Tea can be classified into “unoxidized tea,” “semi-oxidized tea,” “oxidized tea,” and “fermented tea” according to the fermentation/oxidation degree. This article guides you through “semi-oxidized tea,” which is least-talked-about among them.

What is semi-oxidized tea?

Semi-oxidized tea is a tea that has been oxidized halfway. “Oolong tea” is representative of it. You can consider it is just in the middle between black tea (oxidized tea) and green tea (unoxidized tea). Oolong tea used to be the only semi-oxidized tea in Japan. However, an unusual semi-oxidized Hōjicha (roasted green tea) produced by some farms is becoming a hot topic these days. In China, the home of tea, semi-oxidized tea is further classified into three types according to the oxidation degree.

Features of semi-oxidized tea’s flavor, aroma, color

Just think about oolong tea, and you will easily understand that semi-oxidized tea has a pleasant scent that is more aromatic than green tea. It is slightly bitter, but has a deep, savory flavor. The refreshing tea is often preferred after a greasy meal with a strong taste, such as meat and Chinese food.

Features of semi-oxidized tea’s ingredients

Tea leaves contain various ingredients. The process of oxidation yields aromatic components to make aromas and pigment components to make colors. Catechin is a component that influences the color of tea. As oxidation turns the liquid color (the color of brewed tea) redder, black tea, an oxidized tea, has a red liquid color. In the case of semi-oxidized tea (oolong tea), which is oxidized only half, the liquid color stays brownish, halfway from green to red.

Features of semi-oxidized tea process

Semi-oxidized tea’s fresh leaves are sun-dried and then spread and roasted in the room for some time. The roasted tea leaves are put in a cloth bag for a while. After kneading and drying, the tea is ready. While oxidized tea is placed in a humid room to be fully oxidized, semi-oxidized tea undergoes roasting to halt oxidization.

Types of semi-oxidized tea

It is uncommon in Japan, but in China the name of semi-oxidized tea varies by oxidation degree.

White tea (bai cha)

White tea is the least oxidized semi-oxidized tea and also called “weakly oxidized tea.” Its manufacturing process does not include “kneading.”

Blue tea (qing cha/oolong tea)

What we know as oolong tea is a member of blue tea. Its oxidation degree varies a lot by type, but blue tea is the most common semi-fermented tea.

Yello tea (huang cha)

Yellow tea has undergone a special heating treatment. After ripening the half-oxidized leaves, the liquid color becomes yellow, as its name suggests.

<Related Link> 

How to Brew Nice Oolong Tea(Chinese Tea)

Manufacturing Process of Semi-Oxidized Tea(Oolong Tea)

What Kinds of Ingredients/Nutrition are In Oolong Tea(Semi-Oxidized Tea)?

The black tea you usually drink is “oxidized tea.” This article is all about the most commonly consumed tea: oxidized tea (black tea).

What is oxidized tea (black tea)?

Oxidized tea is a tea whose leaves have been fully oxidized. “Black tea” is oxidized tea.

There are many cultivars and types of tea, but there are basically only two kinds: Chinese and Assam. Most types of oxidized tea are made from Assam tea trees, whose leaves are easier to oxidize.

Features of oxidized tea’s (black tea’s) flavor, aroma, color

Oxidized tea (black tea) is featured by a beautiful red color and aromatic, glamorous, gentle scent and flavor. Of course, oxidized tea (black tea) varies a lot in flavor and aroma by the production area’s climate and natural features. In particular, the world’s three major black teas; namely, Darjeeling tea from India, Uva tea from Sri Lanka, and Keemun tea from China have distinctive flavors and aromas, which are totally different from our usual black tea from a plastic bottle or a tea bag. The wide variety features oxidized tea (black tea) and attracts us.

Features of oxidized tea ingredients

Besides the leaf’s original ingredients, oxidized tea (black tea) contains ingredients produced by the oxidation of tea leaves. Theaflavins and thearubigins are representative of the ingredients that produce an aromatic scent and make a beautiful red color of the tea.

