The National Cha Hinpyoukai

The 67th National Tea Competition of Japan Results (2013)

The 67th National Tea Competition was held between August 27th to August 30th of 2013. The event took place at Uji City, Kyoto. As a result of the competition, the following awards were given out.

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Individual Awards

Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Award - 8 winners
Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Secretary Award - 12 winners
Japan Tea Central Public Interest Incorporated Association Chairman Award - 8 winners
Japanese Association of Tea Production Award - 8 winners
National Tea Commerce and Industry's Association Award - 8 winners

Group Awards

Area Award 1st Place - 8 winners
Area Award 2nd Place - 8 winners
Area Award 3rd Place - 8 winners

The National Tea Competition of Japan is the most prestigious competition for Japanese green tea. Learn more about this competition here.

Below we will introduce the Area of the winners of each category. For the individual awards, the actual names of the winners are also announced. However, since the proper instruction on how to read the names are absent, I have left it out and instead decided to only introduce the Areas of the winners. If you would like to know the actual winners, please refer to the resource at the end of the page. (Japanese)

Results

Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Award - 8 winners

Category	Winner Area	Related Area Brands
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima	Chiran-cha
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Numazu City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Fukuroi City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Kabuse-cha	Maizuru City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Kyotanabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Ureshino City, Saga	-
Kamairi-cha	Amakusa City, Kumamoto	-

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Secretary Award - 12 winners

Category	Winner Area	Related Area Branda
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima *2 winners from Minamikyushu City for this award	Chiran-cha
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima *2 winners from Minamikyushu City for this award	Chiran-cha
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Haibaragun Kawanehoncho Town, Shizuoka	Kawane-cha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Shimada City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Kakegawa City, Shizuoka	Kakegawa-cha
Kabuse-cha	Maizuru City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka *2 winners from Yame City for this award	Yamecha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka *2 winners from Yame City for this award	Yamecha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun Shintomichou Town, Miyazaki	-
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Ureshino City, Saga	Ureshino-cha
Kamairi-cha	Ureshino City, Saga	Ureshino-cha

Japan Tea Central Public Interest Incorporated Association Chairman Award - 8 winners

Category	Winner Area	Related Area Brands
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Kirishima City, Kagoshima	Kagoshima-cha
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Shizuoka City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Makinohara City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Kabuse-cha	Ayabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka	Yamecha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Ureshino City, Saga	Ureshino-cha
Kamairi-cha	Amakusa City, Kumamoto	-

Japanese Association of Tea Production Award - 8 winners

Category	Winner Area	Related Area Brands
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima	Chiran-cha
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Sourakugun Minamiyamashiromura Town, Kyoto	Ujicha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Kakegawa City, Shizuoka	Kakegawa-cha
Kabuse-cha	Ayabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Kyotanabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun Kawaminamicho Town, Miyazaki	-
Kamairi-cha	Ureshino City, Saga	Ureshino-cha

National Tea Commerce and Industry's Association Award - 8 winners

Category	Winner Area	Related Area Brands
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Shizuoka City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Fukamushi-Sencha	Shimada City, Shizuoka	Shizuoka-cha
Kabuse-cha	Tsuzukigun Ujitawaracho Town, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Kyotanabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Tencha (Matcha)	Jyouyou City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Kamairi-cha	Ureshino City, Saga	Ureshino-cha

Area Awards

Category	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
Futsu-Sencha 10g	Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima	Kirishima City, Kagoshima	Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka
Futsu-Sencha 4g	Kawanehonchou town, Shizuoka	Shizuoka City, Shizuoka	Sourakugun Minamiyamashiromura Village, Kyoto
Fukamushi-Sencha	Kakegawa City, Shizuoka	Makinohara City, Shizuoka	Shimada City, Shizuoka
Kabuse-cha	Maizuru City, Kyoto	Ayabe City, Kyoto	Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka	Kyotanabe City, Kyoto	Tsuzukigun Ujitawaracho Town, Kyoto
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Jyouyou City, Kyoto	Kyotanabe City, Kyoto
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Ureshino City, Saga	Yachiyo City, Kumamoto	Shibushishi City, Kagoshima
Kamairi-cha	Ureshino City, Saga	Amakusa City, Kumamoto	Nishiusukigun Takachihocho Town, Miyazaki

