Obubu Tea Farms Wazuka Hills

Overview of Obubu Tea Farms

Obubu Tea Farms, officially known as Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations, is located in Wazuka, Kyoto Prefecture - a region famous for producing Uji tea, one of Japan's most celebrated teas. Founded in 2004 by two tea enthusiasts, Akihiro Kita and Yasuharu Matsumoto, Obubu Tea Farms is more than a producer of teas; it is an organisation with a deep devotion to fostering a global appreciation of Japanese tea culture. In the Kyoto dialect the word for tea is "bubu" hence the farm's name Obubu.

The farm's philosophy is to connect people with Japanese tea and its culture. It also hopes to make tea a part of daily life for everybody on the globe while preserving traditional methodology and revitalising Japan's tea industry. Obubu's founders believe in educating people about teas by giving tea tours, internships, tastings, and seminars, thereby bridging the gap between producers and consumers. The teas are handmade from leaves grown on their estate, reflecting the particular terroir of Wazuka.

By focusing their efforts in the community, Obubu is very actively supporting the local tea farmers by developing and marketing high-quality Japanese teas for the world.

Obubu Tea Farms Tea Leaf Closeup

Sustainability at Obubu Tea Farms

Obubu Tea Farms is leading the development of sustainable tea cultivation by fusing traditional Japanese farming techniques with modern, sensitive-to-the-environment ways. By following international safety standards, their teas are produced under strict pesticide regulations, hence a very safe product for the consumers. More than this, they contribute to activities aiming at reinvigorating the interest in tea farming and the rural community's development. Obubu Tea Farms link green tea enthusiasts with environmentally friendly farming through workshops and farm visits.

They also demonstrate social responsibility through its donation of part of the proceeds to local charities and leading projects for community building. This approach helps not only in taking care of the environment but also strengthens the social bonds in the countryside of Kyoto.

Obubu Tea Farms Tea Rolling

Tea Production at Obubu Tea Farms

Obubu Tea Farms specialise in artisanal Japanese teas, producing a wide variety of quality teas such as sencha, hōjicha, matcha, and genmaicha. They make their teas with traditional methods passed on from generation to generation. The small-batch production is emphasised to preserve the unique flavor of each of their teas. Each step of the production process-from hand-picking leaves to steaming, rolling, and drying-is carefully managed in order to ensure quality.

Their matcha is stone-ground to accentuate its umami and bright green coluor, while the sencha is grown under carefully controlled shade conditions that heighten the amino acid content and produce a full-bodied, smooth taste. What's more, Obubu prides itself on the transparency of its production process; it very often opens its processes to tours and workshops to help educate visitors on tea cultivation and processing.

This focus on quality and tradition helps Obubu Tea Farms deliver teas that reflect the terroir of Wazuka, a region celebrated for its tea heritage. In doing so, they continue to be innovative while respecting time-old techniques in their quest to help the lovers of tea get closer to their craft of Japanese tea-making​.

Obubu Tea Farms' Impact

Obubu Tea Farms is an active advocate for tea culture, rural revitalisation, and education. It focuses on small-scale farming to provide a model of production that supports local farmers and helps preserve traditional methods of Kyoto. The direct involvement with the community through providing jobs to locals and making farmers capable of continuing sustainable livelihoods helps the art of cultivating tea live in a modern economy.

Obubu develops this on a much larger scale through various educational and tour programs they conduct locally and online, as well as their internships. This further allows international tea enthusiasts to understand the roots of their teas and aids cross-cultural understanding. They reinvest profits back into the community to evidence a philosophy of shared growth and sustainability.

They also run programs that raise awareness of the challenges in the tea industry, from the aging farmer population to the pressures of globalisation. In addressing these, they act as a bridge between tradition and modernity for the long-term future of Japanese artisanal tea.

Obubu Tea Farms Cha-chan looking ahead

Obubu Tea Farms' Future & Where We Come In

Obubu Tea Farms is committed to the investment of a bright future for Japanese tea that is traditional yet modern. It has the mission of supporting the industry in Wazuka, preserving techniques, and creating a next generation of enthusiastic producers.

Cha Dodo proudly collaborates with Obubu Tea Farms, for whom an important mission is to keep the art of Japanese tea alive. In purchasing Obubu's teas through us, Cha Dodo supports farmers, preserves the pristine environment of Wazuka, and keeps alive the cultural tradition of Japanese artisanal tea. Every purchase puts a portion into the funding of the farm's educational programs and environmental initiatives so as to ensure the future of their industry.

An ideal symbol of shared beliefs in the power of tea, bringing people together not only with a cup but contributing to brighter futures within the worldwide communities of tea growers.

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