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
Kabuse-cha	Ayabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka	Yamecha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun, Shintomicho Town	-
Kamairi-cha	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
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)	Jyouyou City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun Shintomicho Town, Miyazaki	-
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Saito City, Miyazaki	-
Kamairi-cha	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
Kabuse-cha	Maizuru City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka	Yamecha
Tencha (Matcha)	Jyouyou City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Ureshino City, Saga	-
Kamairi-cha	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
Kabuse-cha	Ayabe City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Gyokuro	Yame City, Fukuoka	Yamecha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun Kawaminamicho Town, Miyazaki	-
Kamairi-cha	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
Kabuse-cha	Maizuru City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Tencha (Matcha)	Uji City, Kyoto	Ujicha
Mushisei-Tamaryokucha	Koyugun Kawaminamicho Town, Miyazaki	-
Kamairi-cha	Nishiusukigun Gokasecho Town, Miyazaki	-
Kamairi-cha	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
Kabuse-cha	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
Kamairi-cha	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]

http://www.ujicha.or.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/ujicha/images/68_zenkoku.pdf