Tea production area: Kitsuki City, Saiki City, Nakatsu City, Bungo-ohno City, Usuki City, Hita City, etc.
Brand: Kitsuki tea, Imbi tea, Yabakei tea, Bungo Ono tea, Kicchomu tea
Types of tea: Sencha (medium-steamed green tea), fukamushicha (deep-steamed green tea), kamairicha (pan-fired green tea), mushisei-tamaryokucha (steamed curly green tea),tencha, matcha, kamairicha (pan-fired green tea), kukicha (stem tea), hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (green tea with roasted rice), black tea, bancha, powdered tea, etc.

Kitsuki tea 
Tea is cultivated from the coastal areas to the mountainous areas in Oita Prefecture.
Kitsuki City is the main tea production area in Oita Prefecture and located on the Kunisaki Peninsula facing Beppu Bay. The tea fields extend over the hilly area where temperature variations in a day can be large and fog often occurs. These conditions are good for tea cultivation.

Tea fields in Kitsuki City (August 2018)

Small wind generators are installed in the tea fields on the top of mountain in Kitsuki City.

The tea fields are owned by Mr. Kazuaki Sato (August 2018)

Kitsuki tea (August 2018)

Kitsuki City retains with the atmosphere of Edo Period
Kitsuki City is a castle town, and the area around Kitsuki Castle still retains the atmosphere of the Edo period.
A tea shop, Imamura-shoten Ochano Tomaya is located near the castle and operated since the Edo Period. The main building of the shop was built in 1984 and was designated as a cultural property by the nation.
It is a building typical of a merchant house in the castle town of Kitsuki with its white wall, tile-roofing, back room and courtyard.
Old utensils for tea which were produced in the Edo Period are displayed in the shop.
Matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and cold green tea (which is limited to the summer season), etc. are served in the shop.

Imamura-shoten Ochano Tomaya (August 2018)

Cold sweet green tea at Ochano Tomaya limited (August 2018)

A movie “Tanemakuhito Minorinocha”
Takahashi-seicha has cultivated and produced tea since 1956 in Usuki City and they started organic farming from 2001.
A movie “Tanemakuhito Minorinocha” the theme of which was tea was shot in the tea fields of Takahashi-seicha. Beautiful tea fields can be seen in the movie.
Takahashi-seicha produces various tea such as mushisei-tamaryokucha, gabaron tea, black tea, flavored tea, etc. The tea leaves of mushisei-tamaryokucha are not formed using a machine like standard sencha (steamed green tea). The shape of tea leaves is twisted into a rounded shape.

Takahashi-seicha’s mushisei-tamaryokucha (January 2022)

Kaya is put in the tea fields of Takahashi-seicha.
Kaya is another name of Japanese pampas grass, reeds, and cypress which are gramineous perennial grasses.

Tea fields with kaya (January 2022)

Chadaizushi
Chadaizushi is a local food and a kind of sushi made with inexpensive ingredients such as seasonal vegetables, tsukemono (pickles), local fish, etc.
Chadaizushi was produced based on the recommendation of scrimping and saving under the financial difficulties in the administration of the Inaba Domain during the Edo Period.
There are various theories about the origin of the name Chadaizushi. Chadai means a small table for tea or a tea saucer. Chadaizushi is made by putting vinegared rice between ingredients. One of the theories is that Chadaizushi looks like chadai.

Chadaizush at Saryouan Ren (January 2022)

Kamairicha (pan-fired green tea) of Inbi tea
Since the Edo period, kamairicha has been produced in the Inbi area of Saiki City.
The shape of tea leaves of kamairicha are twisted into a rounded shape because the tea leaves are not formed by a machine like sencha. Kamairicha has a rich aroma and refreshing flavor.
Inbi area is surrounded by mountains with an altitude of 300 meters and there is a clear stream, Banjo River. This area is suitable for tea cultivation because of temperatures variations and fog.

Shutoen produces Kamairicha without using chemicals or chemical fertilizer in Inbi.

Kamairicha at Shutoen (January 2022)

Pan-fired tea machine at Shutoen (January 2022)

Tea related facilities:
農事組合法人きつき茶生産組合 https://www.kitsukicha.com
今村商店お茶のとまや http://tomaya-tea.net
高橋製茶 http://tkhs-cha.com
首藤製茶 http://www.inbicha.com

Tea mascot Yuru-Chara: 

Ceramic and pottery art: Usuki ware, Onta 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
The おおいた 茶 https://theoita.com/sanpinintro/1071/
杵築市 https://www.city.kitsuki.lg.jp
杵築ブランドサイドストーリー#02「きつき茶」
https://www.city.kitsuki.lg.jp/brand/oshirase/kitsuki703.html
農事組合法人きつき茶生産組合 http://www.kitsukicha.com/original.html
高橋製茶 http://tkhs-cha.com
茶旅庵 蓮 http://www.us.oct-net.jp/saryouan/
大分県 https://www.pref.oita.jp
とよの国の食彩　茶台寿司　臼杵市
https://www.pref.oita.jp/site/sinzidai/sonota78.html
高橋製茶 http://tkhs-cha.com
首藤園 http://www.inbicha.com
nature-shop.inbi https://nature-shop-inbi.myshopify.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.