Kagoshima

Kagoshima has emerged as Japan's rising-star tea prefecture, leveraging its unique volcanic soil signature, warm subtropical climate, and ambitious cultivar breeding programme to produce sencha and Tamaryokucha (guricha) of increasing refinement. The Chiran district produces a clean, delicate style; the highland Kirishima zone produces teas with greater complexity and body. Kagoshima's Saemidori cultivar — producing vivid green colour and high theanine — is now the most sought-after in Japan for premium sencha production.