Regional desk
Shizuoka tea industry news
Updated · 53 free stories
Shizuoka is Japanese tea at industrial scale — and in 2026 it took the top spot back. The prefecture led national production for most of a century before slipping behind Kagoshima, then reclaimed the first-flush crown this spring with 10,700 tons of rough tea, up 32% in a year, as favourable weather met matcha-driven demand.
This desk reads the Shizuoka press every morning: the ministry's production figures, the aracha market and first-flush auctions, the Makinohara–Kakegawa growing belt, and the argument now running inside the prefecture — what the price surge should actually pay for. The free stories below are a sample of that coverage; subscribers get all of it, the morning it lands.
The latest
- Shizuoka retakes raw-tea crown after two years Shizuoka Prefecture has regained the national lead in first-flush raw-tea (荒茶) production for the first time in two years, surpassing Kagoshima. Ten Shizuoka tea products—loose leaf and tea bags—were entered in the World Green Tea Contest held in Shimada on 20 April, where judges assess flavor, aroma, packaging, and value alongside teas from ten countries and 107 total submissions. The contest's chief judge noted that some Shizuoka entries showed distinctive, forward-thinking…
- Japan matcha shortage; China captures 70% of global supply Japan's matcha exports reached a record 12,600 tonnes in 2025, up 43% year-on-year, yet domestic shortages persist as global demand outpaces supply. The constraint stems from matcha's labour-intensive production: tencha requires 20–40 days of shade cultivation, and traditional stone mills produce only 40 grams per hour. Meanwhile, China now supplies approximately 70% of global matcha, with production exceeding 12,000 tonnes, leveraging land abundance, labour availability, and…
- Shizuoka leads 2026 first-flush output; prices surge Japan's Ministry of Agriculture released 2026 first-flush tea production figures for five major regions on 18 March. Shizuoka reclaimed the national lead with 10,700 tonnes—a 32% year-over-year rise—after losing the position to Kagoshima in 2025. Favorable growing conditions drove the output gain. The average farmgate price for Shizuoka first-flush leaf reached 3,365 yen per kilogram, up 52% from the previous year, reflecting sustained domestic and overseas demand for matcha.
- Shizuoka regains first-flush lead after two-year gap Shizuoka Prefecture's 2026 first-flush (一番茶) rough tea output reached 10,700 tons, a 32% year-on-year increase, returning it to the top position in national production after Kagoshima held the rank in 2025. Favorable weather during April–May growth period, when Shizuoka had experienced suppressed development the prior year, drove the recovery. Kagoshima's output rose 14% to 9,610 tons, placing second.
- Exchange students taste fried chicken in sencha A Japanese-language instructor at a vocational school observed international students from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Myanmar, and Indonesia describing a Nagasaki Sonogi sencha as having a fried-chicken aroma—a reaction traced to the cultivar's grainy character, strong roasting, and the brewing temperature (90°C rather than the usual 80°C), which emphasized roasted notes over umami. The finding underscores how taste perception varies by food culture: students unfamiliar with…
Every open story
August 2026
- Mino Ibi matcha parfait debuts at Nagoya station Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Fujinomiya matcha gelato wrapped in mochi Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Yamacen opens tencha factory in Shizuoka Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Tea fields decline despite matcha export surge Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Tea maker ditches plain matcha for fruit blends 静岡朝日テレビ
July 2026
- Shizuoka auction sets record bid rate Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- JA Oigawa launches annual summer tea sale Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Hamamatsu matcha roadshow hits local youth Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Fire destroys Shizuoka tea factory Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Filipino-born matcha brand returns to Japan as reverse-import model PR TIMES — Matcha
- Blue Farm launches matcha subscription for corporate clients Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Pilates K partners with Chotto Matcha for wellness events PR TIMES — Matcha
- Shizuoka second-flush prices double; output falls Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Shizuoka second-flush hits record prices Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- 30-yr Yabukita tea trees store 31.3 t-C/ha J-STAGE — Tea Research Report
- Japan Tea Gains National GI Protection Status Marc's picks
- Fujinone opens 3rd matcha sweets shop in Atami Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Retail tea prices jump ¥200/100g on matcha boom Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Kimikura tea shop opens at Shizuoka's Takumishuku Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Push Shizuoka matcha onto global stage Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Tanabata sencha tea gathering held at Fugetsuro Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Kimikura opens tea shop at Takumishuku crafts village Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Shizuoka second-flush flat, beverage buyers dominate Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
June 2026
- Ag Minister backs profitable farming, cites matcha boom Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Ex-Japan footballer launches Shizuoka matcha Europe venture Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Japan tea group files GI to fight fakes Asahi Shimbun Digital — Tea / Matcha
- Shizuoka 'blue tea' draft tea fair event Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- First-flush prices surge; sustainability strategy must deliver Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Kirari 31: cold-hardy cultivar bred for premium quality Tea Nursery
- Abandoned tea fields converted to lemon products AgriNews (Japan Agri News)
- Gion Tsujiri launches tea-tin gift series PR TIMES — Japanese Tea
- 7-Eleven launches Shizuoka tea fair lineup Saga Shimbun — Tea / Ureshino
May 2026
- Gong cha taps Marushichi for first-pick matcha drink Google News — Harvest / Competitions / Market
- Haruno schoolchildren hand-pick tea, tour factory Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- Gong Cha debuts first-flush matcha drinks Google News — Matcha / Tea Industry
- Gong Cha launches Shizuoka first-pick matcha drink Google News — Harvest / Competitions / Market
- Matcha ice crepe launches for summer PR TIMES — Matcha
- Shizuoka firm builds matcha factory for exports Google News — Overseas / Boom
- Tanegashima second-flush tea price doubles year-on-year Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea
- First bilingual Japanese tea guide released PR TIMES — Japanese Tea
- Kakegawa matcha-yuzu crepe debuts in Osaka PR TIMES — Matcha
January 2026
November 2025
August 2025
- Fushun cultivar: high-yield sencha for mountains Tea Nursery
January 2025
- Tencha present and future: 2024 final report CiNii — Tencha & Processing
- Shizuoka new-tea tasting workshops open to public World Green Tea Assoc. (O-CHA)
- Workshops to Savor Shizuoka's New-Tea Season World Green Tea Assoc. (O-CHA)
January 2021
- Study on Japan's tencha production trends CiNii — Tencha & Processing
The rest of the desk
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