Eisai was called “father of tea”. However, Eisai was not the first person to bring tea into Japan. So why is Eisai called “father of tea”? I will explain the reason through the relationship between “Zen” and “tea”.

About Eisai

Eisai (1141-1215) started studying the teachings of the Tendai sect as a teenager and visited China twice to study it more deeply.

After returning to Japan, Eisai became the founder of the Rinzai sect in Japan.

Eisai had been exposed to the wonders of tea in China and brought back the seeds to Japan.

He propagated the Rinzai sect and at the same time spread tea cultivation methods and the culture associated with tea.

While being persecuted by the Tendai sect, he endeavored to propagate the Rinzai sect and wrote books such as Kozen Gokoku-ron and Ichidai Kyoron Shaku.

Achievement of Eisai, the Father of tea

In this chapter, I will introduce how Zen monk Eisai was involved in tea.

Bringing tea culture to Japan and spreading it

Tea had been brought to Japan since before Eisai was born. So why is Eisai called Japan's “Father of the”?

That's because Eisai brought the tea culture to Japan for the first time.

By the way, the tea brought in by Eisai at that time was Tencha (matcha before grinding), which was popular in China.

The method of making and drinking tea was introduced to Japan, and Tencha became a substitute for Heicha, which had been drunk before, and became the basis of green tea culture.

In China, however, Tencha was later obsolete due to the change of power.

Furthermore, Eisai brought back with him the ”Sarei (ritual)” of the Zen sect of drinking tea. It is to drink tea prepared in a kettle several times a day between practices or at bedtime. It means to practice with one mind.

In a larger event, all participants gathered together to share a kettle of tea. This Sarei would lead to the tea ceremony later.

Trigger the full-scale cultivation of tea

Eisai created the opportunity to create an authentic tea garden. Eisai brought back knowledge about tea seeds and tea cultivation when he returned from China and promoted tea cultivation in temples.

This is because the awakening effect of tea was very effective in the strict ascetic practices of the Zen sect.

The seeds and knowledge of tea spread in this way were passed on to Myoe Shonin in Togano, Kyoto, and it developed into an authentic tea garden.

The tea from this tea garden was so popular that Togano’s tea was called “honcha (real tea)”, while the tea from other regions was called “hicha (not real tea)”.

Spread the Rinzai sect in Japan

Eisai spread the Zen Buddhism, Rinzai Sect as well as tea cultivation and culture. Tea and Zen were closely linked, and the philosophy of Zen had a great influence on the person who made the history of tea.

The relationship between the tea masters and Zen monks of the Rinzai sect, such as MURATA Juko and IKKYU Sojun, TAKENO Jouo and DAIRIN Soto, and SHOREI Sokin and SEN-no-Rikyu, has become an essential part of the history of the tea ceremony.

Wrote KissaYojoki, the first book specialized in tea in Japan

Eisai wrote Kissa Yojoki (Drinking Tea for Health care) to promote tea.

This book, consisting of two volumes, was the first specialized book on tea in Japan, and it describes not only the medical effects of tea learned in China, but also the tea cultivation in detail.

According to the history book Azuma Kagami, Eisai presented Kissa Yojoki to the third shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, MINAMOTO no Sanetomo, with tea when he was suffering from a hangover.

Tea culture from the Heian to the Kamakura period

During the Heian period, tea was used in religious events and ceremonies in the Imperial Court.

Tea was a special drink and medicine that only monks and aristocrats could drink.

After that, it gradually changed to something to “enjoy” drinking at waka and renga (Japanese poetry) recitations.

In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), tea ceremony rituals called “Sarei”, which Eisai brought back from China, began to be held in Zen temples.

On the other hand, drinking tea became popular among the samurai class as a social tool.

The “Cha-yoriai”, gathering to drink tea began to take place, and in the late Kamakura period, “Tocha” the game of guessing the place of origin by drinking tea, became popular. However, gambling took place at the same time as Tocha, and it became so radical that the Shogunate finally banned Tocha.

Eisai is not the first person to bring tea back to Japan. However, Eisai brought Zen and tea that he had learned in China back to Japan and spread them throughout the country, leading them to combine and develop into the present Chanoyu. This is why Eisai is called the “Father of tea”.

SEN-no-Rikyu was a charismatic master of tea ceremony in the Sengoku period.

What did Rikyu pursue throughout his life, and how did he live his life? I will explain the life of a charismatic man.

Life of SEN-no-Rikyu

SEN-no-Rikyu (1522-1591) was born to a wealthy merchant family in Sakai, Osaka.

Sakai at that time was a town that prospered through trade and was controlled by merchants.

Rikyu began learning tea ceremony at the age of 17 and studied under TAKENO Jouo.

As a merchant, he devoted himself to his family business and made a fortune, while pursuing the art of Chanoyu, he studied Zen under SHOREI Sokin.

When Rikyu was 50 years old, ODA Nobunaga focused on Sakai's wealth and made it his direct domain, employing Rikyu and two others as tea masters.

After Nobunaga’s death, he served TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, and he presented tea to Emperor Ogimachi, at the “Court Tea Ceremony” commemorating Hideyoshi's inauguration to Kanpaku.

He was granted “Rikyu Kojigo (a name given to a Buddhist layman)” and became the greatest master of tea ceremony both in name and reality.

Hideyoshi's younger brother Hidenaga's words, “Rikyu knows all about confidential matters, but Hidenaga knows all about public matters.” show that Rikyu was at the center of the Shogunate.

However, he later incurred Hideyoshi's wrath and ended his life with ritual suicide.

Completion of Wabicha in the teahouse “Taian (National Treasure)”

The spirit of Wabicha that Rikyu perfected is condensed into the tea room designed by Rikyu, called “Taian (National Treasure)”.

“Taian” is a two tatami mat size teahouse designed based on the aesthetics of Rikyu by removing unnecessary elements to the utmost extent.

In particular, the spirit of the tea ceremony that Rikyu valued the most is expressed in the creation of the “nijiri-guchi (entrance)”.

It is a narrow entrance located in a low position. Even high class samurai cannot enter unless they are in a posture that makes them crawl by taking off their swords and lowering their heads.

Nijiri-guchi shows that everyone who attends Chanoyu is equal regardless of their social status.

Chanoyu in samurai society

Nobunaga encouraged his vassals to participate in the tea ceremony. Only the vassals who were given permission were allowed to hold tea ceremonies, and they were given expensive tea bowls as rewards for their military exploits.