Summary by Chief Judge (Translation)

"

The 67th National Tea Competition was held between the 4 days of August 27th to 30th, at the Ujicha Kaikan in Kyoto. A total of 849 products from different areas of Japan, across 7 tea types and 8 categories were evaluated. 20 Judges gathered from all around Japan to evaluate the tea, and the tea in each category were carefully evaluated.

For this year, the spring's climate was abnormally cold, and it is assumed that the decision making of the timing of shading or plucking may have been challenging. Despite such factors, the tea submitted to the competition were of higher quality than of recent years, and I would like to pay tribute to the passion, efforts, and high skills of the producers.

Below are the summaries of the result of each category.

(1) Futsu-Sencha 10kg

100 items from 8 prefectures including Kagoshima and Miyazaki were evaluated. Whilst this category is limited to machine plucking, the high-ranking and middle-ranking products were of high quality in both external visual score and internal quality score, and high precision in the processes were observed. The lower-ranking products showed some products with late harvesting or low freshness of the leaves, and there was a large quality drop compared to the high and middle-ranking products.

(2) Futsu-Sencha 4kg

110 items from 19 prefectures including Shizuoka and Kyoto were evaluated.

The high products displayed high cultivation and manufacturing skills as they displayed fresh external looks, fresh aroma, and umami. The middle-ranked products displayed good products as well as they didn't have any deductions. The lower-ranked products had some deductions, and there was a gap in quality as compared to the high and middle-ranking products.

(3) Fukamushi-Sencha

110 items from 6 prefectures including Shizuoka and Kagoshima were evaluated. The characteristics of the tea type were well expressed, with the yellow-green lust, a quality of the fukamushi-sencha, and rich umami and astringency blended together. Overall, the external visual score and internal quality score were of high levels.

(4) Kabuse-cha

100 items from 8 prefectures including Kyoto and Mie were evaluated. From the high-ranking products to the middle-ranking products, overall good items were on display. Especially the high-ranking products showed the mild quality of ooicha, and the fresh taste in good harmony. It implied they were able to successfully overcome the unpredictable climate of this Spring.

(5) Gyokuro

110 items from 4 prefectures including Fukuoka and Kyoto were evaluated. The quality of the middle-ranking products were close to the high-ranking products, showing a good harmony of the ooika and freshness, which is a characteristic of the Gyokuro, and also with ooiaji and umami blended together as well.

Also, an overall high level of skill in maximizing the characteristics and reducing the weaknesses of the breed were demonstrated.

(6) Tencha

110 items from 6 prefectures including Kyoto and Aichi were evaluated. The products showed great quality. In terms of external visual score, the products were very vivid and uniform in color. In terms of internal quality score, great aroma spread out with rich umami.

(7) Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

108 items from 4 prefectures including Saga and Kumamoto were evaluated.

From the high-ranking to middle-ranking products, overall the buds were uniform with a vivid green lust. The fresh soft green aroma, a quality of the Mushisei-Tamaryokucha and umami were well mixed, and the efforts of each of the areas were on display.

(8) Kamairi-cha

101 items from 4 prefectures including Saga and Miyazaki were evaluated. The high-ranking products were of good quality which showed the qualities of Kamairi-cha. While the middle-ranking products showed less of those Kamairi-cha qualities, they were good products with only a small difference as compared to the high-ranking products. The lower ranking products had some deduction points, however it was less than usual years, and showed an overall increase in skill.

[Resource]

http://www.ujicha.or.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/ujicha/images/67_zenkoku.pdf