The Life of Schmitt 289

In the west kombucha is widely known as a type of fermented drink made with yeast and bacteria as a health drink. However, in Japan kombucha is a completely different beverage. When the kelp is brewed it creates a rich and salty tea similar in taste to a broth.
It has kept its laboratory name, and it has not been given a definitive name as a cultivar. Mr. Tamura makes his tea to perfection and the liquor offers the sweet, round flavor and rich in iodized Umami, combined with a slight astringency typical of this cultivar. The leaves are cultivated pesticide-free from autumn to the harvesttime and covered for about 10 days before harvest. Subsequent infusions (2-3) offer a refreshing floral fragrance. Located in the Yamashiro region in the Kyoto prefecture, Wazuka is the chief Ujicha production area, and the cradle of Japanese green tea culture. Nestled in sharply slanted hills, Wazuka town and its region enjoys an ideal climate & soil for tea production, and has been producing tea for 800 years, since the Japanese Kamakura era.



As you might be able to tell from the kanji that make up the word “oolong,” this is another Chinese classic that enjoys wide popularity in Japan. Made using oxidized tea leaves, it’s most commonly found bottled in convenience-store fridges and drunk cold. Brewed oolong tea has brown color and a delicious, distinctive flavor.
The world's famous Shigaraki Raccoon originated in Meiji Era, aiming at creation of new local specialty products, allegedly by ceramic artist Mr Testuzo Fujiwara. It is in 1951 that Shigaraki Raccoons became popular all over Japan when hundreds of Shigaraki Raccoons welcomed the Emperor visiting Shigaraki. As Nishimura was struggling to get tea leaves from famous tea producing areas such as Shizuoka, Kagoshima, and Yame, Tsuji advised him on his “tendency as a chef” to want to collect ingredients from all over Japan. The message was from Kiyoharu Tsuji, a fifth generation tea farmer who inherited the traditional Uji method and has mastered the art of tea.

Deep tillage not only works the lime into the substrate soils, but also aerates the soil to promote a fresh environment for a new stronger root system to develop. The aeration also allows air, water, and nutrients to reach the new root system. Once the soil is treated and aerated the tea tree roots grow rapidly and produce small hair like roots.
The pictures below are typical weeds that farmers must struggle with. It is a hassle to pluck vines away from the tea trees because long vines insistently entwine with the tea trees. The right side of the picture is the foliage of the vines entwining with the tea trees. To the right of that is a picture of a felon herb at the tea farm. Freshness is one of Japanese green tea's most important qualities.

Being one of the most popular tourist destinations, a lot of events are held throughout the year in Japan. When you visit the countryside, oftentimes English translation is often unavailable in these local events. In this situation, knowing the basic level of Japanese would help you to communicate with the locals and find your way through those events. Moreover, it would make the locals happy that you appreciate their culture and learned their language. At the end of those 30 days, if you can't honestly state that our tea is one of the finest, tastiest, and richest in umami Japanese teas you've ever tried, we honestly don't deserve your business.
Wazuka-cho,which is located at the southern edge of K