The organic Watanabe tea garden on Yakushima

Unique nature meets modern organic creations

The Watanabe family lives for tea - a passion that they live out on the picturesque island of Yakushima. Keita Watanabe, the new head of the family, combines old traditions with innovative methods to create organic tea of the finest quality. The focus is on harmony with nature. Together with his family, he boldly explores new cultivation methods and creates distinctive types of tea.

Keita Watanabe in front of his tea field.

A Journey Through Time

The Watanabes' journey began nine years ago when they swapped the hectic atmosphere of Tokyo for the quiet, idyllic island of Yakushima. He discovered his love of growing tea on his father Mankichi's tea plantation. Once a city dweller, Keita gradually transformed into a dedicated tea farmer, introducing innovative ideas such as shizen saibai (fertilizing with brewing residues) to make cultivation more natural and sustainable. His experiments range from black tea to white tea, and each new venture is a tribute to Yakushima's beautiful nature. With the support of his family, including his father Mankichi, Keita is constantly developing new types of tea and cultivation methods that enrich the island's tea culture and reflect the uniqueness of the local nature in the taste of the tea.

Keita Watanabe and his wife with an award on their tea field.