Did you know that Aichi Prefecture is a matcha producing area? Matcha produced in Nishio City in Aichi Prefecture accounts for less than 20% of the national production, so it’s not widely known. However, it’s said that the connection between Nishio and tea runs deep, starting with Shoichi Kokushi who opened the Jissoji Buddhist Temple in 1271 and planted tea seeds on its grounds.

Jissoji is a temple of the Rinzai Zen sect of Buddhism where Zen and tea are intertwined. This is thanks to the Japanese Buddhist priest Eisai, who studied abroad in China to be certified as a Zen teacher. When he came back to Japan, he brought with him both the seeds of Zen and tea, built Kenninji in Kyoto to spread Zen, and incorporated tea into his training. And so, tea spread across Japan. Rich in minerals and caffeine, tea was initially used as a medicine for drowsiness control and healing. Just as Zen has incorporated tea into its training, so too has Chanoyu incorporated the Zen philosophy into its practice.

By the way, tea developed as an industry in Nishio in the Meiji era long after the tea was planted by Shoichi Kokushi in 1271. Once raw silk trade with foreign countries increased, tea started to become an important export for Japan. Nishio introduced tea seeds and tea making technology from Uji in the early Meiji era, pursuing the cultivation of high-quality tea with high commercial value. From the late Taisho era, Nishio started to focus on the cultivation and production of Tencha, which is the raw material for Matcha. While 96% of the tea produced in Nishio is matcha, it is rarely seen in Japan.

Here at Inariyama Tea Garden Park, you can see about half of the tea plantations of Nishio, all gathered in a loop around Mt. Inari. The evergreen tea plants leave the tea plantations bright green all year long. In early April, the tea leaves are gently covered with wraps to suppress the astringent taste, and in May, you can see the Tsumamiko ladies picking and piling the tea leaves. During the harvest season, there is a tea plantation where you can experience tea picking. If you’re interested, why don’t you contact the tourist association to see if you can get a tour?