Features of oxidized tea process

As its name suggests, oxidized tea is a tea that has undergone oxidation. Black tea goes through the process called rolling to activate oxidative enzymes that are important to produce the tea’s aroma, flavor, richness, and liquid color. Then it undergoes the processes including oxidation, drying, and sorting (grading) to hit the shelves of stores.

Oxidized tea (Black tea)

Lastly, let us see oxidized tea’s production areas and origin.

Major production areas of oxidized tea

In Japan, the mainstream is green tea. In fact, black tea is produced in over 20 countries and accounts for 70% of the world’s tea production. In particular, the following areas are well-known.

India

India is famous for black tea. Its production volume of black tea is by far the largest in the world and amounts to 1 million tons per year. Darjeeling tea from India is chosen as one of the world’s three major black teas. Its pleasant aroma is praised as “the champagne of black teas.” It is also consumed a lot in Japan. For your information, Assam tea, which is as famous as Darjeeling tea, is also from India.

Sri Lanka

Black tea from Sri Lanka is called “Ceylon tea” and beloved all over the world. Sri Lanka is the producer of Uva tea, one of the world’s three major black teas. Sri Lanka is growing tea mainly around a chain of mountains. Tea in Sri Lanka is graded according to the altitude. The production volume of black tea is the second largest in the world and amounts to 320 thousand tons.

Kenya

Most Japanese people think of Kenya as a coffee producer. However, it actually produces the third largest amount of black tea in the world, or 300 thousand tons, closely behind Sri Lanka. They export it mainly to Europe. Surprisingly, their history of tea is long. They started making tea plantations during the First World War.

China

China produces “Keemun tea,” one of the world’s three major black teas, while we only think about its Chinese tea such as oolong tea. In fact, China is the birthplace of black tea. The annual production volume is 50 thousand tons. Although the number is comparatively less than the other black tea producing countries, the volume is rapidly increasing with the recent focus on black tea production.

Japanese black tea

It is less known but Japanese black tea has been produced since the Meiji Period. The high-quality Japanese black tea won a gold prize at an international food competition. It would suit everybody’s tastes with easy-to-drink, mild flavor and aroma.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s black tea production is currently only the 4^th in the world. However, the country had as much black tea as India until the Second World War burned off their tea plantations. Their tea has similar features to Ceylon tea. Its characteristic mild, easy-to-drink flavor somewhat lacks richness so it is mainly used for blending. The annual volume is 130 thousand tons.

The origin of black tea

The history of tea originated in China. It dates back to a period before Christ. However, the history of black tea is comparatively new; it started after 1720. Black tea has several possible origins, but it is likely that “Wuhan tea,” a semi-oxidized tea, which was collected in Fujian Province, became the mainstream of tea in Western Europe, and developed into today’s common black tea after trials and errors including the increased degree of oxidation. Later on, Assam cultivars suited for black tea were found in India, which promoted tea cultivation in India and other surrounding countries like Sri Lanka. Then, black tea spread all over the world.

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How to Brew Nice Black Tea

Manufacturing Process of Oxidized Tea(Black Tea)

What Kinds of Ingredients/Nutrition are In Black Tea(Oxidized Tea)?

You may not be familiar with the term “unoxidized tea”.

In this article, I’m going to explain about unoxidized tea.

What is unoxidized tea?

Unoxidized tea is a tea variety made from tea leaves with little oxidation, and the most of Japanese tea (green tea) is unoxidized tea.

By the way, the well-oxidized tea leaves are black tea, and the half-oxidized tea leaves are oolong tea.

It is an interesting point of tea leaves that even tea leaves picked from the same tea tree can be made into tea with completely different taste and aroma depending upon the oxidation condition.

Characteristics of taste, aroma and color

It depends upon the variety and the cultivar of tea, but basically unoxidized tea has a delicate taste and aroma, and it becomes very beautiful green when brewed.

As there are many varieties and cultivars of Japanese tea, it is difficult to generalize, but when you imagine "Taste, aroma and color of Japanese tea" you might realize those of unoxidized tea.

Characteristics of ingredients

Unoxidized tea does not have an oxidation process, so the ingredients and nutrients do not change easily, and it contains the rich nutrients that tea leaves originally have as they are.

