Ise Tea is a renowned regional specialty of Mie Prefecture, known for its distinctive aroma and satisfying flavor. Mie ranks among Japan’s leading tea-producing prefectures in terms of cultivated area, production volume, and production value, following Shizuoka and Kagoshima. The region is particularly famous for kabusecha, a shaded green tea that accounts for approximately 30% of Mie’s total tea production. Mie ranks first in Japan for the production of this tea variety.
Kabusecha is produced mainly in the Hokusei area of northern Mie. As its name suggests, tea bushes are covered with black nets or similar materials to block direct sunlight while the leaves grow. This shading technique encourages the development of theanine, an amino acid associated with tea’s savory umami character.
The resulting leaves are tender, with reduced bitterness and a rich, mellow flavor. Although the cultivation method resembles that used for gyokuro, one of Japan’s finest shaded green teas, kabusecha is covered for a shorter period. This produces a distinctive balance of sweetness, umami, and refreshing green-tea character.
In addition to kabusecha, Mie produces large quantities of sencha, Japan’s familiar everyday green tea, and fukamushicha, or deep-steamed green tea. Fukamushicha is steamed for more than twice as long as standard sencha, resulting in a characteristic flavor and a different texture in the brewed tea.
Whether enjoyed as a gently sweet cup of kabusecha or a more robust infusion of deep-steamed tea, Ise Tea offers visitors a taste of Japanese tea culture and the agricultural heritage of Mie Prefecture.