Ocha no Kajihara is nestled in the gorgeous mountains of Kumamoto Prefecture, and is focused on preserving the traditional kamairicha of the region while continuing to innovate with new and experimental styles like black tea and herbal blends, growing cultivars such as Yabukita, Okuyutaka, Izumi, Koushun, Benifuuki, and even the local zairai.
Toshihiro Kajihara (梶原敏弘) is a third-generation tea farmer, who has been making tea for around 40 years. He is dedicated to preserving the tradition of kamairicha in an industry that is increasingly moving towards steamed teas. He has also travelled to the tea-producing regions of Taiwan and China to learn more about oolong and black tea production techniques.
The mountainous village of Ashikita in Kumamoto is not typically known as a tea producing area, as tea grown here was mostly consumed within the town and not exported to the rest of Japan. Nonetheless, following World War II, the Kajihara family began began a tea business specialising in the local kamairicha (釜炒り茶) style, which is a green tea that is pan-fired rather than steamed in order to stop oxidation.
When founding their tea business, the Kajihara family discovered a plot of yamacha (山茶 - mountain tea), which are ’wild’ and uncultivated seed-grown tea plants. These plants have been preserved to this day, hand-picked to produce an exquisite tea.
