2015/04/18

Talking to Mother Natrure - Mr Iwata in Tsukigase -

I visited a tea field at Tsukigase in Nara where tea has long been grown. The total amount of tea produced in Tsukigase accounts for 2.5 % of that in Japan. Yes, not that much. In addition, since it is close to Uji, which is one of the famous Japanese tea areas, their tea has been blended and sold as Uji tea. So maybe it is not widely known as a tea area yet. 

The young tea farmer, Mr Iwata, has seven-hectare field in total there. But not only one. 33 fields are scattered at Tsukigase. Even in the same town, all the fields have their own characters. Soil is different, and the slope is different….He also grows wide varieties of tea, and uses different ways of taking care of. That’s amazing! 



Many are different, but his belief is one, “living with nature”. He sticks to “organic farming” and “natural farming” to grow tea, which is like gradually steeping in your body. He says that he wants to make good use of its "terroir" and grow tea only to be produced in Tsukigase . He learns the area’s history, and listens to weather, and talks to tea. And he lives now while looking to the future of the area and tea. 


His Wakocha (black tea). He produces green tea too.


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