Kagoshima

Kagoshima is located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island and is one of the southernmost prefectures of Japan. It has an almost subtropical climate and volcanic, rich soil. There are several active volcanoes in Kagoshima, the most famous of which is Sakurajima. Kagoshima is the second largest producer of tea in Japan. (After Shizuoka)

The first tea cultivation in Kagoshima is said to have taken place in the Edo period (1603-1868), but the real boom didn't come until after World War II - around 1965.

After a brief and not very famous episode of black tea production, Kagoshima moved on in 1971 and the green tea era began, which continues to this day.

The tea harvest in Kagoshima, as in the first place in all of Japan, begins around the beginning of April. The vast majority (99.6%) of tea is grown on the plains, which is why modern harvesting machines (the iconic red harvesters) are popular here. Currently, 97.5% of the tea fields are harvested using these machines and trials are underway for automated drones that could harvest the tea themselves. Due to the favourable climate, it is possible to harvest tea up to five times a year in Kagoshima. However, we only offer teas from the first best harvest.

In Kagoshima, Yabukita is the most commonly grown cultivar (32%), followed by Yutaka Midori (27%) and Saemidori (13.1%).

Almost half of Kagoshima's tea is produced in Minami Kyushu, which is sold under the nationally recognised Chiran tea brand. Other major tea-producing areas include Shibushi, Kirishima and Makurazaki.