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The National Cha Hinpyoukai

The 68th National Tea Competition of Japan Results (2014)

The 68th National Tea Competition was held between August 26th to August 29th of 2014. The event took place at Miyazaki City, Miyazaki. 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 - 7 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

Kirishima City, Kagoshima

Kagoshima-cha

Futsu-Sencha 4g

Yame City, Fukuoka

Yamecha

Fukamushi-Sencha

Shimada City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-cha

Ayabe City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Gyokuro

Yame City, Fukuoka

Yamecha

Tencha (Matcha)

Uji City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Koyugun, Shintomicho Town

-

Nishiusukigun Takachihocho Town, Miyazaki

-

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Secretary Award - 12 winners

Category Winner Area Related Area Branda

Futsu-Sencha 10g

Miyakonojyo City, Miyazaki

-

Futsu-Sencha 10g

Kirishima City, Kagoshima

Kagoshima-cha

Futsu-Sencha 4g

Yame City, Fukuoka

Yamecha

Fukamushi-Sencha

Kakegawa City, Shizuoka

Kakegawa-cha

Fukamushi-Sencha

Kikkawa City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-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)

Jyouyou City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Koyugun Shintomicho Town, Miyazaki

-

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Saito City, Miyazaki

-

Nobeoka City, Miyazaki

-

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

Kakegawa City, Shizuoka

Kakegawa-cha

Maizuru City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Gyokuro

Yame City, Fukuoka

Yamecha

Tencha (Matcha)

Jyouyou City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Ureshino City, Saga

-

Nishiusukigun Gokasechou Town, Miyazaki

-

Japanese Association of Tea Production Award - 8 winners

Category Winner Area Related Area Brands

Futsu-Sencha 10g

Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-cha

Futsu-Sencha 4g

Shizuoka City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-cha

Fukamushi-Sencha

Kakegawa City, Shizuoka

Kakegawa-cha

Ayabe City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Gyokuro

Yame City, Fukuoka

Yamecha

Tencha (Matcha)

Uji City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Koyugun Kawaminamicho Town, Miyazaki

-

Nobeoka City, Miyazaki

-

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

Category Winner Area Related Area Brands

Futsu-Sencha 4g

Shizuoka City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-cha

Fukamushi-Sencha

Shimada City, Shizuoka

Shizuoka-cha

Maizuru City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Tencha (Matcha)

Uji City, Kyoto

Ujicha

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Koyugun Kawaminamicho Town, Miyazaki

-

Nishiusukigun Gokasecho Town, Miyazaki

-

Nishiusukigun Hinokagecho Town, Miyazaki

-

Area Awards

Category 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

Futsu-Sencha 10g

Kirishima City, Kagoshima

Miyakonojyo City, Miyazaki

Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima

Futsu-Sencha 4g

Shizuoka City, Shizuoka

Yame City, Fukuoka

Kawanehonchou town, Shizuoka

Fukamushi-Sencha

Kakegawa City, Shizuoka

Shimada City, Shizuoka

Makinohara City, Shizuoka

Maizuru City, Kyoto

Ayabe City, Kyoto

Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto

Gyokuro

Yame City, Fukuoka

Kyotanabe City, Kyoto

Fujieda City, Shizuoka

Tencha (Matcha)

Uji City, Kyoto

Jyouyou City, Kyoto

Kyotanabe City, Kyoto

Mushisei-Tamaryokucha

Koyugun Shintomicho Town, Miyazaki

Koyugun Kawaminami Town, Miyazaki

Ureshino City, Saga

Nishiusukigun Gokasechou Town, Miyazaki

Nobeoka City, Miyazaki

Nishiusukigun Takachihocho Town, Miyazaki

Summary by Chief Judge (Translation)

"

The 68th National Tea Competition was held between the 4 days of August 26th to 29th of 2014. This was held at the Miyazaki Keizairen Charyutsu Center in Miyazaki City, Miyazaki. A total of 827 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. 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
 
The Futsu-Sencha 10kg category is the only category in which it is limited to machine plucking. Products from 11 prefectures including Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Shizuoka were evaluated.
The high-ranking and middle-ranking products were of both great external visual score and internal quality score, and displayed high precision in their machine processes. Especially the high-ranking products displayed the fresh aroma of the young buds, and the quality was no different than the hand picked products.
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
 
102 items from 17 prefectures including Shizuoka, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima were evaluated.
The high-ranking products were high quality in both external visual score and internal quality score. There was a gap in quality between the high-ranking products and low-ranking products, as the low-ranking products showed several deduction points in different areas. Showed that the cultivation and manufacturing processes required improvements.
 
(3) Fukamushi-Sencha
 
High quality products with the characteristic rich umami in addition to the yellow-green lust were on display.
 
(4) Kabuse-cha
 
101 items from across 7 prefectures including Kyoto, Mie, Kagoshima and Shizuoka were evaluated.
The high-ranking products displayed high quality in both the ooika aroma and the freshness, which are characteristics of the ooicha. There was a significant drop in quality between the high-ranking products and the low-ranking products.
 
(5) Gyokuro
 
100 items from Fukuoka, Kyoto, Shizuoka and Kagoshima were evaluated. The quality of the middle-ranking products were close to the high-ranking products, with high marks in both the external visual score and internal quality score. Many products showed good ooicha characteristics with ooika, ooiaji, umami, and freshness mixed well together.
Also, an overall high level of skill in maximizing the characteristics and reducing the weaknesses of the breed were demonstrated. Some of the low-ranking products required improvements, but overall the level was high.
 
(6) Tencha
 
100 items from 6 prefectures, including Kyoto, Aichi and Shizuoka were evaluated.
Fantastic products possessing the great Tencha qualities of fresh external display, mild umami, and rich aroma were on display.
 
(7) Mushisei-Tamaryokucha
 
110 items from 5 prefectures - Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima were evaluated.
From the high-ranking to middle-ranking products, there were many products which were difficult to rank one above another due to the high quality of the contesting items. They inherit the fresh aroma and strong umami which are the qualities of the Mushisei-Tamaryokucha. The lower ranking products showed some products with weak taste, but showed the great passion of the area.
 
(8) Kamairi-cha
 
103 items from 5 prefectures - Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Saga, Nagasaki, and Shizuoka were evaluated.
The high-ranking products were of great quality and rounded well. They had the fresh young-bud aroma and the refreshing unique taste which are the characteristics of the Kamairi-cha.
The middle-ranked products showed little difference from the high-ranking products. Some of the low-ranking products showed deductions such as having smoky smell, but overall the products were of high quality, and displayed a great strive in the improvement of the quality of the Kamairi-cha.
 
 
 

[Resource]

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