He made it a status of samurai to have famous tea utensils and to be proficient in Chanoyu.

As a result, the value of famous tea utensils has come to be equal to the lives of warlords as well as to the country.

When Nobunaga, who had an advantage in the battle with a warlord, told that his life would be saved if he handed over his famous teakettle, that warlord said “I cannot give you my teakettle” Then, the warlord put an explosive in his teakettle and blew himself up. This was an unbelievable story that showed Chanoyu had become the status of the samurai.

Episodes of “SEN-no-Rikyu”

Rikyu left behind many episodes that tell us about his personality and his way of thinking about the tea ceremony.

What can and cannot be changed in Wabicha

Nobunaga, who had Rikyu make tea, noticed that Rikyu's way of making tea was simplified.

When Nobunaga asked Rikyu, “Why?” he answered, “People today would be reluctant to do it according to the old ways because they have no patience. That’s why I made it simple”.

Judging from Rikyu's flexible attitude that was willing to change the manners of Wabicha according to the times and his attitude that did not allow any compromise with the spirituality of the aesthetics and hospitality that Wabicha required, we can see what Rikyu valued in “Wabicha”.

Morning glory tea ceremony

One early summer morning, Rikyu invited Hideyoshi to a tea ceremony, saying, “The morning glories are beautiful”.

When Hideyoshi came to see the morning glories in full bloom, all the morning glories in the garden were gone.

Sadly, when Hideyoshi entered the teahouse, he found a single flower of morning glory in the tokonoma (alcove) where the light shines in.

It is said that Hideyoshi admired the beauty of the morning glory, which stood out because it was a single flower, and Rikyu's sense of masterfully producing it.

Rikyu’s seven roles

When Rikyu was asked by his disciple, “What is Chanoyu?” he replied, “Rikyu’s seven roles”.

“Brew tea just as good as it is for the guests, put the charcoal so that the water boils, be cool in summer and be warm in winter, let flowers be as they are in the fields, be on time, even if it doesn't rain, be ready for rain, and be mindful with your guests.”

To this the disciple replied that he could understand that much, and Rikyu replied, “If you can do it well enough, I will be your disciple.”　

It conveys Rikyu's sincere attitude that ordinary things are difficult and should not be neglected.

The birth of charismatic tea master, Rikyu

At a tea ceremony commemorating Hideyoshi’s inauguration to Kanpaku, Rikyu was granted the title “Rikyu” by Emperor Ogimachi.

After that, he presided over “Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony” and firmly established his position as “the greatest tea master in the world” both in name and reality.

The “Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony” was held to show Hideyoshi's power, and from peasants to people of high rank, regardless of their social status, could participate in it with just one tea bowl.

It is said that Hideyoshi, Rikyu, and two other tea masters served tea to the guests, and nearly 1000 people attended in one day.

Seppuku (suicide)

Rikyu was ordered to commit seppuku (hara-kiri) by Hideyoshi, but even his last words and actions show the spirit of Chanoyu.

It is said that Rikyu told a messenger who came to convey Hideyoshi's order to commit hara-kiri, “Tea is ready in the teahouse”. After serving tea and entertaining the messenger, Rikyu committed hara-kiri.

Furthermore, in a letter to someone before committed hara-kiri, he wrote, “If only the heart had killed emotions like a rock or a tree, that the city would have been a good place to live”.

Rikyu wrote a poem about his feeling that “I cannot fake my mind (spirit of the tea ceremony), then I will choose death”.

MURATA Juko (1422-1502) was born in Yamato Province (present Nara Prefecture). Juko grew up and entered Shomyo-ji (Temple) of the Jodo sect, but hated becoming a priest and studied under Noami, an artist and tea master in Kyoto.

It is said that he learned Chanoyu (tea ceremony), Japanese and Chinese renku (poetry), Noh (traditional play), Tachibana (flower arrangement) and Karamono (Chinese objects), and became ASHIKAGA Yoshimasa’s tea ceremony instructor on the recommendation of Noami.

He also interacted with IKKYU Sojun, a monk of the Rinzai sect, and learned Zen from him.

Based on these experiences, he discovered the spirit that formed the basis of “Wabicha”. In the time of Juko, the main event was the luxurious tea party (tea of the palace) where people enjoyed tea while loving foreign goods, but the spirit of “New tea ceremony” discovered by Juko was passed on to his disciples even after his death, and eventually led to the present Sadou (tea ceremony).

“Wabicha” aimed by MURATA Juko

Let's take a look at the “Wabicha” that Juko aimed at from his words.

Words related to “things”

Juko left the words, “It is vital to eliminate the sphere of Japanese and Chinese art”.

In contrast to the tendency to favor only Karamono (Chinese objects), he insisted that it was important to pay attention to the simple beauty of Japanese pottery as well, and brought a new sense of beauty to the world of Chanoyu (tea ceremony).

The tea utensils left by Juko are called “Juko Specialty” and there is an anecdote that one of them was used by SEN no Rikyu.

In addition, the words, “It is better to see the moon hidden between the clouds than the shining full moon, which is more beautiful”, indicate a new type of tea ceremony that considers the beauty of lack to be good.

This sense of beauty also influenced the construction of the teahouse, and Juko aimed to create beauty that appeared by dividing the teahouse into a small space of four and a half tatami mats and eliminating decorations.

Words related to “mind and spirit”

Juko, who was influenced by Zen, pursued “the beauty that emerges by eliminating objects to the extreme”. He then sought to make up for the lack of things with “spiritual richness”.

With an emphasis on the “mind and spirit" of Chanoyu, Juko states that the greatest obstacle to the way of the tea ceremony is the “conceit and self-obsession” and preaches that no matter how proficient one may be, one should obediently ask others for instructions and, for beginners, help with the training.

In addition, there is a passage that Juko wrote to his disciples, “Be apart from the mind’s master, and be the master of the mind”. It means “Don't be swayed by a changeable mind, but put yourself in a position to control it.” Juko aimed to make the tea ceremony “a place for spiritual training” where one can control one’s mind and confront oneself.

People who influenced MURATA Juko

How Juko's way of thinking was created. I will introduce two people who strongly influenced Juko.

Noami

Without meeting Noami, Juko could not come up with new ideas.

What he learned from Noami is the first-class culture of the time such as tea ceremony, Japanese and Chinese renku (poetry), Noh (traditional play) and Tachibana (flower arrangement).

