Japan's black tea production is around 250 tons per year, which is less than 1% of the world's total. Black tea can be made from the same tree as green tea, and Japanese people drink black tea on a daily basis. However, most of the tea consumed in Japan is imported. Why is domestically produced "Japanese black tea" so unpopular? We will speculate from various angles.
Japan is almost at the northern end of the "Tea Belt"
All countries that produce black tea in large quantities are located in the area known as the "tea belt," which lies between 45 degrees north and 35 degrees south latitude. The area is on either side of the equator, and has ideal conditions for cultivating black tea, such as warm temperatures and high rainfall throughout the year.
If you look at the map, you can see that Japan is also within the tea belt, so it is possible to grow black tea, but it is located at the northern end. In contrast, the major tea producing countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya all have land areas close to the equator, which is the center of the tea belt.
Harsh cultivation conditions common to all global varieties
What all brand tea leaves grown in world-famous producing regions have in common is that they are all grown in "harsh environments for the tea leaves."
The Darjeeling region (India), where Darjeeling, one of the world's three major black teas, is cultivated and harvested, is located at the foot of the Eastern Himalayas, with an average altitude of about 2,100 meters. The large temperature difference between morning and evening and the fog peculiar to this region produce high-quality black tea leaves.
The Uva region in southeastern Sri Lanka has similar climate conditions to Darjeeling, and the Uva tea grown there is considered one of the world's top three teas.
The Assam plains in northeastern India, known as "Assam," are one of the rainiest regions in the world. This area is also located at the foot of the Himalayas, and its hot, humid climate and fertile soil give the tea leaves a rich flavor.
There is a reason why a cup of tea tastes good.
National preference for "coffee over tea"
I don't dislike tea, but I still prefer coffee.
It can be said that such Japanese preferences are also related to the degree of its popularity.
In 2020, LINE conducted a survey titled "Coffee or Tea?" targeting men and women aged 15 to 59, and the results showed that "70% prefer coffee and 30% prefer tea."
According to a survey conducted by Morinaga Milk Industry in various countries in 2015, the percentage of people who drink tea in the morning in Japan is only 5.5%, which is one-sixth of the percentage in India (34.5%).
Green tea was once the predominant beverage of choice for Japanese people, but changes in diet and lifestyle have expanded the range of choices available.
Among them, coffee has become firmly established as a drink not only at home but also at work. This is probably due in large part to the increased convenience of canned drinks and instant coffee, as well as the impact of several American coffee chains arriving in Japan.
Is "Wakocha" still not very familiar to most people?
Although not as good as Darjeeling or Uva, there are several regions that are suitable for black tea cultivation. Japan, which ranks around 10th in the world in terms of total tea production, also has a long history of black tea cultivation, and "Japanese black tea" with a taste unique to this country is produced in various regions. Although it may be some time before it is recognized and popularized domestically, the quality and reliability of "Made in Japan" black tea is already attracting attention from around the world.
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