高香園 KOKAEN (Aichi)

The Origins of Tea Cultivation in Toyota
The origins of tea cultivation in Toyota date back to ancient times. During the Bunka-Bunsei period of the Edo era, Baikou
Baicha-o, the head priest of Muryoju Temple in Yatsuhashi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture, preached that tea was a beverage
with medicinal effects and spread this knowledge throughout the country. He is said to have distributed tea seeds and taught
cultivation methods.
At that time, Terada Denbei, who lived in Hanazono Village (present-day Hanazono-cho, Toyota City) and was famous for
sake brewing, was the first to sow tea seeds and create tea fields. Subsequently, tea gardens were expanded to the
neighboring villages of Yoshihara and Nakane, and they came to support the tea industry of the Kariya Domain.
Kokaen has been involved in tea cultivation in the historic Yoshihara-cho area since ancient times. Since their founding in
1945 (Showa 20), three generations of the family have consistently handled tea tree cultivation, tea processing, and sales in
their own gardens.
Kokaen's Tea Woven by Handcraft
First, they create the soil, plant and nurture tea trees there, carefully hand-pick the tea leaves, and transform them into
fragrant tea through the owner's skill and experience. They put all their strength and heart into every process so that
customers will think "I want to drink this again" and "I want to drink this every day." This is Kokaen's tea-making philosophy.
The quality of the soil where the trees take root and grow is deeply related to the taste of the finished tea. To achieve the
desired deliciousness, they first focus on soil preparation. During the cultivation period, they use organic fertilizers and
minimize pesticides. They also avoid pruning and cultivate tea trees as naturally as possible, entrusting them to nature's
wisdom.
During the new tea season, their tea fields are filled with the cheerful voices of local women and the refreshing aroma of tea
leaves that have absorbed plenty of sunlight. The "tea pickers" hand-pick each leaf while selecting only the tender new buds.
Tea leaves picked by hand have a noticeably different umami and aroma when compared in taste tests.
Then, the rough tea is steamed and dried according to the condition of that year's tea leaves. The garden owner adds one
more step: "fire treatment." If the temperature is too high or too low, it will damage the tea's aroma. However, only through
this process does it become their "fragrant and memorable tea."