By learning these things, he honed his sense of beauty, and by fusing the Zen philosophy described below, the Chanoyu that Juko aimed for was created.

In particular, he seems to have been strongly influenced by the Japanese and Chinese renku. It is easy to imagine that the idea of “eliminating the sphere of Japanese and Chinese art” was born by familiarizing himself with Japanese and Chinese renku, which repeat the responses of Japanese and Chinese poetry.

The idea of fusing both Japanese and Chinese knowledge and developing it into something new was born from here.

Zen monk, IKKYU Sojun

Juko was also greatly influenced by the Zen monk IKKYU Sojun, who is known as the “Ikkyu-san”.

IKKYU Sojun was a Zen monk who pursued freedom and was full of rebellious spirit. Juko learned “Zen teaching that eliminates waste” and “a mind that pursues the essence of something without being particular about anything” from Sojun.

Wabicha was not completed by Juko. However, Juko played the important role in “showing the way Wabicha should aim and go”.

Later, Juko's ideas spread with the support of the rich, and his disciples continued their studies, leading to the completion of the Chanoyu culture.

While Myoe Shonin made great achievements as a Buddhist monk, he also laid the foundation for tea cultivation in Togano, Kyoto. In this article, I’m going to introduce Myoe Shonin.

Priest Myoe Shonin

Myoe Shonin entered the Buddhist priesthood after the death of his parents at an early age. He studied the Kegon sect and the Shingon Misshu sect one after another and was a promising priest.

At the age of 34, he was given land in Togano, Kyoto by the retired Emperor Gotoba, and opened Kozan-ji (Temple).

Myoe Shonin believed that it was more important to follow the precepts of Buddha than to stick to the sect, and he put them into practice..

He was also active in helping vulnerable people such as women who lost relatives in war. He died at the age of 59 after receiving support from many people who were impressed by his efforts.

Myoe Shonin, the founder of tea in Kyoto

Meeting with Eisai

Myoe Shonin, who studied Mahayana Buddhism regardless of sect, visited Eisai to learn Zen.

At that time, Eisai taught Myoe Shonin not only about Zen but also about the “tea” he learned in China.

Eisai conveyed the knowledge he had learned about tea to Myoe Shonin.

Eisai taught him how to utilize tea in Zen practice, its effects, cultivation methods, and suitable land for cultivation and recommended tea drinking.

By the way, at this time, tea was drunk by the method of the tea ceremony. It is a way of drinking tea made by grinding tea powder with a millstone and stirring it with a tea whisk, just like today’s Matcha.

Tea seeds from Eisai

Myoe Shonin returns to Togano, Kyoto, and receives tea seeds in the Chinese jar (Aya-no-kaki-hetachatsubo) from Eisai.

Myoe Shonin started growing tea and he also explained the benefits of tea to the monks who were practicing Buddhism. He actively promoted the tea drinking.

From a single seed to a tea garden

The cultivation of tea in Togano, started by Myoe Shonin, has flourished for about two centuries since then.Togano was a good place to grow tea, so it produced high quality tea. At that time, because of its high quality, Togano’s tea was called “honcha (real tea)”, while the tea from other regions was called “hicha (not real tea)”.

In Kozan-ji (Temple), the “Tea Dedication Ceremony” is held every November, where the first tea of the year is presented to Myoe Shonin in gratitude for his achievements.

From Togano to Uji

Myoe Shonin, who learned about the land and climate suitable for tea cultivation from Eisai, spread tea cultivation to Uji, Kyoto.

As the poem states, he judged Uji to be a suitable place to grow tea due to its cool climate and the presence of a river mist.

His judgment was correct, and later Uji tea became widely known throughout the country as “the best tea in Japan”.

At the temple gate of Manpuku-ji (Temple) in Uji, there is a stone monument which is inscribed with the poem of the following story.

When the people of Uji were given tea trees from Togano and did not know how to plant them, Myoe Shonin taught them to plant tea trees in his footsteps as he rode into the field on horseback.

The Ten Commandments of Tea

Myoe Shonin carved the on the Ten Commandments of Tea side of the teapot.

Divine Protection

The vitality of tea, which has strong roots and keeps green throughout the year, protects those who drink it.

Good health

Drinking tea can help you stay healthy and free from disease.

Gratitude to parents

The deep taste of tea regulates the mind and fosters a sense of gratitude for parents.

Friendship and harmony

The custom of drinking tea leads to a talk of close relationships and deepens relationships.

Demon surrender

The ingredients of tea relieve physical and mental fatigue and also remove any hesitation in the mind.

Practicing true mind discipline

The civility and manners of drinking tea are effective for mental training.

Sleep self-exclusion

Tea dispels drowsiness.

Disappearance of earthly desires

Drinking tea extinguishes worldly desires.

Harmonizing five organs

Drinking tea helps to improve the condition of your internal organs.

Not distracted by the end of life

Tea drinkers are not distracted by the prospect of death because they are physically and mentally fit.

In this way, we can see that the awakening and calming effects of tea, which are still known today, have been recognized since then.

It is thought that Myoe Shonin himself recognized that the effect of tea influenced the personality of Myoe Shonin, who was loved and respected by many people including the Emperor.

While SEN-no-Rikyu is called the founder of Wabicha, Baisao (Koyugai) is known as the founder of Sencha (steeped green tea). In this article, I’m going to introduce the life of Baisao, who spread Sencha and greatly influenced the cultural people of his time.

About Baisao

Koyugai (1675-1763), also known as Baisao, was born to a doctor of the Hasuike domain (present Saga Prefecture). He became a monk, “Gekkai Gensho” (his Zen priest name) under Kerin Osho of the Obaku sect Ryushin-ji (Temple).

Baisao, who had practiced asceticism for nearly 50 years, was disappointed by the corrupt Buddhist world and left the priesthood to live in Kyoto.

Baisao opened his own tea house, the “Chatei Tsusentei” and also did something like the “mobile selling” to go to scenic places and sell tea.

Many cultural figures attracted to him by his personality began to gather around him, and from this point on he began to be affectionately called “Baisao” (it means old tea seller).

After that, he gave up his name as a priest, changed his name to “Koyugai” and continued selling tea, but as he grew older and his physical strength declined, he stopped selling tea, and died at the age of 89.

Baisao as seen in the episode

Origin of “Koyugai”

Baisao had the name “Gekkai Gensho” as a monk.One day, when he was asked about his current lifestyle, he replied “I live like this” , but they mistakenly understood “He live a very elegant life.”.

