Kamairicha Yamacha 02 Kochi 25 g

A new way of Yamacha created by the human hand and the power of nature.

人の手と自然の力が創り出す新しい山茶のかたち

In the deep, rocky mountains of Kochi, there are old, wild tea forests called "Yamacha (山茶)" from the locals. Traditionally, Yamacha has always been picked from such wild stands in the mountains to make tea. But now, a new trial of the farmers of Ino have brought this tea to a new stage. They started a mountain tea garden by combining the contemporary agricultural technique with their traditional practices.

Their cup of tea tells us that the tradition is not static but keeps on evolving with us.

16.00 €

excluding shipping cost

In stock

TORIDORI TEA DATA FILE

Catalog no. TEA07. Kamairicha Yamacha 02 (Kochi)

Origin
Ino, Kochi, Japan.

Cultivar
Yamacha (山茶, meaning "mountain tea") , propagated by plant cuttings from the wild stands.

Harvest
05/2024, hand-picked.

Process
Green tea, pan-fired by hand (釜炒り茶 kamairicha).

Cultivation
Plants grown in a mountain forest plot. Plants are naturally shaded by wild tree species. Fertilized by local grass straws and oil cakes (no chemical fertilizers). No agrochemicals. All works are done by hand.

Tasting memo
Medium body with smooth and juicy mouthfeel. Complex aroma shifting from mineral, floral, and vegetable broth-like to mountain herb-like as you continue with infusions. Delicate umami and sweetness, but also has mild minty after taste.

Brewing guide
[Japanese] 4-5 g/200 ml, 90°C 40 sec (1st), 90°C 5-10 sec (2nd), 90-95°C 5-10 sec (3rd-). 4-6 infusions possible.
[Western] 2-3 g/300 ml, 90°C 2-3 min.

Producer of this tea:

Country Friend Farm

国友農園

Country Friend Farm is a tea farm located in Ino, a beautiful town by the blue river Niyodo in the deep mountains of the central Kochi. This region is the home to Yamacha (山茶), the wild tea forests growing on the rocky slopes of the mountains. For centuries, the people of this region have made kamairicha from these wild tea plants. At Country Friend Farm, Ms. Akika Kunitomo and her team produce extraordinary fragrant kamairicha, passing on their tradition of Yamacha to date.

Living with the mother nature in the mountains.

山と共に生きるということ

In the current Japan, most of the field works have shifted from the human hands to the machines. However at the Yamacha gardens of Country Friend Farm, all works are still done by hand. Yamacha plants grow in the natural forest on the rocky mountain slopes, and they make sure that the plants grow with minimal human interventions. Unlike conventional farms, they only harvest the leaves once a year to keep the vigor of their tea plants. Finally, these natural tea leaves are pan-fired solely by hand, making their kamairicha especially fragrant and rich in flavors.

This is an enormous work, and with everything being done by hand, the amount of tea they can make is extremely limited. But the way they work reminds us an important thing that perhaps many of us have forgotten in the life of modern times: we are part of the nature, and the nature is also part of us.