Japanese Tea Report – July 2025

By SimonaTea Reports

Japanese tea remains popular overseas. According to the Kyushu Regional Agricultural Administration Office, the island’s tea exports grew by 24% in 2024, largely fueled by the global matcha boom. Kagoshima Prefecture saw particularly strong growth, with exports nearly doubling to 6.338 billion yen. While the United States remains one of the key export markets, in recent months concerns had mounted over the possible import tariff increase. Relief came when an agreement was reached this month finally setting tariffs at 15%. Prior to this announcement, major companies like Ito En had already begun considering moving some production of bottled tea to the U.S. to ease export-related costs.

As global demand for matcha continues to surge, many Japanese producers have implemented purchase limits per customer in an effort to prevent unauthorized overseas resale, where prices are often inflated two to three times. While resale itself is not illegal, a growing issue is the emergence of counterfeit matcha abroad – products with misleading origin labels and inadequate quality. To protect brand value, the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Chamber applied in 2023 to register tencha under Japan’s Geographical Indication (GI) system. Once approved, only tea produced in Kyoto Prefecture, using hand-picked first-flush leaves will be permitted to carry the GI certification mark.

In domestic news, new efforts are being made across Japan to promote tea culture and regional brands. In Shizuoka Prefecture, a new roadside station opened this month in Makinohara City with the concept of a “food theme park,” featuring local specialties, including tea. In nearby Fujieda City, a new tea experience menu launched at the historic Tongaribo building, offering hands-on activities such as an Asahina matcha tea ceremony, sencha tasting, and gyokuro brewing. Originally built in 1901 as the office of the Fujieda Tea Trading Company, the Western-Japanese style building has been relocated and renovated as a cultural hub for tea tourism, complete with a café and shop.  In Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, a special hand-rolled tea event was also held this month. For the past 40 years the city has commissioned the local Tea Preservation Society to gift the hand-rolled tea to residents celebrating their 88 birthday and this year the tea was gifted to about 1700 people.

In Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Ono Tea Industry Association and Yamaguchi University spent four years developing Ono Gyokuro for the market, hoping to revitalize a region where the number of tea farmers has dropped from 90 to just 4. In Nara Prefecture’s Tenri City, local elementary and middle school students created herbal sannen bancha blends as part of a class on regional history and culture. Two blends: one with rose geranium and tulsi, and another with rose geranium, lemon balm, and peppermint, were selected for commercialization. Meanwhile, in Wazuka Town, Kyoto Prefecture, a unique Wazuka tea butter has gone on sale. Made with local matcha, it was developed to promote tourism and regional identity.

As traditional Japanese tea finds new expression both abroad and at home, these initiatives reflect the resilience and adaptability of Japanese tea in a rapidly changing world.

 

*The article is based on Japanese media articles:

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