It is said that Baisao was amused by this and called himself “Koyugai”, which means “elegant” in Japanese.

Getting people to know the benefits of tea is the first thing

The signboard of Tsusentei (teahouse) said, “The cost of tea ranges from 2,000 koban (more than 100 million yen today) to half a penny (about 30 yen today). Just give me as much as you want to. You can drink it for free. We cannot make it any cheaper.”

From these words, we can see Baisao’s attitude that the first priority is to let people drink tea and to let people know the benefits of tea.

Promoting a new style of Sencha

Promoting new style of Sencha, Baisao did not like the tea ceremony at that time, which had become only a formality connected with power. He idealized the style of Lu Yu and Lutong of the Tang Dynasty.

The style of sencha by Baisao, which removes unnecessary manners and things and simply enjoys tea, spread to the common people.

Baisao, admired by the most advanced intellectuals

Although Edo (Tokyo) have been the center of Japan, Kyoto was still the most advanced city of culture.

It was there Baisao became very popular with the cultural crowd.

Baisao's high level of education, his style of living freely with conviction, and his witty way of speaking fascinated people.

Inspired by this way of life and thought, some of the leaders still make their names today, such as ITO Jakuchu, YOSA Buson, WATANABE Kazan, MATSUDAIRA Sadanobu and TANOMURA Chikuden.

Burning his own tea ceremony utensils

When Baisao became too old, to sell tea, he burned his precious tea utensils by himself.

It was from his love for the tea utensils that he spent together on the path of poverty. Baisao wrote about his feelings. “It was you (tea set) who supported me because I was poor and had no one to rely on. However, I cannot use you anymore. If I were to die and you were to be humiliated by vulgar hands, you would resent me. For this reason, I would cremate you.”

This is an episode that conveys his deep love for tea utensils, but it was a big loss that “Baisao's style of tea” did not remain in the future due to the burning of tea utensils.

Baisao's goal of “tea”

He chose to leave the floating world of Buddhism and achieve spiritual heights while living on his own.

Baisao’s means of living was the sale of tea. The tea he chose to sell was not “Matcha” but “Sencha” because he was rebellious against the tasteless world of Chanoyu. I think Baisao aimed to turn the place of selling tea into a “Salon”.

In fact, Baisao was surrounded by people of all walks of life from the common man to the cultured. There was a lot of discussion and interaction between people who enjoyed the tea and also improved each other.

Considering that some of these people are famous painters and literary men, Baisao's plan may have been successful.

The joy and essence of life Baisao pursued can be found in the time chatting and enjoying a cup of tea with those close to him away from the chores of daily life.

The achievements of “Tea Saint OTANI Kahee” are not limited to the tea industry.

I’m going to introduce the life of OTANI Kahee, who devoted himself to the tea industry and Japan, sometimes even investing his own money.

The life of OTANI Kahee, a great businessman of the Meiji period who played an active role on the world stage.

Birth to adolescence

OTANI Kahee was born in 1845 in what is now Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture. At the age of 19, Kahei started working for the tea trade company,“Iseya” in Yokohama (just south of Tokyo) run by OGURA Tohee.

Kahee was adopted by Iseya as his work was recognized, but he couldn't agree with his adoptive father and separated from him.

After that, Kahee worked for Smith & Baker Company as a tea buyer and head of overseas trading.

Adolescent to mature age

He changed his childhood name from Tokichi to Kahee at the age of 23.

While working for Smith & Baker, he opened “Tomoeya”, his own company in Yokohama.

He would improve the company's performance and increase his influence on the tea industry.

In addition, he also worked to improve the quality of tea when it declined due to the rapid increase in tea exports.

He established the Central Tea Industry Headquarters in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce to oversee the tea industry throughout the country.

He was also active in politics and held prominent positions in the tea and trade industries.

Mature to late life

At the age of 49, he founded Japan Seicha Co., Ltd. and started direct export transactions without going through the foreign trading houses.

After that, he opened branch offices overseas with government support. Around the same time, he became the president of the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce.

At the World Commerce Congress in Philadelphia in 1899, he met with the President of the United States of America as the representative of Japan. He petitioned for the elimination of tariffs on tea and proposed laying a “Transpacific cable”.

He was active in politics and business until his last years, and died in 1933 at the age of 90.

Achievement of OTANI Kahee

A man called “The Tea Saint”

A 19 years old with foresight

When Kahee was 13 years old, the Japan-US Friendship and Trade Treaty was signed.

Japanese green tea has grown to meet the tastes of foreigners, and its export value has increased year by year, becoming the second largest export product after raw silk.

Raised in Ise (Mie Prefecture), a tea production area, Kahei grew up with a sense of its potential.

At the age of 19, Kahei works for “Iseya”, a tea trade company in Yokohama run by a man from his neighboring village.

Kahee was convinced of the “tea's potential” in his teens and decided to be involved in the tea industry. It can be said that Kahee had “foresight”.

A 23-year-old in a big game

Kahee was ordered to buy tea that was in short supply due to a sudden increase in demand, and he went to Osaka.

Just by looking at tea samples, he boldly purchased about 4 tons of tea.It is said that they spent about 10.4 billion yen.

At that time, all the transactions were done in cash, so he had a large safe at the entrance of the hotel where he stayed in.

It is said that so many spectators rushed to see a rare sight.

After earning large money, he opened “Tomoeya”, his own tea company in Yokohama while working for Smith & Baker.

This episode illustrates Kaibei's daring as a businessman.

Further activities

Kahee made a great contribution to the tea industry, education, and bridge building of his hometown, Ise. Thanks to the power of Kahee, many Ise teas were exported overseas, enriching the local economy.

Moreover, Kahee’s activities did not stop even in his later years.

He served as the chairman of the Japan Foreign Trade Association, president of several banks, and was involved in the establishment of Taiwan Railway Company, South Manchuria Railway Company, the Bank of Korea, Joban Life Insurance Company, and Kawamata Electric Company.

He received the Silver Medal with Yellow Ribbon, Order of the Sacred Treasure (the Fifth class), Order of the Sacred Treasure (the Third class), the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, and the Order of Leopold I from Belgium.

The variety of his activities and the number of medals he received allow us to see how active Kahee was.

International contribution

At the World Commerce Congress in Philadelphia in 1899, he met with the President of the United States of America as the representative of Japan.

