Cultivation and Processing

The region and type of cultivation as well as processing are key influences for the quality and the ingredients of the final tea-product.

KEIKO tea has proven especially rich in valuable antioxidative ingredients in analyses. You can tell by the bright green color in the cup, the intense fragrance and the deep multi-layered aroma of the infused tea leaves.

Tea cultivation in Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a relatively young tea-growing region, but it has developed into the most productive tea-growing area in Japan due to its subtropical climate, high altitudes, and nutrient-rich soils.

The nearby Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, regularly blankets the region with ash clouds, enriching the soil with nutrients and contributing to its fertility.

Tea cultivation

In harmony with nature

Let’s take a trip to Japan, into the tea region of Kagoshima all the way down south. Here, under ideal conditions, the tea plants grow on the Shimodozono Biofarm.

The subtropical climate and the altitude make for an environment that allows the tea plants to thrive, while the clouds of ash that regularly erupt from the close Sakurajima-volcano to cover the area leave the soil especially fertile and rich in nutrients. Reflecting the natural conditions of tea plants growing in the shade of trees the plants of the Biofarm are shaded with nets and flourish in the half shade. From here the Japanese green tea will make its way to Europe – in organic quality of course.

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Grünteeblätter in verschiedenen Verarbeitungsstadien

Grean tea

Processing Sencha

As is customary in Japan, KEIKO teas are steamed (these steamed Japanese Teas are known as Sencha).

The majority of them are actually Fukamushi-cha, a variation of Sencha which is steamed even more intensivel. In the course of the steaming process the pores of the leaves open, so that the extract is increased when the tea is infused. You can usually recognize a Fukamushi-cha by its color. It will be a strong green color and cloudy instead of the clear light green or even yellowish cup of regular Sencha.

What does the steaming achieve?

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Matcha

Freshly milled Matcha from Germany

Before purchasing Matcha you should know that “Matcha” is not a protected term and any powdered tea can be sold as Matcha.

KEIKO Matcha is “real” Japanese Matcha after the traditional definition: a tea powder made from the leaf tissue (Tencha) only of the fully shaded tea plant, ground deliberately on special granite milling stones.

Other tea powders that do not fulfill (all of) these conditions we label accordingly, such as Kabuse powder and Benifuuki powder..

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