Carrying Tradition Forward
I was born into a family that has been crafting tea in the mountains of Gokase, Miyazaki, for more than a century.
Growing up among these fields, I inherited far more than cultivation techniques. I inherited a respect for the land, a commitment to craftsmanship, and a responsibility to carry forward the work of those who came before me.
One story has always guided my perspective. My predecessor, Naoichi Ogasa, lived at a time when the quality of kamairicha varied greatly from producer to producer. Rather than accepting those limitations, he sought a better way. His solution was to develop the Ogasa-style pan-firing machine, an innovation that helped improve consistency while preserving the character of this traditional tea. For his contribution, he was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon in 1956.
That spirit continues to inspire my work today. Each generation of our family has built upon the foundation left by the previous one—not by preserving tradition unchanged, but by finding ways to strengthen and refine it for the future.
The mountains of Gokase are both demanding and generous. The terrain is steep, winters are severe, and production is naturally limited. Yet these same conditions create an environment where tea can be cultivated organically and grow at its own pace. The result is tea with remarkable depth, character, and individuality.
Today, I work exclusively with leaves grown in our own certified organic fields and continue to produce tea using traditional pan-firing techniques. Each batch requires patience and careful attention. In that process, I seek to bring forward the natural aroma, sweetness, and personality that make kamairicha unique.
For me, tradition is not something to place behind glass and preserve unchanged. It is something living—something that must continue to evolve while remaining true to its origins.
My hope is to create tea that could only come from this place, this landscape, and this history. Tea that carries the story of Gokase into the future, one cup at a time.
