Cultivating tea through generations

Uji is a city in the Kyoto Prefecture of Japan with a rich history. Over many centuries, Uji has become a place that is known for its expansive cultivation of tea because of its pristine natural conditions. As a result of Uji’s inherent tea culture, this city has been classified as the birthplace of Japanese green tea.

In Ujitawara, there is a tea factory named Nagatani Tea Factory specializing in Gyokuro, Sencha, and Matcha that has been in business for more than 120 years. The farm is named after the inventor of Sencha, Nagatani Soen. Soen is even called the father of Japanese green tea. Plus, he was born in Ujitawara, the same town where this factory is.

Currently operated by a young man named Yuta along with his father and grandfather, Nagatani Tea Factory is a family business that has been and continues to be carried on through multiple generations. They have their tea fields in different parts of town, collecting fresh, quality tea leaves with good characteristics to intricately process in their factory with the necessary equipment.

One of the tea fields at Nagatani Tea Factory. (Photo via @nagatani_tea_factory Instagram page)

Having known about this tea factory for a couple of years now, I have been in contact with Yuta, and I have had the opportunity to ask him some questions about his personal connection to the work, his environment on the tea farm, and tea altogether.

You have said there is something new to learn from your grandpa every day. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned working with your grandfather?

おじいちゃんから毎日何か新しいことを学べるとおっしゃいましたね。祖父と一緒に仕事をして学んだ最大の教訓は何ですか?

My grandpa doesn’t talk a lot. He is a man that stays in the background, so to speak. From him, I have learned how to treat tea very well. He always says tea plants are the same as human beings, so we should treat them as if we were raising a child.

おじいちゃんはあまりしゃべりません。いわば裏方の男です。彼から、お茶の上手な扱い方を学びました。彼は常々、茶の木は人間と同じで、子供のように扱われるべきだと言っています。

How do you think drinking tea heals people? More specifically, how do you feel that drinking tea in nature heals your heart?

お茶を飲むと人はどのように癒されると思いますか。具体的には、自然の中でお茶を飲むと心が癒されると思いますか？

In Japan, the amount of people who have tea in traditional ways with Kyusu (a Japanese teapot) or a Matcha bowl are declining. Instead of increasing the demand for the kind of tea that is in a plastic bottle, for example, we strongly believe that the traditional way of teatime/drinking tea makes your heart peaceful and warm. When I drink tea in nature, it feels like I’m becoming one with the nature itself.

日本では、伝統的な方法で急須や抹茶碗でお茶を飲む人が減少しています。ペットボトル入りのお茶の需要が高まるのではなく、昔ながらのお茶の時間・お茶の飲み方が、心にやすらぎと温もりを与えてくれると強く信じています。自然の中でお茶を飲むと、自然と一体になるような気がします。

You shared that your garden is where you feel most comfortable. What makes you feel comfortable there?

あなたは、自分の庭が最も快適に感じる場所だと言いました。そこで快適に感じることは何ですか？

The air is super clean, there are beautiful birds singing and other wildlife, you can hear water flowing… All of the surroundings are peaceful and comforting.

空気はとてもきれいで、美しい鳥のさえずりや他の野生生物がいて、水が流れる音が聞こえます...周囲はすべて平和で快適です。

Their tea garden (Photo via @nagatani_tea_factory Instagram page)

Ever since Yuta was a kid, he has memories of working in the tea fields with his grandparents and brother, as he usually stopped by the factory after school. His grandfather started working as a tea producer when he was in his 20s, and growing up, Yuta always admired his work ethic on the farm.

Furthermore, Yuta has stated that there are not many young people that are interested in tea and enjoy it with traditional teaware. He feels that keeping tea traditions alive is a gesture that we owe to the generations before us, which is why he is invested in the longevity of the tea gardens he works on with his family as well as sharing his knowledge and wisdom with others. In fact, to extend the tradition to others, about 20 local elderly people come to help harvest leaves once a year. It’s a local collaboration they’re thankful for.

Over the years, people from all over the world have visited Nagatani Tea Factory and share tea with them in their tea space.

The serene, traditional tea space (Photo via @nagatani_tea_factory Instagram page)

There are a lot of beautiful pictures on the Nagatani Tea Factory Instagram account that show the land they have worked on for many generations as well as the process of the tea they cultivate. It is a good place to keep up with the great work they’re doing.

For more information, you can also check out their website at nagatani-ocha.com