Behind a quiet farm in Kirishima, Kagoshima, two sisters are reshaping expectations in Japanese tea. When their Meiryoku Sencha took the spotlight at the Nihoncha Awards in 2021, what caught my attention wasn’t just the tea—it was the two sisters behind it.
Many women take part in tea farming. In fact, nearly half of all commercial tea farms in Japan have women involved in management. Yet it’s still uncommon to see women in leading roles, and that immediately sparked my curiosity about the Kawaguchi Sisters.
Over the past years, we exchanged emails, and I even had the joy of sharing their teas in our shop. But it wasn’t until my last trip to Japan that we finally met in person. Sitting down with Yurie and Akane, joined by Akane’s husband who is now part of the family business, felt like catching up with old friends. Our conversation wandered from tea and farming to what the future of the industry might hold.
The interview below captures our conversation.
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Could you share a bit about your family’s history with tea?
Our grandfather started the farm about 60 years ago. We grew up around it, but the turning point came in high school—realizing that if we didn’t continue, the tea fields would disappear. I (Akane) once dreamed of becoming a wagashi (Japanese confectionary) artisan, but in the end I decided this was my place. I went to tea school in Shizuoka to study seriously, though at first I faced doubts and prejudices. Some classmates whispered that the teacher was giving me special treatment “because I’m a girl.” But no, that kindness was simply because I was serious.
You’re often introduced as “the tea-making sisters.” How do you feel about that label?
Honestly, at first we didn’t like it. It wasn’t something we chose. It was a label created by those around us. At first it felt dismissive, as if people cared more about the fact that we’re women, or sisters, than about our tea. But over time, we decided to embrace it. If that attention leads more people to discover our tea, then we’ll take it as a strength. Now, I can proudly say: “This is the tea I made.”
What inspired you to submit your Meiryoku Sencha to the Nihoncha Awards?
Within Kagoshima, the Meiryoku cultivar isn’t valued highly. It’s seen as too distinctive and difficult to blend. But we never thought it was a “bad” tea. Despite some people telling us not to, we entered it anyway. And when it won, it gave us confidence that our instincts weren’t wrong.
Kagoshima is the second largest tea-producing region in Japan. How do you see your role in that landscape?
Many farmers here sell their tea straight to the Japan Agricultural Cooperative, which means their work often goes unseen. We’ve always felt that “tea without a face is sad,” so we wanted to put ourselves forward and share the values behind our tea.
By contrast, in Shizuoka—the largest tea-producing region in Japan—there are so many producers who are remarkably detail-oriented. Seeing that inspired us to shine a light on what makes our own teas unique.
And funnily enough, even though Kagoshima produces so much tea, not many locals actually drink tea. The drink of choice here is shōchu, which is sweet potato liquor. (everyone bursts out laughing)
What do you like to focus on in your tea making?
We mainly produce sencha and wakōcha, which is Japanese black tea. For our sencha, we place special emphasis on lightly steamed teas because they let the natural character of the leaves come through.
When I (Akane) was studying in Shizuoka, I tried deep-steamed tea for the first time and actually found it a bit overwhelming. I much prefer the clean and refreshing qualities of lightly steamed teas.
These days, though, deeply steamed teas and matcha, with their rich and vivid colors, are what most people seek out. As a result, lightly steamed teas are becoming less common. That is why we continue to focus on them. We want people to experience and enjoy their refreshing taste.
What made you decide to switch to organic tea farming?
We made the full transition to organic farming in 2018. At first, the decision was partly practical. Some of our fields were already suited to organic production, and managing both organic and non-organic systems became too complicated. But it was also about health. With growing awareness of wellness in Japan, and our own wish for safer working conditions, moving fully to organic felt like the natural choice.
How do you see the future of Japanese tea farming?
People often say there aren’t many young farmers, and statistically that’s true. But what we really notice missing is the middle generation—those in their 40s, many of whom left farming because it wasn’t very profitable.
Interestingly, the younger generation is showing renewed hope and enthusiasm, with more people actively stepping into tea farming. Seeing that energy makes us feel that the future of the tea industry is bright.