Kakurecha of Umegashima

In order to pass on to the next generation the high aromatic tea of Umegashima, Shizuoka, and the unparalleled tea farm landscape of the peaks leading to the Southern Alps, ” The Association for protecting Kakurecha Tea” is working to develop and sell tea, edible lactic acid fermented tea, and to revitalize the region through green tourism.

Umegashima is known for its hot springs, tea, and wasabi (Japanese horseradish).

The area has long been known as one of the most delicious tea growing areas in Shizuoka, but because of the high altitude, the tea is harvested after the first tea of the season ‘88th night’, so the value is reduced and is used for blending by tea merchants so far.

Afterall, only a few “single-origin Umegashima teas” are sold in the market. Although tea cultivation without the use of any pesticides or herbicides requires a lot of hard work, the income is not commensurate with the hard work, and successors are not being raised.

We want our customers to drink safe and tasty tea that is produced by the visible tea farmers. The tea farmers can be financially self-sufficient through their tea business and continue to make delicious tea in Umegashima. With these hopes in mind, we produced the brand “Kakurecha Tea” in 2009, with the aim of creating a system that would connect tea farmers and consumers, increase tea farmers’ income, and enable them to focus on making delicious tea and continue their tea farming.

By drinking “Kakurecha Tea”, eating lactic acid fermented “Edible fermented Horoni®,” participating in tea farm restoration activities, and participating in tea tours, you are indirectly helping to pass on the tea industry and tea farm landscape in Umegashima to the next generation.

We hope you will become a fan of Umegashima and Umegashima tea and help the community together.

Masako Saito, Representative of the Association of Protecting Kakurecha Tea