"MOUNTAIN TEA FROM UKIHA"

Separated from the renowned tea-growing region of Yame by just a few kilometres of mountainous terrain, Niikawa Seicha's tea fields are nestled among the forested hills and terraces of the remote southern highlands of Fukuoka. Despite their proximity to Yame as well as the neighbouring village of Hoshino, famous for its Gyokuro and Matcha, Niikawa Seicha deliberately chooses not to associate its teas with these famous growing regions. Instead, the Higuchi family proudly markets its teas under the name Ukiha no Yamacha (うきはの山茶), meaning "Mountain Tea from Ukiha", highlighting the distinctive character of Ukiha's unique microclimate. One of the region's greatest natural treasures is its crystal-clear mountain spring water, officially recognised as one of Japan's "100 Famous Waters" (Hyakusen Meisui 百選名水). Used by the people of Ukiha as their everyday drinking water, this exceptionally pure water also contributes to the remarkably clean, delicate flavour of the region's teas. Situated in mountain valleys, the tea fields experience a distinctive climate characterised by pronounced differences between day and night temperatures and abundant morning mist. The mist not only provides natural shade for the tea leaves, but also envelops them in the delicate scent of the mountains, which they slowly absorb. Another distinctive feature of Ukiha's tea fields is their excellent natural drainage, thanks to the steeply terraced landscape. Originally, these terraces were used primarily for rice cultivation. It was only with the establishment of the Niikawa Seicha Factory that more and more of them were converted into tea fields. To this day, the lower valleys and foothills remain an important agricultural area, producing not only rice but also exceptionally high-quality fruit, including persimmons and grapes.

THE HIGUCHI FAMILY'S PIONEERING WORK IN ORGANIC TEA CULTIVATION

The Niikawa Seicha Factory was originally established as a collaborative project by farmers from the Niikawa district, but after a short time it proved to be unprofitable and was eventually bought by the Higuchi family. Mr Higuchi's father had learnt the art of professional tea cultivation from a renowned tea producer in Yame. Like many tea farmers during Japan's post-war economic boom, he initially focused on expanding the tea fields as quickly as possible, relying on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides to maintain high yields. Before long, however, he began experiencing increasingly frequent episodes of weakness, until one day he found himself unable to get out of bed. The diagnosis was pesticide poisoning. This became the turning point that led the family to fundamentally rethink their approach to tea cultivation, abandoning synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and other harmful chemicals in favour of farming methods that respected both human health and the natural environment. The transition was far from easy. For more than a decade, the family had to rely largely on forestry for their livelihood, as their tea plants initially suffered severe pest infestations and disease. The leaves turned red, the plants struggled to grow, and much of the tea was virtually impossible to sell. Yet the Higuchi family remained firmly committed to their vision, refusing to abandon organic cultivation despite the many years of hardship. After years of perseverance and hard work, their dedication was finally rewarded with exceptionally strong, healthy tea plants producing leaves of outstanding flavour and quality.

"EVERY TEA FIELD IS A FOREST OF ITS OWN"

This vision has been carried forward by our tea farmer Yuhachiro Higuchi, who obtained JAS Organic certification for the farm in 2001, meeting the famously stringent requirements. Organic tea cultivation is exceptionally labour-intensive. Weeding, for example, must be carried out entirely by hand, as the steep mountain slopes make the use of larger machinery impossible. Nevertheless, farming in harmony with the natural environment is both a matter of course and a deeply held principle for Mr Higuchi. He firmly believes that pesticides would harm not only himself and his family, but also those who drink his teas, the communities living further down the valley and, not least, the rich ecosystems that thrive within his tea fields. "Every tea field is a forest of its own," Mr Higuchi likes to say. Far from regarding insects and beetles as unwelcome visitors, he takes genuine pleasure in their presence and feels grateful that they have chosen his tea fields as a place to live and breed. Rather than relying on synthetic fertilisers, Niikawa Seicha nourishes its tea plants exclusively with organic materials such as rice bran, oilseed meal and specially prepared Bokashi fertiliser. To produce the latter, bamboo and other woody plants are harvested, shredded and fermented before being applied to the fields. The soil is also enriched with Kindo, a blend containing more than 100 different microorganisms that help make essential nutrients readily available to the tea plants. Throughout the year, the tea fields reflect the changing beauty of Ukiha's natural surroundings: vibrant light-green tea shoots emerge in spring, golden fireflies illuminate the summer evenings, brilliant vermilion spider lilies bloom in autumn, and pristine white snow blankets the landscape in winter. Each season offers its own glimpse of the remarkable beauty and purity of Ukiha's mountain environment.

FULL-BODIED SINGLE-CULTIVAR FUKAMUSHI SENCHA

At the heart of Niikawa Seicha's tea production are exceptional single-cultivar teas, often made from rare varieties such as Asanoka, Asatsuyu, Yamakai and Harumidori. Mr Higuchi deliberately sets himself apart from the mainstream tea market, where cultivars with more unusual flavour profiles, such as Yamakai with its distinctive herbal notes of mint and sage, tend to receive little attention. The teas are steamed for longer than usual to bring out their distinctive flavours and aromas, resulting in a rich sweetness balanced by a subtle, refined bitterness. Alongside Sencha, Niikawa Seicha produces a wide range of other speciality teas, which are also available directly from the family's tea shop on Ukiha's main road. Among them is an exquisite Karigane stem tea, distinguished by its equally fresh aroma and full, creamy body. In total, the family cultivates around seven hectares of tea fields, growing more than ten different cultivars that form the basis of Niikawa Seicha's diverse selection of teas.

NIIKAWA SEICHA TEAS