Tea producing area: Sagamihara City, Minamiashigara City, Odawara City, Hadano City, Aikawa Town, Yamakita Town, Matsuda Town, Yugawara Town, Manazuru Town, Kaisei Town, Nakai Town and Kiyokawa Village
Brand name of tea: Tokyo Sayama tea and Hinohara black teaAshigara tea, Hakone sanroku black tea, etc.
Types of tea: Sencha (medium steamed green tea), hojicha (roasted steamed green tea), black tea, powdered tea, tencha, matcha, etc.

Ashigara tea
Tea cultivated and produced in Hakone and Tanzawa area in western Kanagawa Prefecture is called Ashigara tea.
It is said that there were tea fields in Ashigara area before the violent eruption of Mt. Fuji which occurred in 1707.
Tea cultivation began in Yamakita Town, Ashigara area as a reconstruction project of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. After that, tea cultivation spread to the foot of Mt. Tanzawa. The area is suitable for tea cultivation because there is clear water and fog is generated.
Sencha of Ashigara tea has a nice aroma with moderate bitterness. Black tea is also produced. The taste of black tea has a fruity fragrance with less bitterness.

Ashigara tea (sencha) and Hakone sanroku black tea (January 2019)
Hakone sanroku means the foot of Mt. Hakone.

Kintaro, Ashigara tea’s mascot
The mascot of Ashigara tea is “Kintaro”. He was a hero of old tales and is sung about in children’s songs. Kintaro was a strong child with a warm heart who lived on/near/by Mt. Ashigara.
An illustration of Kintaro was drawn on packages of Ashigara tea. The illustration of Kintaro has changed with the times. The current Kintaro is the 4th one.

The 1st Kintaro
Photo provided by ㈱神奈川県農協茶業センターhttps://www.ashigaracha.co.jp

Photo on the top: The 4th Kintaro
left: The 2nd Kintaro, right: The 3rd Kintaro

Ashigara tea concierge
General Incorporated Associations “足柄茶ラボ Ashigara cha labo” has conducted various activities with Ashigara Tea for regional development as Ashigara Tea Concierge since 2010.
They hold an Ashigara Tea Concierge training course, with experiences in tea fields (plucking tea leaves, weeding, etc.), etc.
During the 2-day training course, one can learn the basic knowledge of Ashigara tea, how to make tea, interact with tea farmers, etc.

Plucking tea leaves in the tea fields of Ashigaracha labo (April 2021)
Photo provided by 足柄茶ラボ https://ashigaracha-labo.com

A cafe where you can enjoy Ashigara tea
Green tea Café Chabo in Yamakita Town is a cafe which provides Ashigara tea, food and sweets made from Ashigara tea and local products. The owner of the cafe is certified as an Ashigara tea concierge.
There are steps at the entrance of the cafe, but if you request, the cafe will prepare a slope for wheelchair users and a wheelchair for persons with weak legs. Also, cyclists can use a bicycle pump and hexagonal wrenches available at the cafe.

Various menus of Green tea Café Chabo (January 2019)

Related article on the site: 「日本のお茶の生産状況」「Green tea Café Chabo」

Tea related facilities:
Ashigaracha chokubaijo (Ashigara tea shop) 神奈川県農協茶業センター足柄茶直売所
https://www.ashigaracha.co.jp/
Green tea Café Chabo 緑茶カフェ茶ぁぼう
https://www.charbow.jp

Tea mascot Yuru-Chara: Kintaro for Ashigara tea

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
高野實、谷本陽蔵、富田勲、中川致之、岩浅潔、寺元益英、山田新市 執筆 (社)日本茶業中央会監修 (2005) 緑茶の事典 改定3版 柴田書店
足柄茶 神奈川県農協茶業センター
http://www.ashigaracha.co.jp
一般社団法人足柄茶ラボ https://ashigaracha-labo.com
足柄茶ラボ 実習茶園 https://cha-lab.root-farm.net

*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.

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