It is packed with a lot of nutrients such as vitamin C, amino acids, tannins that are expected to have an antioxidant effect, beta carotene that is said to be effective for immune enhancement and cancer prevention.

Characteristics of the unoxidized tea production process

It takes time and effort to produce unoxidized tea.

First, as a preliminary preparation, picked raw tea leaves are steamed, then rubbed repeatedly in various ways and dried.

After that, the process of heating (something like roasting) and sorting is repeated, and finally blending is done to make the quality uniform.

By the way, by steaming first, the function of the oxidase is stopped and oxidation is prevented. This is called “inactivation”.

Varieties of unoxidized tea

There are many varieties of unoxidized tea. You can find some of them below.

Sencha (Steeped green tea)

About 70% of tea consumed in Japan is Sencha. It is steamed and rubbed right after picking Shincha (First picked tea).

Fukamushi-Sencha (Deep steamed steeped green tea)

Fukamushi-Sencha is made by steaming it 2 ~ 3 times longer than Sencha. The longer the steaming time, the less fragrant, but the taste is sweeter.

Matcha and Tencha

Matcha is made from “Tencha”. Tencha is the only tea made without rubbing.

Kamairicha

Kamairicha is made by roasting in an iron pot instead of steaming with a method introduced from China. By roasting it, you can smell the aroma that other teas don't have.

Hojicha (Roasted green tea)

Hojicha(roasted green tea) is made by roasting Bancha or Stem tea over high heat until it becomes brown. It is characterized by its savory flavor and aroma.

Kabusecha

Kabusecha is a tea produced through “covered cultivation,” by which growing fresh shoots are covered to avoid sunlight. Its Japanese name can be literally translated into “covered/crowned tea.”

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How to Brew Nice Sencha / Fukamushi-Sencha(Green Tea)

Manufacturing Process of Unoxidized Tea(Green Tea)

What Kinds of Ingredients/Nutrition are In Unoxidized Tea(Green Tea)?

The flavor and aroma of tea vary by types, cultivation methods, manufacturing processes, etc. This article introduces “Kabusecha,” which is often confused with Gyokuro.

What is Kabusecha?

Kabusecha is a tea produced through “cover culture,” by which growing fresh shoots are covered to avoid sunlight. Its Japanese name can be literally translated into “covered/crowned tea.” Kabusecha tends to be mistaken for Gyokuro, which is also produced through cover culture, but Kabusecha is not Gyokuro.

A big difference between Gyokuro and Kabusecha is how long they are covered. While Gyokuro is covered for about 20 days, Kabusecha is covered for a week or so. Kabusecha is often considered “in the middle between Sencha (steeped green tea) and Gyokuro.”

Features of Kabusecha

Kabusecha is a tea that has both Sencha’s advantages and Gyokuro’s advantages. It cannot beat Gyokuro in umami and richness. However, with its slight bitterness, Kabusecha’s sweetness and umami are felt better than Sencha. It provides a mild flavor and rich aroma. Its liquid color is brighter than Sencha. Thanks to its lower price compared with Gyokuro, Kabusecha allows you to enjoy a flavor of high-graded tea casually.

In addition, the flavor of Kabusecha changes according to the temperature of water and the way of steaming. When it is brewed thoroughly at low temperature, the tea provides a strong sweetness and umami like Gyokuro. When it is brewed quickly in hot water, the flavor becomes refreshing like Sencha. Thus, you can enjoy adjusting the tea flavor according to your mood on the day.

Definition of Kabusecha

Kabusecha is a tea that has undergone cover culture, in which the leaves are covered with straw, mushiro (Japanese straw mats), cheesecloth, or others to block sunlight before picking.Compared with Gyokuro, Kabusecha’s cover culture is simple. It takes one week or so and blocks only about 50% of the sunlight.

Features of Kabusecha ingredients

In addition to vitamins, catechins, caffeine, potassium, and other ingredients contained in normal tea, Kabusecha is rich in amino acids, which become umami, although the amount of them is less than Gyokuro.

