Tea production area: Sera City, Higashi Hiroshima City
Brand: Sera tea, Siraichi black tea
Types of tea: Sencha (medium steamed green tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), black tea, bancha, etc.

Tea has been cultivated in Hiroshima Prefecture since the Edo Period, and its industry was promoted as a counter measure to economic depression from the end of the Taisho Period (1912-1926) to the beginning of the Showa Period (1926-1989). After that, the tea industry fell into decline. However, tea production has now been revived in Sera Town and Higashi Hiroshima City.

Sera tea
The tea industry began in Sera Town at the beginning of the Showa Period.  At the time, the tea was shipped to the Kanto area. However, after the Heisei Period (1989-2019), the tea industry declined. Seracha Saiseibukai (世羅茶再生部会) (which translates literally as “Committee of the Revival of Sera tea”) was established in 2012 and its members began tea cultivation in abandoned tea fields. Subsequently to it, another newbie tea farmer, TEA FACTORY GEN also began tea cultivation in Sera Town.

Seracha Saiseibukai’s tea fields (June 2019)

Seracha Saiseibukai
Seracha Saiseibukai produces a variety of teas, a cake using Sera tea, etc.
Seracha Shop ＆ Cafe Anne’s Kitchen provides Sera tea, local vegetables, foods and sweets using Sera tea.

A variety of Sera tea produced by Seracha Saiseibukai  (June 2019)

Hiroshima Sera tea butter cake produced by Seracha Saiseibukai   (June 2019)

Tea is cultivated there without the use of chemicals, but instead various organic fertilizers are used in the tea fields, such as oyster shell, finely cut seaweed, cattle and poultry manure. The oyster shells and seaweeds are taken from the Seto Island Sea and manure from the farms in Sera Town is used. The disposal of the oyster shells and seaweed were difficult because of their proliferation.

Oyster shells on the tea fields (September 2018)

Setsugetsufuka Fukuchiin café (雪月風花福智院カフェ)
TEA FACTORY GEN’s tea can be taken at the café, Setsugetsufuka Fukuchiin in Sera Town. It used to be a pilgrim’s lodge at the approach to Imakoyasan which was renovated and used as a café. They provide sencha, black tea, soybeans hojicha latte and parfaits using the tea.  TEA FACTORY GEN cultivates a native Hiroshima variety mainly without the use of chemicals.

TEA FACTORY GEN’s sencha produced with Hiroshima native cultivate
at Setsugetsufuka Fukuchiin café (September 2018)

Siraichi black tea
Black tea is cultivated and produced in Shiraichi, Takaya Town and Higashi Hiroshima City.
From the end of Edo Period tea has been cultivated in this area, but since the tea industry has declined and only a few amounts of tea are being produced.
Citizen volunteers have cultivated and produced black tea without using chemicals since 2014. The members established an organization in 2017.

Members plucking tea leaves in Siraichi, Higashi Hiroshima City
The photo provided by 御屋敷紅茶工房提供 https://peraichi.com/landing_pages/view/shiraichikoucha/

Hiroshima Earl Grey
Shiraichi Earl Grey is produced using bergamots which are cultivated on the Ikuchijima Island in the Seto Inland Sea. Bergamot is one of the most fragrant citrus fruits, with a refreshing and sweet scent.

Hiroshima Earl Grey produced by Oyashiki-Kochakobo (御屋敷紅茶工房) (December 2021)

Bergamot, Shimanami lemon at Setoda safety fruit (December 2012)

Tea related facilities:
世羅茶生産部会 https://www.seracha.jp
世羅茶Shop＆Cafe Anne’s Kitchen
https://www.seracha.jp/annes.html
TEA STAND GEN https://tea-factory-gen.com
道の駅世羅 https://seranan.jp/road-side-station/
雪月風花 福智院 https://traditional-teahouse-34.business.site

Ceramic and pottery art: 

Reference: 
松下智 (平成3年) 日本名茶紀行 (初版) 雄山閣出版
世羅茶生産部会 https://www.seracha.jp
TEA FACTORY GEN  https://shop.tea-factory-gen.com
道の駅世羅 http://seranan.jp/road-side-station/
雪月風花 福智院カフェ https://traditional-teahouse-34.business.site
御屋敷紅茶工房・白市紅茶
https://peraichi.com/landing_pages/view/shiraichikoucha/
しまなみレモン せとだセーフティーフルーツ
https://shimanami-lemon.com

*When visiting the shops and facilities introduced in this article, please check the business hours on their website, etc. before visiting.
*The information provided on this site may be updated. If you find any information in this article that is incorrect, new, or incomplete, please contact CHAMART.
*The site does not describe all “Teas of Japan” or all “Teas of the World”. Additionally, each article expresses the writer’s personal experience and feelings.

#Seratea #世羅茶生産部会 #teafactorygen #CafeFukuchiin #hiroshima