Replanting for Variety Renewal

This article is written by Hiroki A.

There are many varieties of Japanese tea, and most of these varieties are developed at agricultural research stations established in various tea-producing regions. These varieties are selected and bred according to several breeding goals. What’s interesting is that these breeding goals reflect the demands of each tea-producing region. For example, in Kyoto, where the cultivation of Tencha (the raw material for Gyokuro and Matcha) is active, the breeding goal focuses on characteristics suitable for covered cultivation. On the other hand, in regions like Kagoshima, which targets quick harvesting of sencha, early-season varieties like "Shuntaro" are developed with that goal in mind.

The characteristics of each variety are both its strengths and weaknesses. The Kyoto variety "Gokou," for example, is specialized for producing high-quality Gyokuro with a rich taste when covered cultivation is used, but when grown in open-air conditions (the opposite of covered cultivation), the new shoots harden quickly and the unique aroma of the variety becomes stronger, which makes Gokou grown in open fields have low market value. The more common Yabukita variety, on the other hand, produces a fresh and refreshing scent (referred to as "Seikou") and is highly regarded as sencha, but when growing Tencha, its strong Seikou can interfere with the covering scent (the aroma that develops during covered cultivation).

Thus, the characteristics of each variety have both advantages and disadvantages, and by selecting a variety that matches the purpose, the characteristics of that variety can be maximized. Of course, high-quality matcha can also be made from Yabukita, but with the same cultivation management, varieties specialized for covered tea cultivation, like those from Kyoto, will tend to outperform.

Currently, Japanese tea, especially matcha, is recognized globally and there is unprecedented demand. In response to this global demand, our company has been replanting from existing varieties like Yabukita to varieties specialized for covered cultivation, such as Ujihikari, Houshun, Tenmyou, and Komakage, in order to meet the demand for high-quality matcha. Although the economic downside of replanting is significant, as harvesting cannot be done from young trees for about five years, the benefits of specialized matcha varieties far outweigh the drawbacks.