Yohei
The Story
Located in the southern part of the prefecture, Wazuka produces approximately half of the Uji-cha tea leaves grown in Kyoto. These 800 year old tea fields have created a lifestyle including tea cultivation work, passed down from generation to generation since the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The fields were registered as the first Kyoto Scenic Asset. The topography and natural environment of Wazuka are ideal for tea production, and the efforts of the people who cultivate the tea here have created world-class Wazuka tea.
The history of the Tanaka family dates back to the late Edo period. The 3rd and 4th generation started making tea, with Yohei now the 7th generation head. He still follows the traditional techniques passed down from his predecessors, and the simple tenet that creating good tea is as important as ever. Nowadays, many places are focusing more on the space and other surrounding elements than on the taste of the tea, but he strongly believes the most important thing is to impress the drinker with the taste and aroma.
And in the spirit of most craftspeople, following tradition does allow for some innovation. As the tastes of drinkers become more and more diversified, Yohei feels it is important to express some individuality. One recent challenge is that he would like to make sencha that tastes like oolong tea.
He also get inspiration from the food he eats. For example, if he finds himself impressed by the flavor of smoked salmon, he wonders if he could bring that flavor to his tea. He has also been pondering whether he could experiment with tea like a perfume tester does. He tries out different things in order to discover a favorite flavor.
Nowadays, matcha is booming, and the number of farmers who only produce sencha is decreasing. As Wazuka has been a sencha producing area for centuries, Yohei wants to preserve the taste that has been passed down from his ancestors. And Tanaka’s business model is unique as well, since single origin tea made from a limited number of producers is quite rare.
As Tanaka’s tea is shipped to the market, they don’t have many opportunities to deliver directly to consumers. Yohei is grateful that they have able to create Premium Uji Sencha, that specializes in their tea leaves.
Yohei’s latest challenge is developing the next generation of human resources. As he grows older he needs people he can rely on. The involvement of young people will improve management skills and maintain Tanaka tea’s high quality.
The Tour
1) Introduction of Wazuka Town and tea by tea master
After an introduction of Wazuka Town by Mr. Tanaka, he will talk about the story and philosophy behind tea production. Wazuka’s tea fields are registered as Kyoto Prefecture’s Scenic Asset No. 1 and are highly regarded as a symbol of the history of Japanese tea. Mr. Tanaka has kept the traditional techniques handed down from his ancestors and maintains the simple belief that “the most important thing is just making good tea!”
2) Walking around the tea plantation and experiencing sencha green tea
You will be able to sample tea while learning from Mr. Tanaka about how to brew delicious tea and the characteristics of tea varieties and other particulars. You will learn how to brew tea and enjoy a higher grade of tea time.
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The Craft
Tanaka uses the color and aroma of young leaves that are full of nutrients and moisture to carry out the “steaming” and “rolling” processes of Sencha production. Their belief is that the finished tea should have a glossy finish. They use a production method similar to hand-rolling, checking the texture with their hands, and taking more than twice the usual time to complete the finish.
Yohei mixes the fertilizer himself, protecting the tea from frost when the new shoots start to appear. This requires daily care, all without knowing how that year’s tea will turn out until harvest time in May.
And how to enjoy the full flavor of Tanaka tea? For the first brew, the key is to cool the water to 70-80°C and pour in a small amount of water. Stop brewing when the tea leaves in the teapot are submerged, put the lid on and wait a bit. This will allow the leaves to slowly open up. When it’s the right time, pour a small amount into a teacup and enjoy the taste. For the second brew, raise the temperature of the water a little and increase the amount. This way one can enjoy the taste for the third and fourth brews without losing any flavor.
Selected works
