Sustainable Terroir & The Chagusaba Method
Situated on the Makinohara Plateau in Shimada City, Shizuoka, Kaneroku Matsumoto-en sits in one of Japan's most historic tea-producing landscapes. Sitting at an elevation of 100 to 200 metres above sea level, the plateau offers well-draining soil, gentle elevation, and regular morning mists from the nearby Oi River. These natural elements combine to create an ideal climate for growing high-quality tea leaves.
The Matsumoto family cultivates their fields using the traditional Chagusaba method, a centuries-old agricultural practice officially recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). Every autumn, tall wild grasses such as Susuki (pampas grass) and Sasa (dwarf bamboo) are hand-cut from surrounding meadows, dried, and laid between the rows of tea bushes. This organic mulching layer conserves soil moisture, suppresses weeds, prevents erosion, and enriches the soil as it decomposes naturally. Beyond nourishing the tea bushes, this sustainable practice maintains natural habitats for over 300 plant and animal species across the plateau.
A Legacy of Heritage & Innovation
While the Matsumoto family has farmed the fertile land of Makinohara for more generations than records keep, the farm was officially established in the 1870s during the Meiji Era, with their first dedicated tea factory constructed in the 1930s. Today, third-generation tea master Hiroki Matsumoto oversees the estate.
Rather than relying solely on conventional green tea production, Hiroki Matsumoto set out to explore uncharted territory in Japanese tea. Inspired by traditional Chinese smoked teas like Lapsang Souchong, he spent over a decade experimenting with native woods and distinct curing methods. His efforts pioneered a completely new category in Japanese tea culture: artisan smoked wakocha (Japanese black tea).
The Craft: Whisky Barrel Smoked Black Tea
This signature smoked tea brings together traditional Japanese tea cultivation and the aged character of Japanese whisky casks:
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Selected Wakocha Leaves: The base tea is crafted from Yabukita cultivar black tea grown on the farm. The leaves undergo careful outdoor withering and lighter oxidation, yielding a naturally sweet, bright, and floral Japanese black tea profile with a golden amber liquor.
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Aged Whisky Cask Wood: The smoking process uses wood chips cut from authentic oak barrels sourced from Japanese whisky distilleries. These oak casks aged premium malt whisky for over a decade before being decommissioned.
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Gentle Cold Smoking: Hiroki Matsumoto slowly smokes the dried wakocha leaves over the whisky barrel wood in small batches. The heat and airflow are strictly controlled so the smoke infuses gentle oak notes, warm vanilla hints, and subtle malt character without scorching the tea leaves or overpowering their natural sweetness.
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Limited Availability: Because production relies entirely on obtaining decommissioned whisky barrels that have aged spirits for over a decade, batches are naturally small and subject to the sporadic availability of these rare casks. Once a barrel supply is exhausted, further smoking must wait until another authentic cask becomes available.