Kahee appealed directly to the President for the elimination of tariffs on Japanese tea carried out from the previous year.

As a result, the tariff was abolished and tea exports increased again.

Furthermore, in order for the Japanese tea industry to compete in the world, it was necessary to have a means of information transmission on overseas situations promptly, so he proposed laying cables under the Pacific Ocean and contributed to the development of infrastructure.

Understanding of new initiatives

When Kahee was the chairman of the Central Chamber of the Tea Industry, a tea farmer was struggling to “variety development of tea” without gaining the understanding of the people around him.

Recognizing the need for “variety development of tea”, Kahee invested his private funds to purchase the land and offered it as a test site to encourage the project.

That tea farmer was SUGIYAMA Hikosaburo, the father of “Yabukita”, which currently accounts for 80% of tea production in Japan.

Kahee who contributed privately to the development of tea varieties that no one understood, can be said to be another father of Yabukita.

More you know the great businessman of the Meiji period, “The Tea Saint OTANI Kahee” who played an active role in Japan and the world, more you find exciting stories of Japanese tea.

Despite his success as a doctor, TAKABAYASHI Kenzo devoted his life to inventing tea processing machines. I’m going to introduce his eventful life.

About TAKABAYASHI Kenzo "Father of the tea processing machine"

From the world of Medicine to Tea

At the age of 16, Kenzo aspired to become a medical doctor. He studied Chinese medicine and Western surgery, and was successful as a doctor.

However, worrying about the trade imbalance at that time (the Meiji period), he started to run a tea farm, saying “promotion of tea is an urgent task”.

In order to improve the efficiency of tea cultivation and production, which were done entirely by hands at the time, he decided to mechanize the process and began developing tea production machines at his own expense.

Later, he invented and patented “tea roasting machine”, “raw tea leaf steamer” and “tea leaf rubbing machine”.

From adversity to death

Kenzo’s ultimate goal was to automate the entire process. At the age of 54, he quit his job as a doctor and focused on development of the tea processing machine.

“The independent tea processing machine” was finally completed, but it was found to be defective and products manufactured by this machine were returned.

As a result, he faced financial hardship, but he continued to develop without yielding, At the age of 68, he completed “tea leaf rolling machine" and obtained the patent.

After that, he lived in Shizuoka as an auditor for the machine, but passed away in 1899 due to a cerebral hemorrhage.

The achievements of TAKABAYASHI Kenzo

The first civilian to receive a patent

The Japanese patent system started around the same time when Kenzo developed “raw tea leaf steamer”, “tea roasting machine” and “tea leaf rubbing machine” one after another.

Kenzo immediately applied for patents, and each machine obtained a “Patent No. 2,3, and 4”.

The first Japanese patent was for a warship paint invented by an engineer of the Imperial Household Ministry, so Kenzo became the first civilian inventor to obtain a patent in Japan.

In addition, he obtained Patent No. 60 for an improved electric fan, Patent No. 150 for a tea leaf rolling machine, and Patent No. 3301 for a tea leaf roughly rolling machine. Kenzo was a brilliant inventor with six patents.

Setback and failure of the independent tea processing machine

Kenzo quit his job as a doctor and devoted himself to the development of “the independent tea processing machine”. He completed it in 1887.

At first, with the support of the government, briefing sessions were held for tea companies in Japan, and orders flooded in.

However, complaints arose one after another, and even products manufactured by this machine were returned due to defects.

In addition, this is followed by the misfortune of losing his house in a fire.

At the discretion of the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, he set up a tea factory for research, but the finance of the family was in a difficult situation.

Despite a suffering from a lung disease, Kenzo continued his efforts toward machine development.

Invention of the tea leaf rolling and drying machine

Kenzo is said to be “father of the tea processing machine”.

“Tea tea leaf roughly rolling machine” has greatly changed the working style of the tea industry.

Kenzo's machine is a wonderful invention whose principle and structure are still used in tea making machines all over Japan.

Furthermore, considering that tea was a major export at the time, it was a big invention that could be described as “contributed to the Japanese economy”.

Japanese tea industry | Before and after mechanization

The tea industry before mechanization

At present, fresh leaves picked in tea gardens are as follows: steamer →roughly rolling machine→ rolling machine→ middle rolling machine → fine rolling machine → drying machine. Then they are commercialized.

Before mechanization, this process was done entirely by hands, so each artisan could only produce 3 to 5 kg of tea a day.

As a result, the production of tea continues to be unable to keep up with the increase in tea exports, resulting in a surge in inferior products.

The mechanization of tea production was an urgent task for Japan.

The post-mechanization tea industry

Kenzo's goal of “mechanisation” was to achieve the same quality as hand rolling, while at the same time mass-producing at low cost.

Unfortunately, Kenzo was not able to automate the entire process, but he contributed greatly to the labor saving of the under-rolling work.

The production volume was less than 10,000 tons at the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912), but by the end of the Meiji, it exceeded 30,000 tons.

Kenzo aimed to be a machine that faithfully imitated the human handiwork, so the quality of tea did not deteriorate.

As proof of this, a comparison of OISHI Otozo, the best tea-maker in Japan and Kenzo's “tea leaf rolling machine” showed that the machine was superior in both efficiency and quality.

There was an episode that OISHI Otozo himself bought this machine.

The more you know about the life of TAKABAYASHI Kenzo, the more you would appreciate the beauty of “tea leaves”.

The Japanese tea history cannot be told without NAGATANI Soen.

In this article, I’m going to explain NAGATANI Soen, who invented “Method for producing green Sencha (Green Sencha Method)” and contributed greatly to the spread of Sencha (steeped green tea).

About NAGATANI Soen

NAGATANI Soen was born in Kyoto in 1681. The ancestor of the NAGATANI family was samurai, but in 1592, they cultivated the land of the village in Kyoto, made a tea garden, and started a tea manufacturing business.

NAGATANI Soen, who was engaged in the family business of tea manufacturing, was also a “leader of the village” who led the improvement of farmland.

Even after his death in 1778 at the age of 97, he was respected as the founder of Japanese green tea and enshrined as “Chaso Myojin (god of the tea)” in the Daijingu (Shrine) adjacent to his birthplace.

Connection to the company everyone knows

Some of you may have heard the name of NAGATANI Soen. NAGATANI Soen has a deep connection with “Nagatanien” which is famous for its “Ochazuke seaweed”.

Nagatanien was established by NAGATANI Yoshio, the 10th generation of the NAGATANI family.

