JAPAN: MIYAZAKI ORGANIC TEA GARDEN BY THE Ō-ISHI FAMILY
Haruki Ō-ishi’s organic tea garden is located in Miyakonojō in the south of Miyazaki Prefecture, on the border with the Kirishima Mountains. Haruki Ō-ishi produces a range of outstanding, extraordinary teas in limited quantities on numerous small plots. These include rare and regional tea varieties such as Kirari and Yume Kaori, which are seldom available elsewhere.
From Shizuoka to Miyakonojō
Haruki Ō-ishi’s great-grandparents originally lived in Shizuoka, Japan’s most famous tea-growing region, where they worked as labourers in a tea factory. At the beginning of the 20th century, tea production was very different to today. There were no machines. All steps, from harvesting to chopping wood, transporting, and rolling tea leaves naturally had to be carried out by hand.
At the time, Shizuoka exported a great deal of tea. These markets collapsed with the global economic crisis, and many tea factories had to lay off their workers. Haruki’s great-grandparents lost their jobs as well. Together with other former employees of the factory, they decided to emigrate to Miyazaki, in what was then still the very distant south of Japan. They wanted to continue producing tea in a new place.
The group set off on their journey together, knowing that this was the only way they would be able to build a new life for themselves. The large factory where they had previously worked was organised based on the division of labour, and everyone had been responsible for one area of work. Haruki’s great-grandfather specialised in a job that required a great deal of experience, skill and expertise: hand rolling.
The group eventually settled in the village of Miyakonojō, which resembles the favoured locations in Shizuoka with its basin-shaped topography. Haruki’s great-grandparents were able to gain a foothold there, successfully establishing their own production in their tea garden.
Three sons, three tea gardens
Haruki’s grandfather was three years old when he emigrated to Miyazaki with his parents. Following in his parents‘ footsteps, he managed to develop and modernise the family tea garden. Nevertheless, he stuck to the family tradition and also learned the art of hand rolling, which was now practised much less frequently due to increased mechanisation. He established himself in Miyakonojō, started a family, and had three daughters and three sons. All three sons, Toyoji, Asaji and Kaoru, were so enthusiastic about the profession that they were determined to continue making tea. They divided the tea fields up between them, and today there are still several related tea gardens in the area that bear the name Ō-ishi.
Haruki’s parents: Asaji and Takeko Ō-ishi
First-born son Toyoji was given the existing tea factory while Haruki’s father Asaji, the second-born son, had to build a new one. However, Asaji and his wife Takeko were glad to take on this task, since it meant they could produce tea themselves.
Takeko comes from the neighbouring town. Her father was a civil servant, her mother a rice farmer, and she herself was a nursery school teacher until she got married. She had no previous contact with tea cultivation. When she was told that her future husband would be working in the tea industry, she envisioned elegant tatami rooms and refined kimonos, thinking he would perform tea ceremonies. After her initial surprise, she took a liking to the hard but rewarding work in the tea garden and factory. It was the beginning of a pleasant relationship that continues to this day.
Two generations hand in hand
The two of them still support their son Haruki with practical advice and assistance.
Energetic Asaji Ō-ishi sometimes supervises production in the factory or drives the harvester. He often simply enjoys sitting on a folding chair in the factory and taking in the beautiful, lively atmosphere. Takeko Ō-ishi also lends a hand wherever she is needed, be it in the factory, in the fields, or while delivering her teas to the small shops in the neighbourhood. Once a month, at the market in the town of Miyazaki, Asaji and Takeko look forward to brewing tea at their stall and talking to the tea drinkers in person.
Haruki learned the practice of aracha production from his father. Father and son enjoy working together as they discuss many things. Haruki appreciates his father’s expertise and first asks him for advice when he wants to try something new. His open and enthusiastic father is always interested in his ideas. And Asaji has encouraged Haruki to go his own way, knowing that he can rely on his son.
All of Haruki’s generation are also passionate about tea. Conveniently, his younger brother Tomohiro lives in the neighbouring house and actively helps out, for example with the final heating.
Haruki’s wife Masako, originally from the city of Miyazaki, studied at renowned Meiji University in Tokyo. She takes care of numerous administrative tasks in the company. She used to help out more in the tea garden before she decided to take up another job.
Not to be missed is Mr Kuroki, one of Asaji’s best friends. When they were young, they coincidentally went to the same matchmaking meeting – and found not future wives, but best friends for life. Mr Kuroki is a committed organic potato farmer who not only shares Asaji’s interests and values but also lends a hand with the weeding.
Tea artist with the highest standards
Haruki Ō-ishi grew up in the midst of a vibrant tea culture, surrounded by uncles, aunts and cousins who worked in tea cultivation. Yet he was not very interested in the work himself – until, lured by the promise of pocket money, he helped out in the tea garden for the first time during the summer holidays of his last year at school.
