The Levantine author Khalil Jibran celebrated plants as poems that the earth writes upon the sky. In the hundreds of tastings that we’ve conducted, we find ourselves particularly delighted when our partners juxtapose shaded tea to wine. This reasoning reflects a profound understanding and appreciation for geographical specificity - which is something that rings true with tea as well.
Virtually all of Japan’s forty-seven prefectures grow tea. But each terroir speaks of an intimate connection between the land and the flavor it nurtures. In this article we’ll happily dive into a topic that has taken our team across Japan to find the most prestigious of teas with a character of its own.
Mountainous terrain
The Kirishima Mountains of Japan, known for high-altitude air, usually result in slow plant growth. Like the steep, sloping vineyards of Burgundy where Pinot Noir grapes develop their complex elegance, these high-altitude tea plantations produce leaves rich in aromatic compounds. The longer growing season deepens the concentration of flavors, resulting in teas that boast a floral fragrance and a delicate flavor.
The Yame region of Fukuoka Prefecture, situated at around five-hundred meters above sea level, offers a perfect example of this. The cooler temperatures of Yame allow the precious green tea leaves to mature slowly, fostering a nuanced blend of sweetness and grassy freshness. Much like the terroirs of Burgundy, where subtle changes in slope or soil can yield dramatically different wines, Yame’s unique climate and elevation imbue its teas with an unmistakable complexity. The cool mountain air wraps itself around the tea plants, giving them a quiet, unhurried growth.
The riverine
Just as the warmer plains of Bordeaux lend themselves to the powerful, full-bodied flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, the lower elevations of the Uji region foster a different kind of richness in tea.
The warm climate of Uji speeds up the green tea growth cycle, producing Sencha and Gyokuro that are robust, with a deep flavor and a smooth texture. Here, the terroir is about more than just the land; it's about how the sun and air infuse vitality into every leaf.
This mirrors the low-lying vineyards of the Languedoc in southern France, where abundant sunlight creates wines with round, fruit-forward profiles. Just as Languedoc’s wines owe their warmth to the sun-soaked land, Uji’s teas derive their bold flavors from the quickened pace of growth in the warm, fertile plains. Both regions exemplify how elevation and climate can alter the nature of a product, shaping the characteristics that define a place.
Volcanic soils
Kagoshima, located in the southern reaches of Japan, stands out for its volcanic soils, which impart a distinct mineral character to the region’s green teas and Gyokuro. These teas often carry a smooth but full bodied umami flavor with a savory sweetness, thanks to the unique nutrients in the soil. This terroir-driven character is not unlike the wines of Sicily, where volcanic soils from Mount Etna infuse the vines with a smoky, mineral complexity.
In both Kagoshima and Sicily, the volcanic influence creates something truly special. The earth itself lends a flavor that cannot be replicated elsewhere—proof that terroir is as much about the deep, unseen forces of nature as it is about climate or geography.
Microclimates
Shizuoka, a tea-growing region often seen from shinkansen bullet trains to and from Tokyo, offers a dynamic terroir shaped by diverse microclimates. Benefiting from the Pacific Ocean’s warmth and the protection of surrounding mountains, Shizuoka's teas capture a vibrant freshness, with varieties like Sencha offering deep green hues and lively flavors.
This diversity is reminiscent of the Loire Valley in France, where a mix of river climates and rolling hills produces a wide range of wines, from crisp Sauvignon Blancs to lush Chenin Blancs. In both regions, terroir isn't static—it’s a complex interplay of geographic factors that create a symphony of flavors. Shizuoka’s teas, much like Loire's wines, are a testament to how the land can give birth to a multitude of expressions, each shaped by subtle variations in climate and soil.
Multigenerational craftsmanship
Terroir is more than just physical conditions; it also includes the traditions and practices of the people who tend the land. In Japan, the art of handpicking tea, or tezumi, ensures that only the finest leaves are chosen, much like the careful selection of grapes in top-tier vineyards. The meticulous attention to detail in crafting Gyokuro, where the plants are shaded for weeks before harvest and get better with age during subsequent storage, enhances the tea's sweetness and umami.
These traditional practices link the farmer to the land, ensuring that every sip of tea, like every glass of wine, tells the story of its origins. The hands that nurture the land are as vital to the terroir as the soil and climate, binding history and expertise to each sip.
A changing landscape
The changing climate poses a serious threat to tea terroirs. Rising temperatures risk altering the delicate balance of flavors that make each region’s tea unique. In Japan, this could mean a loss of the subtle umami that makes Yame teas so prized or the robust character of Uji’s matcha. Just as the warmer climate of Bordeaux has started to change the nature of its wines, so too could climate change reshape the future of tea.
In the last few years, a market-driven shift risks sidelining traditional tea cultivars, potentially eroding the cultural diversity of Japanese tea. As farmers focus more on producing matcha which is desired both domestically and internationally, other time-honored cultivars may fade, putting at risk the rich agricultural heritage that has shaped Japan's tea traditions for centuries.
Tea terroir is a living relationship between land, climate, and human care—one that we work tirelessly to preserve with our farmers, mentors and partners in Japan.
Thank you very much for choosing to spend time with us and read this article.