Features of Kabusecha process

The manufacturing process of Kabusecha is basically the same as Sencha. What differs is its cultivation process. As mentioned above, Kabusecha is grown in the cultivation method called cover culture.

Production areas of Kabusecha

Kabusecha is produced in many tea-growing areas across Japan including Fukuoka Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, and Shizuoka Prefecture. Especially Mie Prefecture’s production volume accounts for more than one third of the nation’s entire output.

The tea from Mie Prefecture is called Ise Tea. The Kabusecha completed in Yokkaichi City and Kameyama City is particularly high-graded because they stop picking at the second picked tea season.

How to prepare Kabusecha

While the best temperature to brew Sencha is about 80 degrees C, about 60 degrees C is the best for Gyokuro. Please change brewing temperature according to your preferred drinking way. Low brewing temperature distinguishes the flavors of sweetness and umami. High brewing temperature balances out bitter and astringent flavors.

<Related Link>

How to Brew Nice Sencha / Fukamushi-Sencha(Green Tea)

Manufacturing Process of Unoxidized Tea(Green Tea)

Covered Cultivation of Tea

What Kinds of Ingredients/Nutrition are In Unoxidized Tea(Green Tea)?

Hojicha makes a brown liquid color and aromatic flavor when it is brewed, which may make you think Hojicha is a different type of tea from green tea, but it is a type of green tea. These days it is popular among the younger generation, being often used for snacks and other drinks such as Hojicha latte, Hojicha chocolate, Hojicha ice cream, etc. This article introduces it in detail.

What is Hojicha?

Hojicha is common to us and frequently drunk. However, it tends to be recognized vaguely, oftentimes misunderstood as a different type of tea from green tea, or even as Bancha (a tea picked in late seasons). Hojicha is a type of green tea. It is produced by roasting Sencha (steeped green tea) or Bancha. In general, the fresh shoots of first picked tea are rarely used. It is the leaves and stem parts of third picked tea or even later one that are preferred. As a result, Hojicha is comparatively cheap and familiar to us.

Many parts of the history of Hojicha are unclear without official documents. Some say people started roasting the unsold tea in an attempt to preserve it under a great depression in the early Showa Period, when tea was not selling well. Others say Hojicha existed already in the Meiji Period.

Features of Hojicha

Hojicha is featured by its brown liquid color and the aromatic fragrance and flavor that arises when roasting leaves. The easy-to-drink tea provides a fresh flavor with no bitterness and astringency.

Features of Hojicha ingredients

Hojicha contains various ingredients including vitamins with beauty effects and tannins with antioxidant effects. It is also drunk as a diet beverage. Among them, “pyrazine,” the ingredient formed by heating amino acids, is the one that makes the Hojicha’s distinctive pleasant aroma.

Features of Hojicha process

Hojicha is produced from fresh tea leaves, which undergo steaming, kneading and drying, and roasting. Actually, you can make Hojicha easily at home. You just have to roast your tea leaves in the frying pan. It takes 15 minutes or so to complete. Making delicious Hojicha also fills your room with a pleasant tea aroma.

How to prepare Hojicha

The key is to brew the leaves at high temperature to bring out an aromatic fragrance. You can control the strength of flavor by adjusting brewing time.

<Related Link>

Manufacturing Process of Hojicha

What Kinds of Ingredients/Nutrition are In Hojicha(Roasted Green Tea)?

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.

This site introduces various types of pottery in Japan. This article is about Shigaraki ware. It is well known for the “Tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) figure” you surely have seen before once or more.

What is Shigaraki ware?

Shigaraki ware is a type of pottery produced in and around Shigaraki Town, Shiga Prefecture. Along with Bizen, Tamba, Echizen, Seto, and Tokoname, it belongs to Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns.

Features of Shigaraki ware

Shigaraki ware is featured by a number of simple works that avoid painting on them and make use of natural colors given by the firing process. The shape and color depend on temperature, the way of firing, and soil conditions, so every work becomes different and unique. Shigaraki ware has been used regularly by tea ceremony masters since a long time ago. When a Shigaraki-ware work is fired, its parts covered by ashes turn blackish brown. This is called “Koge (burned)” or “Hai-kaburi (ash-covered)” and appreciated with curiosity for its subtle atmosphere in pottery.