By the way, “Nagatanien” is the company name of the NAGATANI family.

In the early days of the company's establishment, Nagatanien was engaged in the tea manufacturing industry and the sale of tools for the Sencha tea ceremony.

With the launch of “Ochazuke seaweed” in 1952, the company’s business became immovable.

Today, most of Nagatanien's products, such as furikake and instant miso soup, have nothing to do with tea, but the ingredients of “Ochazuke seaweed” are made with Matcha (powdered green tea).

The achievements of NAGATANI Soen

There were two NAGATANI Soen’s achievements in tea.

He produced “Green Sencha Method” which became the basis for the current Sencha production method

At that time, the rich drank Matcha and the common people drank Sencha (steeped green tea), but Sencha was dark red and the taste was not very good.

The “Green Sencha Method” led to the production and widespread use of tasty Sencha with good color, so that the common people can also enjoy delicious tea.

He succeeded in selling Uji tea in Edo.

The company focused on Edo (Tokyo), which became Japan's largest consumption area, and succeeded in expanding the sales channel of Uji tea, which had begun to decline due to high nengu (land tax) and other tea production areas.

Another famous company “Yamamotoyama” with close ties to NAGATANI Soen

At first, there were no tea traders who appreciated the new method of tea production in Edo.

However, it is said that when Soen visited Yamamotoyama in 1738, which dealt in Japanese paper, tea and tea utensils, YAMAMOTO Kahee, the fourth liked Soen’s tea and bought it immediately.

Later, when this Sencha was named “Tenka-ichi (the best in the country)” it became very popular and spread from Edo to the whole country.

There is a story that Yamamotoyama, who made a huge profit from NAGATANI Soen's tea, gave 25 ryo of koban (former Japanese oval gold coin) to the Nagatani family as a reward every year until 1875.

What is the Green Sencha Method?

Before the Green Sencha Method, the tea leaves were heated and then dried, so the color was dark and the taste was not very good.

It was called “black” because of the color of the tea.

Soen's idea for the Green Sencha Method was to add a “rolling” process to the steamed tea leaves before they are dried, giving it a beautiful color and a rich flavor.

Without NAGATANI Soen who invented the Green Sencha Method, it would not have been possible to enjoy the beautiful colors and taste of today's Sencha.

We introduce Takeo Shaowo, who succeeded Sen no Rikyu in the perfection of "Wabicha," the art of tea ceremony that began with Murata Juko.

About Takeno Joo

Takeno Joo (1502 -1555) was born in Yamato (now Nara Prefecture), Japan, and began living in Kyoto in his 20s. At 27 years old, he studied classics and waka poetry under Sanjonishi Sanetaka, the most significant cultural figure of his time.

At 31, he moved from Kyoto, devastated by the Onin War, to Sakai, where he was ordained as a monk, received the Buddhist name of "Joo," and devoted himself to the tea ceremony, pursuing the path of "Wabicha."

Murata Juko's goal of "Wabicha"

Joo was a grandson of Murata Juko. The "Wabicha" discovered by Murata Juko was further refined by Joo and perfected by Sen no Rikyu, a disciple of Joo.

By learning the words left by Joo, we can understand the source of the "Wabicha" that Joo aimed for.

Words about "THINGS"

Juko left the following: "It is important to muddle through the boundary between the Japanese and Chinese arts." In contrast to the trend that favored only Chinese ceramics, he insisted that it was essential to pay attention to the simple beauty of Japanese ceramics and brought a new aesthetic sense to the world of the tea ceremony.

The tea utensils left by Juko are called "Juko Meibutu," and there is an anecdote that Sen no Rikyu used one of his tea bowls.

The phrase "I do not like the moon to be hidden among the clouds (the moon that appears and disappears among the clouds is more elegant than a full moon that shines brightly)" reveals the "new chanoyu," which appreciates the beauty of "beauty of lack." This aesthetic sense also influenced the creation of the tea room. Juko aimed to create beauty by dividing the room into four-and-a-half tatami mats and eliminating decoration.

Words about "mind and spirit"

Influenced by Zen, Juko pursued the "beauty that appears when things are eliminated to the utmost limit." He sought to make up for what he lacked in material things with the richness of his heart.

Juko emphasized the "heart and spirit" of chanoyu, and he believed that the greatest obstacle to the way of the tea ceremony was "pride and attachment to oneself." He taught that no matter how much one progresses, one should be honest with others and help beginners in their training.

In the following passage, Juko writes to his disciples, "Do not let your mind be your teacher." It means, "Be the master of your mind but do not let your mind be your teacher." Juko aimed to make chanoyu a "place for spiritual practice," where one could control one's mind and confront oneself.

"Wabicha" by Takeno Joo

Joo inherited the tradition from Murata Juko and introduced more spirituality into "Wabicha." We want to introduce two people who influenced him.

Sanjonishi Sanetaka, a cultural figure

Learning renga and waka poetry from Sanjonishi Sanetaka, one of his time's most significant cultural figures, greatly influenced Joo's "Wabicha."

Joo said, "I say that renga is withered and cold. I want the end of the tea ceremony to be like that." This means that the concept of "cold and withering" in renga is the heart of facing the tea ceremony. "cold and withering" means "the chilly air of early winter when the trees are dying. Or the fresh and dignified feeling one gets there." Joo aimed to approach the tea ceremony with such a mind.

Another poem that expresses the state of mind that Joo aimed for is found in a waka poem. It is "Miwatashiwa, hana mo momiji mo nakari keri ura no tomaya no autumn dusk" by Fujiwara no Sadaie. The concept of beauty in this scene leads to the idea of "wabicha," "to be content with what is not enough and to act with modesty."

Zen monk Dairin Sōto

By learning Zen from the Zen monk Dairin Sōto at Nansōji Temple, Soto combined the tea ceremony's spirit with the Zen spirit more than ever before. This led Sen no Rikyu to perfect the concept of "Chazenichimi." It means "Tea and Zen are different in the appearance of what they do, but they are not separate in their essence, and both are paths of human development."

The tea ceremony was linked to Zen by Murata Juko amid a sense of impermanence during the Warring States period. Furthermore, Takeno Joo refined the tea ceremony together with the essence of waka and renga, moving toward the Zen spirit of "essentially nothingness (everything is empty, so one should not be bound by anything)," leading to the perfection of "wabicha" by Sen no Rikyu.

