Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market has hold the initial trade of the first flush in 2019 on the last friday, 19th April. In the ceremony of initial trade, Mr. Uchida, the President & CEO of the market said that “the initial trade of first flush at the end of “Heisei Era” has started”.

As reported by many broadcasts, for example CNN, the name of next national era is “Reiwa”, which would mean elegantly peaceful and harmonized. The president represented the wish of all tea businesses, the first flush of Shizuoka tea could enhance the new era of elegant peace and harmony.

The transaction was heated. Tea merchants check the quality of crude teas strictly.

Many broadcasts payed their attentions to the transaction.

In this year, the hand-rolled crude tea produced by the tea farmers’ association of JA-Fujinomiya won the highest price, 1,390,000 yen/kg. Such kind of too high price is often set at the initial trade, because tea merchants would like to encourage tea farmers based on their hope of the more sophistication of tea farmers.

Tea farmers and technical adviser of JA checked the most valued tea to learn the quality.

The Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market sold a Sencha of first flush of Saemidori cultivar as their brand.

 The fresh aroma specific to the early firs flush delights me!

Like the flowers of plum tree blooming proudly in spring after cold winter, rhymed in Manyoshu poems, tea shoots of first flush are vividly growing in the United Tea Estates of Shizuoka. Tea farmers produce profound crude teas and get them on the Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market. I hope the finest crude teas would be supplied to various tea businesses through the Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market and various people can enjoy Shizuoka teas in the new Era.