Shigaraki-ware Tanuki

Shigaraki ware is famous for the “Tanuki figure.” Shigaraki Town, the producer of Shigaraki ware, has a famous tourist attraction “Tanuki-mura (Raccoon dog village),” where as many as 10,000 variously-sized Shigaraki-ware Tanuki welcome tourists. Tanuki has been considered a lucky charm since a long time ago, so the ceramics of Tanuki have already existed as tea utensils in the Edo period. However, it was in the Meiji period that the production of Tanuki figures started on a full scale. It is said that a potter named Tetsuzo Fujiwara produced the first Tanuki figure wishing to recreate a Tanuki drumming its belly he had seen by chance before. The completion of the figure owed the fact that Shigaraki ware is cut out for big pottery.

The Shigaraki-ware Tanuki suddenly became popular in 1951. Emperor Showa was moved by many Shigaraki-ware Tanuki figures lined up along the roadside during his royal visit to the area. Even a poem was composed by the emperor. The scene was broadcasted by many newspapers and TV news. The Shigaraki-ware Tanuki immediately became popular all around Japan. Now, for Japanese people, “Shigaraki ware = Tanuki” almost stands.

History of Shigaraki ware

Back in the Nara period, Emperor Shomu built a capital named Shigaraki Palace. Shigaraki ware is said to have originated from the event where clay roof tiles were burnt then. The name “Shigaraki” has two possible origins. One says it was named after “Shigeru ki (lush trees in Japanese)” because the area had thick lush forests deep in mountains. Another possibility is a Korean word with a similar sound that means a place surrounded by mountains. There were many potters summoned from Korea back then.

In the Azuchi-momoyama period, more focus was put on the production of tea utensils, which resulted in the creation of many Shigaraki-ware masterpieces. The period saw the birth of the Shigaraki-ware wabi-sabi, which has been passed down well to the present. In the Edo period, they started producing daily goods such as Donabe (earthenware pot) besides tea utensils. In the Meiji period, Hibachi (brazier) of Shigaraki ware became very popular and accounted for more than 80% of the domestic production volume. Also, the Tanuki figure was born and spread all over Japan in this period. Shigaraki ware developed a lot in the Meiji period. Afterward, the production of Hibachi ended because electricity and gas grew popular in the Showa period. However, they have been making a wide range of products including tiles, bowls, Tanuki figures, and eating utensils.

In Japan, there are many types of pottery including the 47 designated traditional crafts. Among them, this article introduces “Echizen ware,” one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns.

What is Echizen ware?

Echizen ware is a type of pottery that is produced in and around Echizen Town located in western Reihoku District, Fukui Prefecture. It is a member of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns (Japanese heritage), along with Bizen ware, Tokoname ware, Seto ware, Tamba ware, Shigaraki ware. Its history is long. Over 200 pottery sites have been discovered so far.

Features of Echizen ware

Let us see the features of Echizen ware

Simple and touch daily goods

The most notable feature of Echizen ware is its toughness. Since the clay used for Echizen ware contains much iron, which offers high heat resistance, it can be fired at high temperatures so that the clay gets hardened with heat. This makes the vessel strong and watertight to be used as daily utensils such as jars, grinding bowls, pots, and storage bowls.

It makes tasty tea

The clay used for Echizen ware contains much iron, which reacts with bitter ingredients of tea to weaken the bitterness of tea and make a mild flavor. Also, since Echizen ware does not use glazes, it has small holes on its surface. They absorb unnecessary impurities of tea and make pure and tasty tea.

Late blooming masterpieces

Echizen ware is highly evaluated now. However, it was sort of disregarded a short while ago. Around the Edo period, Echizen ware was here and there as daily necessities of common people in their life. No one regarded it as an artistic or craft product. No historical values were found in it. The turning point appeared in 1952. After old kiln sites of Echizen ware were investigated, Echizen ware was designated as Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns. Furthermore, several names that existed for it were unified into “Echizen ware,” which successfully promoted it as a craft product.

