Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Research Center provided us with various experience programs in its 110th Anniversary event as follows.
1. Talk show “Charm of Tea” by Brekell Oscar and Tokumasu Nile
The two celebrities talked about “Charm of Tea” as the Japanese Tea Instructor.
Brekell said Japanese tea has a rich aroma of nature which let him feel like being in a forest. That is the charm of Japanese tea for him.
Ms. Tokumasu loves the whole process to enjoy Japanese tea from preparing tea leaves to taste tea. Especially she delights in seeing tea leaves unfurling in Kyusu tea pot.
As for the favorite cultivar, Brekell said he likes aromatic cultivars like Koshun, but the best one is ‘Yabukita’ for daily use. The charm of ‘Yabukita’ is its terroir, he said, and a wide variety of flavor can be expressed by ‘Yabukita’ cultivar from the west to the east of Shizuoka prefecture.
The charm of Japanese tea attracts various people globally. Many people ask “How we can be certified as Japanese tea instructor?” to Brekell. Unfortunately the examination of Japanese tea instructor is carried out in only Japanese, so those who would like to be Japanese tea instructor have to learn Japanese language at first. On the other hand, the Japanese tea instructors in Japan would like to share the charm of Japanese tea with more people worldwide. In order to satisfy these demands at the beginning, Brekell wrote “The Book Of Japanese Tea by Per Oscar Brekell” which is written bilingually in both Japanese and English. In addition, he hopes the certification examination of Japanese Tea Instructor could be opened worldwide in multilingual. At the end of talk show, Nile recommended the participants to share the charm of Japanese tea worldwide.
2. Exhibition of Aromatic Sencha
As posted before, the Shizuoka prefecture encourages and promote tea farmers to sophisticate their skill producing teas more aromatically. For the purpose to promote the Aromatic Sencha production, Shizuoka prefecture organized “100 brands association of specialty teas in tea estates of Shizuoka” with various tea businesses such as tea farmers, tea merchants, tea processors, JA groups, companies of tea machinery and of course the Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Research Center. The association has conducted various actions, such as meetings, conferences, competitions and business matching. These efforts of the association have gradually fulfilled as shown in tea products newly developed by tea farmers and JA groups.
Katsumata Pioneer Tea Production Cooperative has launched its original brand of Aromatic Sencha “Hanakokoro”, which means “The Sense of Flower”. The Aromatic Sencha has floral fragrance and interesting duality! The member of the cooperative served two types of infusion, cold-brewed one and hot brewed one. The cold-brewed one has rich aroma like flower and slightly oily texture. The hot one has rich umami with floral finish. This Aromatic Sencha “Hanakokoro” can express the dual flavors by changing the brewing temperature!!
Due to the uniqueness and excellent feature, “Hanakokoro” was elected as the frontier prize in World Green Tea Contest 2018.
JA Ooigawa has developed their original brand of Aromatic Sencha “Sohei”. Tea farmers in Kanaya region produced this Aromatic Sencha. I could enjoy floral note by sipping the infusion!
The association provided a tea tasting quiz. The booth prepared 5 types of Sencha and Aromatic Sencha in the United Tea Estates of Shizuoka.
The booth for tea tasting quiz of 100 brands association.
Various specialty teas on the map of the United Tea Estates of Shizuoka.
An example of 100 brands specialty tea. “Sakurakaori” produced by Mr. Mochizuki using ‘Shizu7132’ cultivar in Tawaramine region in Honyama tea estate.
“Akeno no Shizuku” produced by Marumasu Suzuki-en using ‘Sakimidori’ and ‘Saemidori’ cultivars in Numazu tea estate.
3. Serving various tea cultivars
Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Research Center has been breeding tea cultivars since its establishment. For example, ‘Tsuyuhikari’ is popular for its brilliant green color of infusion and unique fragrance like cherry leaves, ‘Koshun’ has been gaining its popularity due to its higher aroma content, ‘Kanayamidori’ is known for its cream sweet aroma, etc.
The research center served infusions of ‘Tsuyuhikari’ and 2 cultivars relatively newly developed, ‘Yumesuruga’ and ’Shizukaori’.
‘Yumesuruga’ has rich umami and mild texture with soft finish. This cultivar has been bred to exceed ‘Yabukita’. As a result, ‘Yumesuruga’ has both of rich flavor like ‘Yabukita’ and higher yield than ‘Yabukita’.
‘Shizukaori’ is sufficiently aromatic even if it is processed in the manner for normal Sencha. I could feel a herbal note from the infusion of ‘Shizukaori’ Sencha.
4. Experience of Oil Extraction from tea seeds
Some tea farmers exhibited the oil extraction of tea seeds as shown in the picture below.
Children enjoy the experience and adults also impressed with the rare work.
5. Exhibition of tea machines newly developed
The research center exhibited the machine for promoting aroma generation, which can adjust the temperature and humidity in the container of raw tea shoots to control withering. The machine consists of mainly 3 parts. The first one is a rotating drum for stirring tea shoots to give pressure on the leaves. The second one is transport unit consisting of conveyors and lifts. And third one is containers to strage tea shoots with desirable temperature and humidity for withering and maceration.
6. Shizuoka Teas Bar by Shizuoka Tea Merchants Association
Shizuoka Teas Bar was demonstrated by Shizuoka Tea Merchants Association. The association gathers specialty green teas produced in all tea estates in Shizuoka prefecture. And the staff served each tea as we like.
In addition, they served cold green tea so-called “Rei-Cha” in Japanese.
7. Exhibition related to ‘Yabukita’ cultivar
110 years ago, Sugiyama Hikosaburo bred ‘Yabukita’ cultivar, the king tea variety perfect for Japanese Sencha. Now, the original tea plants of ‘Yabukita’ cultivar and some other varieties bred by him are preserved around his old residence and laboratory locating on Kusanagi region in Shizuoka city.
The old drawing of old residence and surrounding tea bushes of the tea breeder Sugiyama Hikosaburo.
The shoots of his cultivars were exhibited.
Some names of his varieties are derived from the location from his old residence or main tea farm. For example, ‘Yabukita’ means “the north region of tea bushes”, ‘Koyanishi’ means “the west from the residence” etc.
8. Exhibition of Specialty Teas Prized in the World Green Tea Contest
The World Green Tea Contest has been hold since 2007 to promote the sophistication of green tea production internationally. China, Taiwan and Japan regularly apply the specialty green teas to this contest.
In the 110th anniversary event of Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Research Center, the research center exhibited the green teas winning the prizes in the World Green Tea Contest 2018.
The message tea bag was the most impressive for me. This unique product is made by Wacha Club, the retail company founded and managed by Kanes Tea Company.
Kanei Hitokoto Seicha, the long-established tea company since 1865, has launched a set of 3 cultivars Sencha produced by Kanetou Miura-en. The 3 cultivars are ‘Tsuyuhikari’, ‘Asatsuyu’ and ‘Saemidori’.
“Aged Gyokuro”, produced by Homme Asakichi Shoten, was also very impressive for me. It contains 3 Gyokuros produced in this year, last year and 2 years ago. The most aged one has the most rich and full-bodied flavor, while the youngest one has fresh flavor with rich umami, described on the package.
We could meet the keen products produced by Chinese tea companies, such as Pin Pin Xiang Tea, Geow Young Tea Hong etc.
“Impressions of Four Seasons in Taiwan” looked like very fancy. It contains Jin Xuan Tea and 3 oolong teas, including “Oriental Beauty”.
