Chat with a Farmer over Tea

The other day, a farmer I know contacted me, saying “Would you taste and comment on what I produced?” Why not?! Since I would love to share the tea with others, I arranged a small Wakocha tasting gathering at a tea shop in Osaka. The farmer also joined the gathering and brought four Wakocha made from different varieties respectively: Benifuki, Sofu, Okumidori and Kijumidori. Of course, each variety has its own character - Benkfuki has a relatively good body, and Sofu has a distinctive aroma and a light body- , which makes Wakocha more interesting.Thanks to the farmer’s presence, we talked a lot including how the tea is grown and produced, and their characters etc. It helped stimulate the customers’ interest and curiosity more about tea.

Luckily (or not!?), some attendees were outspoken, making not only favorable comments but necessary points in order to improve the quality, which gave the farmer some hints to produce better quality tea. It was a beneficial and fun gathering for all. Amid decreasing the tea consumption in Japan, “face-to-face chat over the tea” could support tea culture.




Four kinds of Wakocha tea leaves   -by T-