Nukata is an area in the mountains of Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. It is an area where one can experience nature to the fullest, with its lush green mountains and murmuring rivers. One of these areas is the Miyazaki district, which boasts a history as a tea production area dating back 400 years or so.

​Miyazakien has been producing and selling tea for 200 years in the Miyazaki area. In this article, we will introduce Miyazakien's commitment to making tea and popular cafes.

The history of tea making at Miyazakien

The Nukata area is located in Okazaki City, Aichi. It is said that this area began when ancestors picked up tea seeds that had been growing wild on a local mountain called Hongu Mountain and planted them there to grow. The clear stream flowing from Mt. Hongu and the extreme difference in temperatures made it an ideal environment for growing tea, and tea production has thrived in the area since ancient times.

Founded in 1820, Miyazakien is a long-established tea farm with a history of 200 years. Tea seeds are harvested from tea trees that have grown wild on Mt.

They also produce tea leaves that bring out their natural flavor, and do not use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers in our production process, from tea garden management to production processing.

Miyazakien's commitment and the passion of the 6th generation

Atsushi Umemura, the 6th generation tea master of Miyazakien

Atsushi Umemura is the sixth generation Miyazakien tea master. Born and raised in the Nukata area, he studied tea breeding, cultivation methods, and ingredients at the National Agricultural Research Institute in Shizuoka Prefecture, which conducts research and development related to food, agriculture, and rural areas. After returning home, he took over the family business at the age of 24, spreading Miyazakien's tea in various ways, and in 2019 he will be the 6th generation to carry on the tradition.

– Please tell us about Miyazakien’s specialties.

Mr. Umemura: "We do not use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers so that children can drink our tea with peace of mind. In addition, we cultivate tea trees taking advantage of the environment of the mountainous area. We grow tea in the 'open-air garden' and tea leaves for gyokuro (high class green tea) and matcha in the 'covered garden.'"

– I think it is very rare to grow tea leaves organically without pesticides.

Mr. Umemura: "The charm of Nukata is that there are fewer pests than in the plains to begin with, so we rarely use pesticides in the surrounding vegetable fields. That is why I had no worries about the tea leaves, and there was no particular resistance in starting pesticide-free and organic cultivation.

However, in order to grow organically without pesticides, it was difficult to change the soil after letting it sit for about three years. I was very happy when I succeeded in producing pesticide-free and organic tea leaves. The tea leaves were also more lively and full of brilliance than before. In 2006, we acquired JAS organic farming certification for the first time in Aichi Prefecture. ”

– Miyazakien's tea can be seen in various places such as restaurants and cafes in the prefecture.

Mr. Umemura: "In the past, we were responsible for production and processing as a wholesaler, leaving tea leaves with agricultural cooperatives and trading companies and selling them in their packages in stores and handling dried goods such as incense gifts, but we thought that if that was all we did, we would be caught in price competition.

Until 11 years ago, before the merger of Nukata and Okazaki, Miyazaki En was responsible for most of the tea consumption in the Nukata area, but at the same time as the merger, a major company entered the market, leading to the price competition that we had feared. We decided that we should not do the same kind of business, so we decided to sell our own products, create original packaging, and brand Miyazakien itself! We decided to do this and here we are today."

– Please tell us about “Wakocha”.

Mr. Umemura: “I developed Wakocha (Japanese black tea) about 10 years ago. Like wine, Wakocha has different varieties, fermentation methods, and processing methods depending on the place of production, so the taste varies depending on the place of production. It has a strong bitterness and astringency. However, when it is fermented, the bitterness and astringency are replaced by sweetness.By taking advantage of this feature, we aimed to create a slightly sweet black tea with little bitterness or astringency.

Tea production is difficult and interesting because it changes every year depending on the climate at that time. That's why I think it would be even better if, like wine, people could know what it tastes like in 2020.

– What are your thoughts on the community through tea making?

Mr. Umemura: "I had 12 classmates in Nukata, but now only one remains in the local community, and they have all left for urban centers such as Nagoya and Hamamatsu in search of work. If there is industry here, we can raise our children and live as a family here, and it will be more vibrant. I have children myself, and I want them to be proud to live in Nukata in the future, and I feel that if we want them to live here in the future, we have to create industry."

Mr. Umemura: “So what we paid attention to was the 'water' that makes use of Nukata's nature. The water around here is said to be super soft water. I thought that water is one of the tools that makes it easier for local people to realize that they are living with the blessings of the mountains. ”

Mr. Umemura: “Therefore, we launched the “Kakigori Kaido” (http://okazaki-kakigoori-kaidou.com) so that you can enjoy kakigori (shaved ice) using water from Nukata. We did regional branding so that you can enjoy it. In the summer, long lines formed at each shop.

In this way, tea sales, cafes, and shaved ice are all tools for branding Nukata. I want to create more and more industries that can be done in this area. ”