The Makinohara Plateau in Shizuoka Prefecture was a desolate place, abandoned even by local farmers during the great transformation at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868).

In this article, I’m going to introduce CHUJO Kageaki, who led the “amateur farmers’ group” made up of over the 200 samurai and transformed the area into one of Japan’s leading tea producing regions.

About CHUJO Kageaki

Samurai days

CHUJO Kageaki was born in 1827 as an illegitimate child of the samurai in Edo (Tokyo). He served Iesada, the 13th Shogun, and was an expert swordsman who taught martial arts to samurai in his family. In 1867, when Yoshinobu, the 15th Shogun, moved to Shizuoka after the return of his political power to the Emperor, Kageaki guarded the enemy as a member of elite troops. After that, the elite troops were disbanded after completing their mission.

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the samurai including Kageaki, who lost the Shogunate, were forced to make a new choice in life.

Cultivation begins

Kageaki decided to challenge the cultivation of Makinohara Plateau, leading the “Kanayahara (present Makinohara Plateau) Cultivation Group”. At that time, the Makinohara Plateau was a desolate place that even local farmers gave up on. It is said that he swore to KATSU Kaishu that “If you give me this land, I would pledge myself to cultivate the land”.

Later, at the age of 42, Kageaki led the “Kanayahara Cultivation Group” and began cultivation, but it was not until four years later that he was able to harvest the first few tea buds.

Late days

As time went by and land that had been owned by the government became available for individual purchase and sale, the members of the Cultivation Group were gradually divided from those who remained as farmers to those who left the land.

In such a situation, there was a request to the Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, but he refused it in order to continue the cultivation.

After that, he tried to establish the “Makinohara Tea Manufacturing Company” in order to collect the produced tea, manufacture it jointly for export. However, the petition for the business fund was rejected and it was never realized.

Despite this hardship, he devoted his life to the cultivation of Makinohara plateau and died in 1896 at the age of 69.

Achievements of NAKAJO Kageaki

Outstanding leadership

Kageaki was an outstanding leader, having been acquainted with the leader of the era, KATSU Kaishu and YAMAOKA Tesshu,

The “Kanayahara Cultivation Group” led by 42 year-old Kageaki had about 200 people, and including their family, it was quite a household.

Moreover, the members of the Cultivation Group were “an amateur group in agriculture” with various backgrounds, from high-ranking samurai to Noh actors.

The leadership of Kageaki, who achieved the cultivation of Makinohara Plateau by compiling such a wide variety of “an amateur group in agriculture”, was admirable.

With the pride of a samurai, he dedicated his second life to the Makinohara Plateau.

Today we can easily imagine how difficult it must have been for him to make the transition from an “elite bureaucrat” guarding the shogun's personal affairs to the unknown field of cultivation and tea planting.

Kageaki, who was also an excellent leader, made a request to the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. However, he refused, saying, “Once I have climbed a mountain, no matter what I would never come down. It would be the fertilizer of the tea tree.” It suggests Kageaki’s sincerity.

At the funeral of Kageaki, who did not cut the topknot in his life and dedicated himself into Makinohara Plateau cultivation with the samurai's pride, KATSU Kaishu served as the funeral committee chairman in respect of his great achievement.

Furthermore, members of the Cultivation Group who mourned the death of Kageaki visited his grave for 21 days, which reminds us of his personality.

The present Makinohara plateau

The Makinohara Plateau turns bright green in the season of the first tea, but when the land was first cultivated, it was a wilderness with an area of 200 hectares (about the 42 times the size of Tokyo Dome) and with an insufficient water supply.

The “Kanayahara Cultivation Group” cultivated the land to 5,000 hectares (about the 1,063 times the size of Tokyo Dome) and turned it into a large tea garden.

After the death of Kageaki, the land and tea leaves were improved repeatedly, and the prototype of the “Deep steamed tea” method was devised.

Thanks to the continued efforts of the people, “Makinohara tea” with deep green light blue color and rich taste is now one of the representative brands of Shizuoka.

We today have much to learn from the way of life of CHUJO Kageaki, who risked his second life to venture into unknown field during the tumultuous period from the Edo to Meiji.

YAMAMOTO Kahee and his achievements in “Yamamotoyama”

YAMAMOTO Kahee is an essential figure in the history of Japanese tea.

However, YAMAMOTO Kahee is not a single person. This is because the heads of the Yamamoto family have called themselves “Kahee” for generations.

In this article, I’m going to introduce the achievements of YAMAMOTO Kahee, the first, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth, among the successive family heads of the Yamamoto family.

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the First - The beginning of Yamamotoyama

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the first owner, moved from Kyoto to Edo and founded a shop named “Kagiya” in Nihonbashi in 1690, dealing in Japanese paper, tea and tea utensils.

This is the beginning of the ongoing “Yamamotoyama”. The stage family name of “Kagiya” subsequently changed to “Kamiya Kahee”, “Toryuken Kahee”, “Yamamotoya Kahee” and “Yamamotoya Kahee Shoten”.

Then, in 1941, the shop was renamed “Yamamotoyama” after a popular tea it was selling.

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the Fourth - The rise of Yamamotoyama and Nagatanien

In the era of YAMAMOTO Kahee, the fourth head of the company, the chance to make a breakthrough “Yamamotoyama” came.

NAGATANI Soen who developed the Green Sencha Method, visited Yamamotoyama to promote Sencha (steeped green tea).

After drinking the Sencha, which no other tea merchants were able to match YAMAMOTO Kahee, the fourth generation owner who drank it, was so surprised by its beautiful color and depth of taste that he decided to buy it immediately.

This Sencha was later named “Tenka-ichi (the best in the country)” and became a very popular product not only in Edo but throughout Japan.

There is an episode that Yamamotoyama thanked the Nagatani family for the huge profit he made by this and kept sending 25 ryo of koban (former Japanese oval gold coin) to the Nagatani family for about 130 years.

Then, Nagatanien was established by NAGATANI Yoshio, the 10th generation after NAGATANI Soen.

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the Fifth – The discovery of “Sayama Tea”

The fifth generation, YAMAMOTO Kahee, discovered “Sayama Tea” that was grown in what is now Saitama Prefecture.

In Sayama, where tea was originally produced, people began to make tea following the Sencha method, which was popular nationwide at that time.

YAMAMOTO Kahee the fifth recognized the good taste of the tea and repeatedly gave advice on how to make it and the result was “Sayama Tea”.