History of Echizen ware

Echizen ware took a long time to see the light of day, but its history dates back to 850 years ago in the Heian period. Back then, they mainly produced daily necessities and kitchen utensils such as jars, grinding bowls, and pots. At the end of the Heian period, they started producing the characteristic “Yakishime ceramics,” which are fired and hardened at high temperatures without using glazes.

In the late Heian period, they started shipping by boat to areas that covered from Hokkaido to Tottori, which popularized Echizen ware to make it a part of general life.

However, the situation changed dramatically from the end of Edo period to the Meiji period. Luxurious pottery such as tea utensils became popular and the whole country was modernized incorporating Western culture. The demand for Echizen ware as a simple-looking commodity producer kept decreasing.

There had been long patience since then until the excavation of Echizen ware’s old kiln sites discovered its historical values in 1942. After that, the number of potteries increased and more and more tourists visited Echizen for Echizen ware. It made a great comeback, keeping its position today.

Have you ever heard of the term Enshu Seven Kilns? If you are a tea drinker or ceramics lover, you might know it. This article introduces “Takatori ware,” one of Enshu Seven Kilns. It is deeply involved with the world of tea.

What is Takatori ware?

Takatori ware is a type of pottery produced around Fukuoka Prefecture’s Toho village, Asakura District and Nishijin, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City. It has been actively producing tea pottery for many generations. It cannot be missed in the world of tea ceremony.

Features of Takatori ware

Below are the features of Takatori ware.

Takatori ware created the Kirei-sabi style

“Kirei-sabi” is an aesthetic form (concept/style) of tea ceremony that derived from “wabi-cha” of Sen-no-Rikyu. It was first created and established by Takatori ware. While tea ceremony has various expressions to represent beauty, Kirei-sabi means “refined, sophisticated beauty.” Takatori-ware is ceramic, but it is thin and light like porcelain. The fine delicate earthenware glazed with a beautiful color of finely balanced composition is literally a refined and sophisticated piece of beauty.

One of Enshu Seven Kilns

Enshu Seven Kilns refer to the seven kilns that baked Enshu Kobori’s favorite tea utensils. Takatori ware is counted as one of them. The other six are Shitoro ware in Tohtomi, Zeze ware in Omi, Asahi ware in Yamashiro-uji, Akahada ware in Yamato, Kosobe ware in Settsu, and Agano ware in Buzen.

Original glazes

The charm of Takatori ware is its beautiful color tones produced by special glazes such as Takatori glaze. Secret art is hidden in the Glazes of Takatori. However, the book of secret on glazes is handed only to a successor every generation and written in the way only the memory keepers can understand. In the long history, the secret still has never been disclosed.

History of Takatori ware

Takatori ware has a history of 400 years. It was first created during the Azuchi-momoyama period. At that time, a samurai who rendered distinguished services to a battle was rewarded with a masterpiece of tea ceremony not with territory. A family’s social standing and power were even judged by its possession of a single masterpiece tea bowl. In that situation, Nagamasa Kuroda, the first lord of Kuroda Domain ordered a Korean potter named Hachizan to set up a pottery kiln, which led to today’s Takatori ware. Back then, Takatori ware was exclusively to pay tribute to the domain lord.

A pottery boom still continued in the Edo period. In the Edo period, the production of masterpieces was generally prioritized more than daily necessities. Takatori ware thoroughly concentrated its full efforts to make masterpieces, while throwing away all the others by breaking them. As a result, the glazing technique and method that have been passed down to the present days were finalized after trials and errors.

It has been 400 years since then, but Takatori ware is still a producer of unique and unmatched masterpieces today. Takatori ware used to be available only to few authorized people and tea ceremony masters because of its exclusive dedication to tea pottery masterpieces. It never came on a common market, but as times change, it gradually showed up one the market. Today it is used as daily tableware as well. With its wide variety that covers from traditional tea potteries to daily necessities, Takatori ware will keep evolving as tableware beloved by many people.