sencha and Bancha and that occupies over 90% of the total production.
On the other hand, Kamairicha that is the top of the production quantity in Japan occupies only 3% of the total production. This shows that how rare Kamairicha from Miyazaki prefecture is.
Main cultivars in Miyazakicha
Haruto 34 Kirari 31 Danshin 37 Harunonagori