About Tea in Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture is located in the center of the Kii Peninsula, a land of basins, plateaus, and mountain ranges surrounded by mountains.
Tea cultivation is said to have been introduced during the time of Kobo Daishi, making it one of Japan’s oldest tea-producing regions with a history spanning over 1,200 years.
Nara tea is known as “Yamatocha” and is primarily produced in the high-altitude Yamato Plateau region, including areas such as eastern Nara City (Tsukigase, Tahara), Tenri City, Yamazoe Village, and Uda City. The mountainous environment, with its limited sunlight and significant temperature fluctuations, is ideal for producing tea with a rich aroma and robust umami flavor.
In recent years, more producers have embraced pesticide-free and organic farming methods. The tea culture nurtured over this long history is being quietly passed down to the present day.