Topographic Context
Japan's terrain is predominantly mountainous, with over 80% of its landmass consisting of mountains. This rugged topography, combined with the country's volcanic origins, creates ideal conditions for tea cultivation. The Japanese Alps, running through Honshu, feature some of the highest peaks, often exceeding 3,000 meters. Topographic maps
Elevation and climate variations across these regions significantly influence cultivation styles and contribute to the distinctive flavors and qualities of Japanese teas. For example, higher elevations with cooler temperatures tend to produce teas with more delicate flavors, while teas grown at lower elevations may develop bolder, more robust profiles. In some regions, farmers cover tea crops with shading cloth or bamboo structures before harvest to enhance chlorophyll production and concentrate umami flavor.
Major Green Tea Production Regions in Japan
Green tea cultivation in Japan spans from Akita Prefecture in the north to Okinawa Prefecture in the south. However, the majority of production is concentrated in the southern half of the country, where the climate and terrain are more suitable for tea farming.
Top Tea-Producing Prefectures
The following prefectures are the leading producers of green tea in Japan:
Kagoshima: Situated in the southern part of Kyushu, Kagoshima is now the Largest green tea producer in 2024. Contributes about 2.7 tons per year. NHK The region’s warm climate allows for the early harvesting of “shincha” (new tea), ahead of other major tea regions. It also has the largest organic cultivation area and “tencha” (whole leaf form of Matcha) production in Japan.
Shizuoka: Situated on the southeastern coast of Honshu, Shizuoka has a long-standing reputation for producing a wide variety of teas, including sencha, gyokuro, matcha, gyokuryokucha, hōjicha, semi-fermented, and fully fermented teas Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It is currently the second-largest producer, yielding approximately 2.6 tons annually. Historically, Shizuoka was Japan’s leading tea-producing region, with the largest cultivation area NHK.
Mie: Located in the Kansai region, Mie Prefecture benefits from a mild climate and ample rainfall. It is especially known for its premium green tea from the Ise area.
Miyazaki: Located on the eastern coast of Kyushu, Miyazaki Prefecture is known for its unique green tea varieties. The northwest mountainous region is known as the number one producer of pan-dried tea in the country.
Kyoto: The Uji region in Kyoto is world-renowned for its rich tea history and exceptional matcha production. It remains one of Japan’s most prestigious areas for high-quality green tea.
Fukuoka: Home to the renowned Yame tea, Fukuoka Prefecture is a significant contributor to Japan's green tea industry. Highly regarded Yamecha has over 600 years of history. Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
| Prefecture | Tea Varieties |
|---|---|
| Iwate | Kesen Tea |
| Miyagi | Mono Tea |
| Akita | Hiyama Tea |
| Ibaraki | Sashima Tea, Oku-Kuji Tea, Furuchi Tea |
| Tochigi | Kanuma Tea, Kurobane Tea |
| Saitama | Sayama Tea, Kawagoe Tea, Chichibu Tea, Kodama Tea |
| Chiba | Sakura Tea |
| Kanagawa | Ashigara Tea |
| Niigata | Murakami Tea |
| Ishikawa | Kaga Bocha |
| Yamanashi | Nanbu Tea |
| Nagano | Ina Tea, Akaishi Meicha |
| Gifu | Mino-Shirakawa Tea, Ibi Tea, Ena Tea, Gero Tea, Tsubo Tea, Gujo Bancha |
| Shizuoka | Shizuoka Tea, Kawane Tea, Kakegawa Tea, Numazu Tea, Fuji Tea, Susono Tea, Asahina Gyokuro, Motoyama Tea, Abe Tea, Shimizu Tea, Okabe Tea, Fujieda Tea, Shida Tea, Haibara Tea, Shimada Tea, Kanaya Tea, Sagara Tea, Omaezaki Tea, Makinohara Tea, Kikugawa Tea, Ogasa Tea, Fukuroi Tea, Iwata Tea, Tenryu Tea, Enshu Mori Tea, Hamamatsu Tea |
| Aichi | Nishio Tea, Asuke Kancha, Shinshiro Tea, Miyazaki Bancha, Mikawa Tea |
| Mie | Ise Tea, Mizusawa Tea, Suzuka Tea, Kameyama Tea, Misugi Tea, Odai Tea, Watarai Tea, Iinan Tea, Kohada Tea, Omiya Tea, Iga Tea |
| Shiga | Asamiya Tea, Masudokoro Tea, Tsuchiyama Tea, Minakuchi Tea |
| Kyoto | Uji Tea, Ayabe Tea, Wazuka Tea, Ryotan Tea |
| Hyogo | Tamba Tea, Moshi Tea, Yashiro Tea, Asagiri Tea, Asago Midori |
| Nara | Yamato Tea, Tsukigase Tea, Fukuzumi Tea, Yagyu Tea, Yamazoe Tea |
| Wakayama | Irokawa Tea, Kawazoe Tea, Otonashi Tea |
| Tottori | Kano Tea, Chizu Tea |
| Shimane | Izumo Tea, Hakata Bancha, Daito Bancha |
| Okayama | Mimasaka Tea, Kaita Tea, Musashi Bancha, Tomihara Tea, Sakushu Bancha |
| Hiroshima | Sera Tea |
| Yamaguchi | Yamaguchi Tea, Ono Tea |
| Tokushima | Awa Bancha, Kancha, Aioi Green Tea, Boke Tea |
| Kagawa | Takase Tea, Kagawa Tea |
| Ehime | Shingu Tea, Kuma Tea, Kihoku Tea, Uwajima Tea |
| Kochi | Tosa Tea, Shimanto Tea |
| Fukuoka | Yame Tea, Hoshino Tea |
| Saga | Ureshino Tea, Karatsu Tea |
| Nagasaki | Sonogi Tea, Sechibaru Tea, Goto Tea |
| Kumamoto | Yabe Tea, Izumi Tea, Sagara Tea, Kahoku Tea, Minamata Tea, Soyō Tea |
| Oita | Yabakei Tea, Inno Tea, Satsuki Tea, Tsue Tea |
| Miyazaki | Miyakonojo Tea, Gokase Kamairicha, Takaseho Kamairicha |
| Kagoshima | Chiran Tea, Ei Tea, Makurazaki Tea, Misobe Tea, Ijuin Tea, Miyanojo Tea, Ariake Tea, Tashiro Tea, Satsuma Tea |
| Okinawa | Yanbaru Tea |