In honor of International Women's Day, we wanted to highlight one of the amazing woman we work with in Japan!
Can you tell us about the history of your tea farm?
Our ancestors were probably already involved in tea cultivation 200 years ago. The only major changes between then and now are the introduction of Kanrei-sha/black shading cloth and the introduction of tea varieties (in the past, all tea was indigenous), but we still grow tea trees in *Shizen-jitate and pick only the first flush in spring by hand.
There are no written records because we are a family of farmers, but the current representative is the sixth generation, counting from the ancestors who set up the Tencha factory on the premises.
What is a typical day in the life?
The main thing we pay attention to in our daily life is the observation of the tea plants. Unlike other production areas, we grow our tea organically on Shizen-jitate tea garden, so we cannot control pests without daily observation and consequent early action.
What is your role in the company?
We do everything ourselves, from cultivation to marketing, so our work is very varied. We work on the tea plantation, in the production process, repairing equipment, office administration, public relations and sales. The tasks that require a lot of strength are inevitably done mainly by men, but we still help each other to carry out our respective tasks.
About what percentage of workers in the matcha/tea industry are women? Is this growing?
The exact percentage is not known by me. Please understand.
Most tea farmers in Japan are family-owned, so women have been active in the industry for a long time.
On the other hand, there has been a change in tea picking, which used to be a women-only job. In the past, most tea pickers were housewives from neighbouring families. However, as a result of changes in the social structure and the fact that many women now have a profession, some of the tea pickers are now older, retired men.
In sales, the number of women is increasing. The approach to Japanese tea has changed, and women are now active in perspectives that were not there before, such as friendly advertising or nice packaging.
What is your favorite part of this job?
The fact that I can feel the changes of the tea plant in the four seasons up close. And the fact that the matcha we produce brings a smile to someone far across the sea. Agriculture is the origin of culture. I am very happy to be involved in it.
What are your favorite tea rituals, and what is your favorite tea?
I like Japanese Cha-do, Sencha-do, and I also find the Chinese tea method very interesting. But black tea is probably the one I drink every day:)
*Shizen-jitate:
A cultivation method used to allow tea plants to grow naturally until the next season after the first tea leaves have been picked. The tree is cut back to knee-height after the leaf picking season has finished.