In 1819, they signed a sales contract and named it “Shimo no Hana (Frost Flower)”, “Yuki no Ume (Snow Plum)” and it became popular.

Sayama tea has become known as “Three major teas in Japan” along with “Shizuoka tea” and “Uji tea”. There is a Sayama tea picking song that is said ‘Shizuoka has the finest color, Uji is the finest fragrance, and the tea with the best taste is Sayama’.

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the Sixth - Creating the “Gyokuro”

It is said that YAMAMOTO Kahee, the sixth invented the production method of Gyokuro. At that time, every tea dealer was competing fiercely to differentiate Sencha, which was very popular.

YAMAMOTO Kahee, the sixth came up with the idea of roasting tea leaves like dew when he visited Uji (Kyoto), and this is said to be the reason for the birth of “Gyokuro”.

“Gyokuro” became popular with hatamoto and daimyo for its mild and elegant flavor.

By the way, there is another theory that the name comes from the unique taste of Gyokuro like the dew of the ball.

Furthermore, it is said that TSUJI Riemon (the founder of Tsujiri) perfected Gyokuro in its current stick form in the Meiji period.

Sugiyaa Hikosaburo was a Japanese man who pursued cultivar development of tea throughout his life. In his hometown of Shizuoka, he is called “Hikosaburo Okina (old man)” and respected even after his death.

In this article, we're going to explain Hikosaburo, the father of “Yabukita”.

Who is Sugiyama Hikosaburo?

Hikosaburo Sugiyama was born in 1857 in Arito Village, Abe County (now Shizuoka City). He gave up his father's liquor brewery and Chinese medicine practice to his younger brother, who became a farmer.

Around the time of Hikosaburo's birth, Japan concluded the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States. As a result, tea became the second largest export item after raw silk and became a flourishing industry. During this time, Hikosaburo Sugiyama began tea cultivation, learning from experience and without a teacher.

Due to the rapid development of the tea industry, he became the secretary of the tea industry association, which controlled the inferior products in the mixed tea industry. Still, his sincere character can be seen from his recollection that he was ashamed of not being able to produce good quality tea himself.

Hikosaburo was ashamed of not being able to produce good tea by himself, which shows his sincere personality.

Although he succeeded in breeding the "Yabukita" after much hard work, he died in 1941 at 83, without ever seeing it flourish.

Today, a monument to his achievements stands in Shizuoka City, and the original "Yabukita" tree has been designated a natural monument by Shizuoka Prefecture. There is also the "Sugiyama Hikosaburo Award," which is given to those who have contributed to the tea industry.

The achievements of Sugiyama Hikosaburo who changed Japanese tea

The Beginning of "Cultivar Breeding"

Hikosaburo, who had cleared his land and created a tea plantation, was almost self-taught in tea cultivation. Instead, he learned tea making from officials of the Kannou Bureau (an internal bureau of the Ministry of the Interior in charge of agricultural promotion) and his distant relative, the tea master Yamada Bunsuke.

He learned tea making from his distant relative, Yamada Bunsuke, a tea master who believed that "to make good tea, you need good tea leaves."

Hikosaburo realizes that some teas grow faster and some slower and that the quality of tea leaves cultivar depends on the cultivar.

These things are now taken for granted, but at that time, it was commonplace to have different broad cultivars of tea in a single tea plantation, and the quality of the tea leaves harvested varied widely. Under such circumstances, this realization was a great discovery and the first step toward improving tea cultivars.

Development of “Yabukita”

Convinced that good tea plants were necessary to produce a stable supply of high-quality tea, Hikosaburo focused on improving tea cultivars. However, this was a process of trial and error without any academic knowledge.

Today, what Hikosaburo did is recognized as "breed improvement," but people did not understand him and treated him as an eccentric at the time.

Even so, from around 35, he began to develop new varieties one after another. Finally, he selected good tea trees and named the one planted on the north side of the bush "Yabukita" and the one planted on the south side "Yabu-Minami" and started cultivating them. The "Yabukita" was found to be resistant to disease and easy to grow, producing tea leaves with a well-balanced flavor.

Although "Yabukita" was recognized for its quality after its announcement, it was not until 14 years after Hikosaburo's death that it finally spread throughout Japan due to the intervening war.

Dedicated to promotion of the local tea industry

Hikosaburo Sugiyama's achievements were not limited to cultivar improvement.

In his fifties, he finally found a supporter in Kahei Otani, the chairman of the Central Chamber of Tea Industry. He worked on a cultivar improvement project at the test site, but when Otani stepped down as chairman, he could not obtain continued support from the Central Chamber of Tea Industry and was forced to give up the test site.

However, the 77-year-old Hikosaburo did not give in to this predicament.

He continued his research at the tea plantation he had purchased and asked for the cooperation of young men in the neighborhood to pass on the knowledge and experience he had gained in breeding to future generations. He also generously shared his expertise with neighboring farmers, and when new machines were developed, he was quick to introduce them and mechanize the tea industry. This is why he is still called "Mr. Hikosaburo" in his hometown, even after his death.

Click here to read an article detailing the process of "breed improvement" that Hikosaburo pursued throughout his life.

Three episodes telling the passion of sugiyama Hikosaburo

The man called “a weasel”

It is said that to find good tea plants, Hikosaburo wandered around the tea fields day and night, sometimes even entering people's fields. Even though he was ridiculed as a "weasel" for crawling on the ground and moving around in the tea fields, he never stopped searching for the perfect tea tree.

Whenever he found a tea tree, he thought, "this is the one!" So he chewed the tea leaves raw and examined them so thoroughly that he was missing his front teeth.

He put all his passion into his search for the ideal cultivar.

Travel anywhere for tea trees

Hikosaburo's passion for finding good tea moved him endlessly.

In an era when transportation was not well developed, he traveled all over Japan and even to Korea in search of tea plants. He always brought along water moss for water retention and sometimes stuck branches into the cut ends of vegetables to get back good tea plants when he found them.

Even if all his 20 years of hard work is turned into firewood

Hikosaburo was 77 years old when he lost his supporters and was forced to give up the test land. All the tea trees he had poured his heart and soul into growing for more than 20 years at the test site were pulled out and used as firewood.

Despite his advanced age of 77, Hikosaburo's passion for continuing his research and nurturing the next generation of tea growers can be described as his persistence.

When you think of the hard work and passion that Hikosaburo Sugiyama, who was an amateur tea grower, spent his life to achieve, you may feel that his usual tea is something special and flavorful.