失いたくないお茶があります

生産地での後継者不足や、生産環境の変化により
絶滅の危機に瀕するお茶をそう呼んでいます。
地域の農業、自然、文化を伝承しているお茶。
美しく美味しいお茶で過ごす贅沢なひとときに、
日本各地の自然や伝統文化を、 未来に継承していく必要性に思いを馳せてみませんか？

TBSラジオ「サステバ」

小泉今日子さんがパーソナリティの「サステナブルなニュースや話題を考える場」をテーマにしたラジオ番組「サステバ」にて絶滅危惧茶をご紹介頂きます。 11/16(土)の放送で取り上げていただきました。

TBSラジオ「サステバ」
第33回「お茶から、生物多様性を考える」
https://www.tbsradio.jp/articles/89941/
＜Podcastで聴く＞
https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/TBS8845238297

「サステナブル★セレクション2024」一つ星

2024年6月20日（木）に発表された、株式会社オルタナと一般社団法人サステナ経営 協会が共催する「サステナブル★セレクション2024」において、★（一つ星）に選定されました。
また、2024年10月3日(木)、4日(金)、5日(土)に開催された「第2回サステナブル★セレクションEXPO 2024 in 東京」に出展いたしました。

サステナブル★セレクションについて
https://sustainableselection-list.com/expo_kyoto/about_ss/

About the three endangered teas

  • Kamairi-ban-cha

    Kamairi-ban-cha
    生産地：Kumano, Wakayama Prefecture

    特徴

    At first, you will notice a faint smoky aroma along with a sour plum-like aroma.
    When you put it in your mouth, you can taste the astringency and calm sweetness similar to that of green plums, and the aroma that lingers in your nose is refreshing.
    With its mellow aroma and never-ending flavor, it can be enjoyed both in traditional tea porridge and as a pairing with meals.

    歴史、詳細

    This tea is made using a traditional method that has been passed down since ancient times in the mountainous region of Oku-Kumano and Hongu. The first and second harvest tea leaves are roasted in a kettle, carefully rolled, dried in the sun, and then roasted again in a kettle in a small workshop in the tea fields. As a result, the tea leaves are rounded and shaped like a magatama, as opposed to Sencha, which is rolled to form a needle-like shape.

    The method of heating the new leaves to inactivate the enzymes and then rolling them to finish is considered to be the prototype of the currently mainstream sencha.

    おすすめの淹れ方

    1. Put 3g of tea leaves into the teapot
    2. Pour in 90cc of 90℃ hot water
    3. After 60 seconds, pour the tea into the teacup until the last drop.
    • For the second and third brews, pour in 90cc of 90℃ hot water, wait 30 seconds, then pour into a teacup.

    水出し

    • Pour 500cc of cold water over 5g of tea leaves and leave in a refrigerator or other place below 10℃ for at least 8 hours.
    • Please adjust the amount of tea leaves to suit your taste.

  • Butterfly Tea

    Batabata-cha
    生産地：Toyama Prefecture Asahi Town Hirudani

    特徴

    At first, you'll be greeted by the aroma of burnt wood and the bitter-sweet scent of cocoa, creating a nostalgic aroma reminiscent of a country house.
    When you put it in your mouth, you will taste a slight acidity and a clear sweetness similar to mizu yokan.
    A pleasant astringency with nuances of nuts and tortoiseshell candy rounds out the aftertaste.
    A gentle, soothing taste.

    歴史、詳細

    This is a type of black tea that is made by steaming the picked tea leaves and then fermenting them with lactic acid using koji mold. The tea is placed in a teacup and whisked with a pair of young bamboo whisks, which makes a lot of noise while whisking, hence the name "batabata tea." Polyphenols that have antioxidant properties have also been confirmed.

    As the number of people involved in producing tea leaves and making tea whisks is decreasing, the Asahi Town Chamber of Commerce runs the Batabata Tea Heritage Museum to preserve the ancient traditions.

    おすすめの淹れ方

    Boil tea leaves (about 5g) in an appropriate amount of water (about 300cc).

    Boiled tea is delicious when drunk as is, but it tastes smoother if whisked with a bamboo whisk, and it tastes more refreshing when chilled.

    Please enjoy by adjusting the amount of tea leaves and water according to your preference.

  • Ishizuchi black tea

    Ishiduchi-kuro-cha
    生産地：Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture

    特徴

    At first it has a sharp acidity like blackcurrant, followed by a sweet acidity like apple cider vinegar.
    When you put it in your mouth, a spicy scent like cinnamon and a sweet and sour scent reminiscent of tomato and grapefruit will hit your nose.
    The mellow yogurt-like acidity and umami flavor gently finishes it off.
    If you prefer a mild sourness, we recommend cold brewing.

    歴史、詳細

    Among the precious four types of post-fermented tea in Japan, this is an even rarer double-fermented tea.

    It is produced by aerobic fermentation using filamentous fungi, followed by anaerobic fermentation using lactic acid bacteria. The manufacturing method is said to have been passed down by Kukai at the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi, and all steps are still done by hand.

    Having been brought back from the brink of extinction, it is now known as the "phantom tea," and the techniques for producing Ishizuchi black tea have been designated as an intangible folk cultural asset.

    おすすめの淹れ方

    1. Put 2g of tea leaves into the pot.
    2. Pour in 90cc of 90℃ hot water
    3. After 90 seconds, pour the tea into the teacup until the last drop.
    • The second and third infusions are brewed in the same way as the first.

    水出し

    • Pour 500cc of cold water over 5g of tea leaves and leave in a refrigerator or other place below 10℃ for at least 8 hours.
    • Please adjust the amount of tea leaves to suit your taste.
1 3

The relationship between Japanese tea and biodiversity

Japan's Satoyama are globally recognized for their high value in terms of ecological conservation, so much so that they are referred to by the word "SATOYAMA."

It is often thought that an untouched state is good for the environment, but when properly managed and grasslands that receive sunlight are maintained, satoyama become habitats for insects and small animals and create a diverse ecosystem.

Japan's tea fields are representative of this rich rural landscape and their value is being rediscovered, but the reality is that they are steadily declining.

Efforts to conserve tea fields can contribute to sustainable regional development while also conserving biodiversity.

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and the Restoration of Japanese Tea Plantations >

Why is biodiversity important?

"Biodiversity" refers to the connections of life that sustain the entire Earth, including the diversity of ecosystems, species, and genes.

All living things are directly and indirectly connected to one another, and our lives are supported by biodiversity.

Loss of biodiversity has a negative impact on oceans, rivers and soil, which in turn leads to climate change.

The loss of biodiversity has caused major problems for human society, including food issues, disasters, and infectious diseases, and the restoration of biodiversity has become a global issue that must be addressed.

What is biodiversity?

Bonsai as a symbol of sustainability

The packaging features bonsai art from "Kengo Bonsai Gallery."

Bonsai can live beautifully for up to a thousand years with proper human care, and their value is recognized around the world.

We have incorporated our hopes for the survival and prosperity of endangered tea species into this sustainable art, which is a testament to the coexistence of humans and nature.

Kengo Bonsai Gallery ＞

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