He became so enthusiastic about the tasks in the field and in the factory that he even decided to learn about tea production professionally, and enrolled in a two-year course at the Tea Research Institute in Shizuoka. Well equipped with a solid education and close contacts with other tea farmers and researchers, he then returned home and joined his parents‘ tea garden. He also completed training as a Japanese Tea Instructor so he could familiarise himself with, and teach, as many facets of tea culture as possible.
One of Haruki Ō-ishi’s specialities is the exquisite hand-rolled tea that he personally produces in small batches every year. He has already been honoured for this throughout Japan. Just like his grandfather and father, he learned the art of hand production professionally in Shizuoka, and has continued to improve it over the years.
His other works of tea art are also an expression of the young tea farmer’s professional expertise, love of experimentation and high quality standards. Haruki takes great pleasure in consistently creating top quality teas. He often submits specially designed and produced teas to competitions, where they are regularly awarded top marks.
Father Asaji mainly produced short-steamed teas (asamushi), with their characteristically clear, more yellow colour – partly to meet the needs of the tea exchange and wholesalers. Though he also supplies wholesalers with asamushi teas today, Haruki prefers stronger steaming (tsuyomushi) for direct sales and personal use. He loves the resulting bright green infusion colour. To produce it, he has professionally modified his parents‘ factory, which specialises in asamushi teas. This also allows him to realise his personal flavour preference.
Research in theory and practice
Haruki Ō-ishi enthusiastically keeps up to date with the latest tea research. He exchanges ideas with experts at the Tea Research Institute in Miyazaki about new tea plant varieties and innovations in processing, while simultaneously helping the scientists. If he becomes aware of new disease-resistant tea varieties that are suitable for organic cultivation – and full of flavour – he uses them for small-scale test cultivation. This allows Haruki to provide valuable insights while at the same time discovering which varieties thrive and taste good, and he plants the best ones for his own tea production. His tea garden is now home to rare, regional varieties such as Kirari and Yume Kaori, which are seldom available elsewhere. These varieties were bred in Miyazaki and are perfectly suited to the conditions in southern Kyushu.
Organic cultivation for the next generation
Haruki and his wife Masako have three daughters and a son, all of whom are still at nursery or school. When his first child was born, Haruki was certain that he would switch to organic farming. He had looked closely at numerous tea analysis reports, spoken to researchers, and concluded that there are always small but measurable pesticide residues in conventional teas. Even if their influence was acceptable for adults, he realised that the same quantities were problematic for children. Haruki Ō-ishi’s heartfelt wish is to be able to provide safe food, especially to the younger generation.
Haruki’s father was already very interested in organic farming, and would have liked to convert the tea garden. In his day, however, he met with little understanding from his customers. There was no public funding like there is now, and he lacked a support network. Thus, when Haruki had the farm certified organic in 2016, his father was very supportive of the decision.
Yet the first two years of organic cultivation did not turn out as hoped. So many pests and diseases attacked the tea plants that entire harvests failed. Haruki had already resigned himself to taking on part-time jobs to save the family’s funds. Fortunately, from the third year onwards, things started to look up. The tea garden found its natural balance, and the quality of the tea continued to improve over the following years.
After a few years the garden had stabilised, and Haruki is now even able to plant new cultivars. When selecting them, he makes sure to use regional and, if possible, disease-resistant varieties.
Achieving the goal through teamwork
Haruki Ō-ishi has succeeded in doing what his father Asaji had not yet been able to do: joining forces and switching to organic farming. At a regional meeting in around 2014, Haruki met two fellow tea farmers who also wanted to go organic.
Since they each faced almost insurmountable obstacles on their own, the three of them decided to join forces. Their first goal was to be able to sell organic tea to wholesalers together. By working in solidarity, they were in a better negotiating position and were able to offer relevant quantities of tea. The farms support each other in the event of crop failures, and lend each other materials and equipment. As a team, they have managed to realise the complex organic conversion and certification process.
After their organic cultivation with contract production for wholesalers got off to a successful start, Haruki also began to produce his own teas according to his personal taste ideal. The team is also helpful with this. The three friends discuss the latest cultivar tips and tell each other about mistakes that were made during production so the others don’t make them too. Team spirit is very important.
Ready for the future
Haruki has seen what has happened to many conventional tea gardens in the area. All too many tea gardens had to give up when they were no longer able to achieve viable prices. Yet by growing innovative cultivars, switching to organic cultivation, and focusing on his ambition to create top quality tea, Haruki is continuing his family’s legacy and making his tea garden ready for the future.
„Enjoy the tea three times“
A popular saying in the Ō-ishi family is that you should enjoy the same tea three times, focusing on the fragrance with the first infusion; on the taste with the second; and on the colour with the third. This demonstrates not only the great appreciation that the Ō-ishi family has for green tea, but also the care and concentration with which they dedicate themselves to their work. The family wants tea drinkers to pay just as much attention as they do, by savouring and enjoying the precious creations with all their senses. Incidentally, Asaji even takes the savouring process one step further: he keeps the infused tea leaves to eat in the evening, with a bowl of rice and some ponzu sauce.