Thanks to years of research and breeding, Japan's black tea is now in an era where delicious tea leaves are produced all over the country.
When you think of black tea, you probably think of Western tea.
However, did you know that in recent years, the high quality of Japanese black tea has been attracting attention from around the world?
Japan is known as a manufacturing powerhouse, and black tea is no exception.
This time, we have summarized the appeal of Japanese black tea from various perspectives.
Japanese black tea has a 150-year history
The history of Japanese black tea is said to have begun in the early Meiji period.
The oldest record is the "Book of Tea Recipes" issued in 1874, which encouraged the production of black tea for export in order to acquire foreign currency. In 1877, the Indian method of black tea production was tried for the first time in Kochi Prefecture, and about 3 tons of black tea was exported to the UK and other countries.
In 1931, the first Assam tea was successfully cultivated in Japan in Makurazaki City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Following the liberalization of black tea imports in 1971, Japanese black tea saw a period of significant decline, but production began to increase again in the late 1990s due to the popularity of the black tea variety "Benifuki." Japanese black tea began to be produced using unique varieties and manufacturing methods all over the country.
Japanese black tea is grown all over the country.
Shizuoka Prefecture has the overwhelming majority of the domestic market share for Japanese black tea. Kagoshima Prefecture and Saitama Prefecture follow, and many areas famous for producing green tea are also focusing on producing Japanese black tea. In addition, a survey conducted by the Local Black Tea Society in 2023 revealed that "Japanese black tea is produced in all 47 prefectures across Japan."
Many farmers seem to grow black tea alongside green tea, but some specialize in black tea and have tea leaves available throughout the year. Nowadays, Japanese black tea that makes the most of the characteristics of each region is produced, and can be easily purchased in stores, antenna shops, and online.
Source: National Tea Summit Committee
Easy to drink even straight
Western black tea has a strong flavor, so it is common overseas to add sugar, lemon, milk, etc. to black tea. In the past, it was common not only in Europe and the United States but also in Asian countries to add a lot of gum syrup to iced tea.
However, nowadays, the number of people who prefer unsweetened tea is increasing due to health consciousness, and more people are drinking it straight without adding anything. In response to this, interest in Japanese black tea, which is "mild and easy to drink," is said to be on the rise.
While overseas black tea has a strong aroma and rich flavor that is brought about by the cultivation environment of the producing area, Japanese black tea is characterized by a refreshing taste with less astringency. It is easy to drink not only with sweets but also with meals, which is an advantage that makes it widely accepted by people who prefer unsweetened tea.
The day Japanese black tea was recognized by the world
Source: UK Tea Academy
The high quality of Japanese black tea is highly praised overseas as well.
A Japanese black tea produced in Kumamoto Prefecture won the top prize at the tea competition "THE LEAFIES" held in the UK in October 2022.
Approximately 300 varieties of tea leaves from all over the world are gathered at this competition. The top prize, selected from the winners in each category, is a great honor as it represents the title of "the best tea in the world."
In addition to these, tea farms that grow Japanese black tea in Japan have won awards in various categories. At the following year's "THE LEAFIES" in 2023, Sayama Technical High School (Saitama Prefecture) was awarded a special prize (Future of Tea) in recognition of its black tea production.
A promising future for Japanese black tea
Just like domestically produced wine and whiskey, the quality of domestically produced Japanese black tea is being recognized both at home and abroad after a long period of hard work. The number of cafes and coffee shops that sell Japanese black tea is also increasing, and we can fully expect the culture of enjoying tea to spread, especially among the younger generation. Owariasahi City, Aichi Prefecture, which has been certified as the city with the highest number of "delicious black tea shops" per capita in Japan, holds events such as the "Domestic Black Tea Grand Prix" every year to determine the best black tea in Japan. Japanese black tea also contributes greatly to the revitalization of the region. With demand expected to expand both at home and abroad, the potential of Japanese black tea is likely to continue to expand in the future.
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