Shizuoka's food cultureKnow

When you hear "tea-producing areas," many people will immediately think of Shizuoka Prefecture. Shizuoka Prefecture is the number one tea-producing area in Japan, ranking first in both tea production and cultivation area*1. Tea is cultivated widely from mountainous areas to plains*1, and there are more than 2 tea-producing areas within the prefecture.

※1…Source:Shizuoka Prefecture Official Website (Number one in Japan for tea cultivation area, crude tea (production volume, output value))

※2…Source:FAR EAST TEA COMPANY "Tea producing areas of Japan"

◾︎The spread and history of Shizuoka tea

The origins of tea in Shizuoka Prefecture date back about 800 years ago. It is said that the Kamakura period monk Shoichi Kokushi brought back tea seeds from China, where he had been training, and planted them in Ashikubo, near his hometown of Tochizawa, Okawa Village, Abe County (present-day Tochizawa, Shizuoka City). *1

It was not until the Edo period that tea cultivation began in earnest. There is an anecdote about Tokugawa Ieyasu adding Shizuoka tea to his crops. It is also said that the tea fields in Makinohara, a tea-producing region, were developed by former shogunate officials who accompanied Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun, who retired to Sunpu after the Meiji Restoration.

Shizuoka Prefecture is blessed with a rich natural environment, with lots of sunny land like Makinohara, and the mist from the rivers in the mountains helps to grow delicious tea. In other prefectures, tea cultivation is dominated by plains, but Shizuoka is unique in that it also cultivates tea in high mountain areas, such as the "tea fields in the sky" that offer spectacular views that are a hot topic on social media.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, there are an increasing number of shops where you can easily enjoy Shizuoka tea in a delicious and stylish way.

Here we've picked out a local summer sweet: an experiential shaved ice experience where you can make your own Shizuoka matcha!

※1…Source:Shizuoka City, home of tea

◾︎"Chasho Marugyokuen" has been spreading "delicious Shizuoka tea" since 1950

You can easily taste and purchase fine tea from Shizuoka, the tea kingdom, at Chasho Marugyokuen Toroda Store (SANOWA), about a 10-minute drive from Yaizu IC on the Tomei Expressway.

The shop was founded in 1950. Currently, the third generation owner, Keisuke Masuda, is the representative, and the shop is run by his younger brother Kotaro and his wife.

Our "tea masters," who can discern the quality of tea, visit the "tea market" and carefully select the crude tea*, which we then process into tea at our own tea processing factory and sell.

The store is filled with a wide selection of Shizuoka teas that are made with the utmost attention to quality!

*Aracha: Tea leaves that have been steamed and dried. Tea manufacturing involves further processing the leaves to make them available to consumers.

There is also a wide selection of handmade tea sweets that are free of preservatives and colorings.

The matcha sweets in particular are made using high-quality tea from Okabe, Shizuoka Prefecture.

◾︎Enjoy an experiential shaved ice experience where you can make it yourself

In one corner of the shop there is an eat-in corner where you can view the small garden through the glass, and enjoy handmade sweets and take-out drinks made with Shizuoka tea.

The highlight is the summer-only shaved ice. Among them, the "Shizuoka Matcha Zukushi" is an experiential menu item that allows you to make your own matcha and turn it into shaved ice syrup or matcha latte.

You might think, "Making matcha seems difficult...", but there is an easy-to-understand explanation on how to make matcha even for beginners, and the staff will gladly assist you.

When you order the "Shizuoka Matcha Zukushi," you'll be presented with vibrant green matcha, a bowl of water, kanro tea, and a tea whisk. These will be used to prepare the matcha.

Start slowly to dissolve the matcha. Next, move the tea whisk vertically, drawing the letter "M".

Every time you move the tea whisk, you hear a satisfying "shaka-shaka" sound, which is fun! You will also be soothed by the aroma of the tea that spreads out.

Pour the freshly made matcha over the milk to make a matcha latte. If you pour it slowly, the green of the matcha and the white of the milk will separate into two layers, which makes for a great photo.

When you drink it, you can taste the mellow flavor of matcha. Above all, you'll be impressed by the fluffy bubbles in the mouth of the matcha you made yourself!

And finally the shaved ice was brought out. It was piled high with fluffy ice, almost overflowing from the bowl. The shaved ice was about 20cm high and was topped with shiratama (rice flour dumplings) and sweet bean paste, making it very filling!

Add the remaining matcha and kanro to the mix to make matcha syrup for shaved ice. Pour the syrup over the top of the fluffy ice.

The shaved ice, made with luxurious "freshly brewed matcha", has the color and aroma of matcha itself. The luxurious visual is sure to get your heart racing.

After it melts smoothly, the aroma of matcha and a slight sweetness spread throughout your mouth. You can add syrup whenever you like, so you can enjoy the matcha right down to the last bite without it spoiling.

Not only is it delicious, but you also get a sense of accomplishment from having made it yourself, making it even more delicious.

The hot days are still continuing. There are other summer desserts using "tea" in Shizuoka Prefecture. Why not explore other ways to enjoy tea besides just drinking it?