Tea production area: Yokkaichi City,  Suzuka City, Kameyama City, Matsusaka City, Odai Town
Brand name of tea: Ise tea, Matsusaka tea, Suzuka tea 
Types of tea: Kabuse tea (shaded tea), Sencha (medium steamed green tea), fukamushicha (deep steamed green tea), kukicha (stem tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (popped rice green tea), gyokuro (high quality shaded tea), matcha, black tea, bancha, powdered tea, etc.

Ise tea
Shaded tea which is called Kabusecha is mainly produced in Mie Prefecture.
Tea cultivated and produced in Mie Prefecture is called Ise tea collectively. However, there are tea brands for each region such as Matsusaka tea and Suzuka tea, etc.
According to an old document, tea seeds were planted and cultivated in Mizusawa Town in the 10th century.

Ise tea at Yokkaichi City Chagyo Shinko Center (June 2018)

Kabusecha (Shaded tea)
Kabusecha is high quality steamed green tea. Tea fields of kabusecha are covered with man-made black mats to block sunlight for around 2 weeks prior to the tea leaves plucking. When the sunlight is blocked, catechins (bitterness components) are suppressed and amino acids (umami components) increase.

Tea fields of Kabusecha in Yokkaichi City(June 2018)

Kabusecha cafe
There is a Kabusecha cafe in Suizawa, Yokkaichi City where you can enjoy Kabusecha and sweets using the Kabusecha tea.

Kabusecha cafe in Suizawa Town, Yokkaichi City (June 2018)

The used tea leaves of kabusecha can be eaten with ponzu vinegar

Matsusaka tea
Tea fields unfold in the Iinan district of Matsusaka City. Fukamushicha is mainly produced in Matsusaka City.

Tea fields in Matsusaka City (June 2018)

Iinan Chagyo Denshokan (飯南茶業伝承館)
Old and currently used tea manufacturing machines are on exhibit at Iinan Chagyo Denshokan (飯南茶業伝承館) in the Iinan district of Matsusaka City.

Iinan Chagyo Denshokan 松阪市飯南茶業伝承館 (June 2018)

OTANI Kahei (1844-1933) was born in Matsusaka City and he contributed to the improvement of the quality of tea consumed in Japan and exported.

A photo of OTANI Kahei at Iinan Chagyo Denshokan (June 2018)

There are Japanese tea shops and cafes in the Iinan district. You can buy teas and have tea with sweets in Sinryoku Sabo (深緑茶房).

Sinryoku Sabo (深緑茶房),  Japanese tea shop and cafe (June 2018)

Tea related facilities:
マルシゲ清水製茶 かぶせ茶カフェ http://marushige-cha.jp
四日市市農業センター茶業振興センター
https://www.city.yokkaichi.mie.jp/farm/about/center.html
松阪市 松阪市飯南茶業伝承館
https://www.city.matsusaka.mie.jp/soshiki/32/dennshokann.html

Tea mascot Yuru-Chara:
Chabashira Tatsu 茶柱タツ(伊勢茶推進協議会)
Suzukachan すずか茶ん(一般社団法人鈴鹿青年会議所)
Chachamo ちゃちゃも(松阪市)

Tea in a plastic bottle with Chachamo
Iinan Chagyo Denshokan 松阪市飯南茶業伝承館 (June 2018)

Ceramic and pottery art: Banko ware, Iga ware

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・寺本益英・山田新市 (2005) 緑茶の事典 (改訂3版) 柴田書店
大森正司、阿南豊正、伊勢村護、加藤みゆき、滝口明子、中村羊一郎編(2017) 茶の事典 初版第一刷 朝倉書店
松阪市飯南茶業伝承館「大谷嘉兵衛肖像」説明文

*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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