Teruji Fujita

I am the sixth-generation tea grower of Fujita Tea Garden. At 85 years old, I am still devoted to the craft that has shaped my entire life. My family has been producing tea for nearly 180 years, and in many ways, I feel as though I have been working with tea since the day I was born. Today, my daughter is preparing to continue our tradition as the seventh generation.

Asamiya, one of Japan’s oldest tea origins, traces its history back more than 1,200 years, when the monk Saichō returned from China and planted tea seeds at the foot of Mount Hiei and in Asamiya’s Iwatanisan. The region’s steep 25-degree slopes, clear air, and sharp temperature differences allow moisture to cling to the underside of the leaves—an environmental stress that enhances Asamiya tea’s distinctive fragrance.

My teas are grown entirely in Asamiya. They carry the deep flavor, refined aroma, and long heritage of this land. With the growing global interest in matcha and Japanese tea, I hope more people around the world will come to know the true character of authentic Asamiya tea—cultivated with care, history, and a lifelong dedication to the leaf.