CHA938 Organic Japanese Matcha
High-quality, delicious organic matcha grown using the environmentally friendly Tea-grass Farming Method, a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Site.
Win-win relationship between people and the environment
"Tea-grass farming method in Shizuoka".
"Tea-grass farming method" is a traditional farming method in which pampas grass and bamboo grass are laid in the furrows of a tea plantation, and it used to be a common satoyama landscape that was seen everywhere in Japan. Due to the modernization of agriculture and people's lives, this farming method has been steadily decreasing, and is currently being continued only in the limited areas of Kakegawa City, Kikugawa City, Shimada City, Makinohara City, and Kawanehon Town in Shizuoka Prefecture.
There is a zone called "tea grass field" where grassy areas are scattered in a mosaic pattern. In the fall, we mow the grass in this tea plantation, bundle the grass, dry it, and lay it in the tea plantation. This softens the soil and improves the quality of the tea, so tea farmers have taken the time to follow this farming method. The scenery of the tea plantation where this tea plantation is located is a symbolic landscape that makes visitors feel "tea and Shizuoka".
Tea grass fields that are maintained and managed by humans are called "semi-natural grasslands" and are home to many species. In recent surveys, more than 300 types of grassland flowers coexist, of which 9 endangered species have been confirmed, and the feature is that biodiversity is maintained. In addition, it is thought that applying grass to the tea plantation has the effects of adjusting soil temperature, retaining soil moisture, controlling weeds, preventing the runoff of soil and fertilizer, and supplying organic matter.This organic matter-laden humus soil, which is rich in microorganisms, grows tasty and fragrant tea.
CHA938 有機抹茶
環境にやさしい世界農業遺産茶草場農法で育てた高品質な美味しい有機抹茶です。
人と環境のWinWinな関係「静岡の茶草場農法」。
「茶草場農法」とは、茶園の畝間にススキやササを主とする刈敷きを行う伝統的農法のことで、昔は日本中どこにでも見られた、ありふれた里山の風景でした。農業や人々の生活が近代化したことにより、この農法は減少の一途をたどり、現在は静岡県の掛川市、菊川市、島田市、牧之原市、川根本町の限られたエリアでのみ続けられています。
茶園の周囲には「茶草場」と呼ばれる草むら状の地帯がモザイク状に点在している地帯があります。秋になると、この茶草場の草を刈り、その草を束ねて干し、乾燥させて、茶畑に敷き込みます。これによって土が柔らかくなり、茶の品質がよくなることから、茶農家の方々は手間ひま掛けてこの農法を守ってきました。この茶草場のある茶畑の風景は、訪れる人に“茶どころ静岡”を感じさせる象徴的な景観となっています。
人の手によって維持管理されている茶草場は、「半自然草地」と呼ばれ、多くの生物種が生息しています。近年の調査で300種類以上の草地草花が共存しており、うち絶滅危惧種9種が確認されるなど、生物多様性が保たれているのが特長です。また茶園に敷き草を施すことで地温の調整や土壌水分の保持、雑草の抑制、土壌や肥料の流失防止、有機物の供給などの効果があると考えられています。この有機物を敷き込んだ、微生物が多い腐植土壌によって、味わい深く香り高いお茶が育つのです。