About the “Tea Refining Technique Competition using Identical Aracha”

Organized by the Shizuoka Tea Commerce and Industry Cooperative, this prestigious competition evaluates the final refining techniques of tea masters—including sorting, sizing, and final firing (*hi-ire*)—using an identical batch of raw material (*aracha*). (*Aracha*, or crude green tea, refers to primary-processed tea leaves that have been steamed and rolled by tea farmers. To become a finished commercial product, this crude tea must undergo meticulous sorting to separate stems and tea dust, followed by a delicate final firing. The refining process is so critical that it is said to make or break the tea, demanding extraordinary craftsmanship and precision.)

Competition Structure

Participating tea masters bring their own aracha, which is thoroughly blended together to create a completely uniform lot. This blend is then divided equally among the participants to take back to their respective companies.
Each tea master applies their specialized refining techniques to the shared raw material. The resulting finished teas are evaluated through a rigorous blind sensory examination by a panel of industry experts, assessing aroma, flavor profile, and leaf appearance.
Points are awarded, and the prestigious Highest Gold Prize is granted to only the top five tea masters. By competing under strictly identical conditions to see how the same raw material can be transformed through craftsmanship, the competition aims to advance tea processing technologies and preserve these master skills for future generations.

At this year’s competition, a tea master from Kanehachi Tea Garden was honored with the 【Highest Gold Prize】—the highest distinction for both the artisan and our company.
We are deeply gratified that our daily dedication has received such recognition. Moving forward, we will continue to hone our quality evaluation and refining techniques while actively passing this heritage down to the next generation.