When you have a cup of Awa Bancha, you're not just holding tea – you're holding a piece of Kamikatsu's heart. In its golden depths, you'll find the morning mist over the mountains, the laughter of neighbors working together, the patience of fermentation, and the wisdom of generations. Awa Bancha is a rare fermented tea made by families in Kamikatsu. Low in caffeine, Awa Bancha can be enjoyed from morning to evening by young and old.

徳島県の山間地に位置する四国で最も小さな町、上勝町では昔から受け継げられてきた上勝阿波晩茶という伝統のお茶があります。毎年、夏の暑い時期に山で育った茶葉を手摘みし、熱湯で湯がき、樽につけて発酵させます。発酵後に茶葉を天日干しして乾燥させ、ようやく完成します。このようにして出来たお茶は、産地の山々を思わせる軽やかな香りが特徴です。温めても冷やしても美味しい阿波晩茶はどんなときにも心を落ち着かせてくれます。

This zero waste philosophy touches many aspects of village life, including the unique tea tradition of Awa Bancha. Awa Bancha's creation is built upon a collective spirit. Families, neighbors, and friends gather, working side-by-side. Its shared labor strengthens the bonds between people and connects them to the land they nurture.

四国の山々に囲まれた徳島県上勝町は、日本初のゼロ・ウェイストを宣言した町。細分化されたごみの分別は単なる実践ではなく、生活の一部となっています。この哲学は、コミュニティと持続可能性を体現する阿波晩茶の製造にも息づいています。

Awa Bancha grows wild in the mountains of Kamikatsu, where locals have hand-picked tea for centuries during the peak of summer.The air buzzes with life—the chirping of birds, the songs of cicadas, the hums of dragonflies, and the cheerful banter of neighbors gathering to create Awa Bancha. Tea bushes, scattered across the mountain landscape, are harvested and prepared for fermentation.

The tea leaves are boiled and rolled to awaken natural microorganisms. Packed tightly in barrels, they begin their journey of fermentation. Each barrel holds not only fermenting tea but also the distinct character of the household that prepared it.

Weeks later, the leaves are hand-opened, leaf by leaf, and sun-dried. The result is an Awa Bancha that brews into a soft, golden tea with a hint of sourness that is both refreshing and comforting.

阿波晩茶の茶葉は、野生の茶の木から手摘みされ、家族ごとの労力と個性が込められた独自の発酵過程を経て作られます。その結果、柔らかく黄金色の茶が生まれ、爽やかで心地よい酸味が特徴です。

しかし、阿波晩茶には課題があります。農家が高齢化し、手間のかかる製茶作業が難しくなる中、毎年少なくとも一軒の家族が製茶をやめています。これにより、単なる味わいだけでなく、重要な文化が失われてしまいます。

阿波晩茶を楽しむことによって、この伝統を支え、次世代に受け継がれる手助けができるのです。

Awa Bancha is facing a challenge. As farmers age, every year at least one household stops making tea. The labour-intensive process of making Awa Bancha ensures that each batch—and the family and maker behind it—is unique and irreplaceable.

Unfortunately, making tea in the summer is tough labor. The unforgiving heat, the steep mountains and people growing older in Kamikatsu, have led many families to the difficult decision to stop making tea. When one family in Kamikatsu stops making tea, we lose not only a distinct flavour but also a piece of the culture and a unique way of experiencing the world. 

Our promise is to be a bridge between Kamikatsu and the rest of the world—to receive the skills, knowledge, and spirit of this tradition and share it with you.

This is an invitation to be part of Awa Bancha's story. By appreciating this tea, you join a circle of care that stretches from the mountain slopes of Kamikatsu to wherever you may be, helping to ensure that this precious tradition – and the values it embodies – will continue to thrive for generations to come.

阿波晩茶は大きな課題に直面しています。農家の高齢化が進む中、毎年少なくとも1世帯が茶づくりを断念しています。この伝統を守るには、多大な労力を要する作業、険しい山々での作業、そして夏の厳しい暑さという数々の試練を乗り越えなければなりません。茶づくりが途絶えるたびに、私たちは独特な味わいを失うだけでなく、貴重な文化の一部や世界を感じる特別な手段も失ってしまいます。

このお茶は、阿波晩茶の物語にあなたを迎え入れる招待状です。お茶を味わうことで、上勝町の山々からあなたのもとまで広がる思いやりの輪に加わり、この貴重な伝統とその背後にある価値観が未来の世代へと受け継がれるよう支えてください。