Just like rice and vegetables, there are many varieties of tea, and there are reasons why they are cultivated.
This makes the tea resistant to pests and diseases, resulting in high quality and high yields.
Tea production can be made smoother by producing early, mid-season, and late-season varieties so that the tea picking seasons do not overlap.
To create a variety with characteristics that will make it a popular tea (high in umami ingredients, good tea color, etc.).
Uji tea varieties are bred to bring out the characteristics of tea grown under cover.
This is a method of growing tea from seeds. As shown in the image, the seeds have different fruit formation patterns, such as one, two, or three. The "∴" mark seems to have become the map symbol for tea fields because of the way the seeds form three fruits.
See Geographical Survey Institute website
Nowadays, tea plants are propagated by cuttings rather than seeds. This method involves cutting off a branch and turning it into a seedling. A healthy branch is cut off from a large tea plant, planted in soil, and allowed to sprout roots to become a seedling. After one to two years of growth, the seedling is planted in the tea field.
"Why from cuttings and not from seeds?"
Tea trees grown from seeds have various characteristics, which makes cultivation management difficult and hinders the production of high quality tea. For example, the growth rate and resistance to diseases and pests are different, so by propagating the same variety by cuttings, tea plants with the same characteristics can be produced, improving cultivation management and quality.
| Old strain name | Hirano No. 11 (Uji native variety selection) |
|---|---|
| Development year | Showa 29 |
| Breeder | Mr. Jinnojo Hirano |
| Harvesting season | Medium-ripening (almost the same as 'Yabukita') |
| Tree posture | Upright type with good early growth |
| sprouts | Bright green with thin, large leaves |
| yield | 中 |
| Quality | Particularly excellent as Tencha, and often used for tea exhibited at exhibitions. |
| Old strain name | Koyama No. 69 (selected Uji native variety) |
|---|---|
| Development year | Showa 29 |
| Breeder | Mr. Masajiro Koyama |
| Harvesting season | Mid-season but with a wide range of suitable growing seasons |
| Tree posture | Extremely upright, making it easy to pick by hand |
| sprouts | Pale green, glossy and fresh |
| yield | Somewhat |
| Quality | Excellent as Tencha, with bright color and excellent flavor. |
| Old strain name | Kyoto Research No. 170 |
|---|---|
| Development year | Showa 29 |
| Breeder | Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute |
| Harvesting season | Mid-season (same as 'Yabukita' or 2 days later) |
| Tree posture | Slightly upright, medium vigor, and slightly large plant spread. |
| sprouts | Slightly small, thin leaves, pale green, shiny, slightly small, delicate shape |
| yield | 中 |
| Quality | As Tencha, the shape is uniform, the tea is soft, the color is bright and clear, and the tea dyes well. As Gyokuro, the tea is thin, wrinkled, firm, and clear. |
| Old strain name | "53-38" (Samidori natural cross-pollination seedling) |
|---|---|
| Development year | 18 (selection began in 52) |
| Breeder | Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute |
| Harvesting season | Mid-season (similar to 'Samidori', about 1 to 2 days later than 'Yabukita') |
| Tree posture | The tree is upright, with medium vigor and plant growth. |
| sprouts | New leaves are elliptical, slightly large, slightly thin, green, and have the same luster and softness as 'Samidori'. |
| yield | Same high yield as 'Samidori', with heavy bud yield structure |
| Quality | It is almost as good as 'Samidori' and 'Asahi'. In particular, the outside coloring is good, and the inside has a good covering and flavor as Tencha. |
| Old strain name | Kyoken 166 (Uji native variety selection) |
|---|---|
| Development year | Showa 29 |
| Breeder | Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute |
| Harvesting season | Mid-late ripening (3 days later than 'Yabukita') |
| Tree posture | Medium-sized plant that spreads quickly |
| sprouts | Light green leaves with few wrinkles |
| yield | Same as 'Yabukita' and many |
| Quality | It has a distinctive volatile fragrance and is often used for the Gyokuro teas on display. |
| Old strain name | Kyoken 307 (Uji native variety selection) |
|---|---|
| Development year | Showa 58 |
| Breeder | Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute |
| Harvesting season | Medium early maturity (2 days earlier than 'Yabukita') |
| Tree posture | Intermediate type with vigorous early growth |
| sprouts | Green and medium size |
| yield | Same as 'Yabukita' and many |
| Quality | As a Gyokuro, it has excellent color and quality. |
| Old strain name | "53-7" (Samidori natural cross-pollination seedling) |
|---|---|
| Development year | 18 (selection began in 52) |
| Breeder | Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute |
| Harvesting season | Very early (about 7 days earlier than 'Samidori') |
| Tree posture | Slightly upright, with medium vigor and plant growth. |
| sprouts | New leaves are oblong, rather large, green, slightly less shiny, slightly soft. |
| yield | Same high yield as 'Samidori', with a bud number type yield structure |
| Quality | Almost as good as 'Samidori', with a strong fragrance and fresh taste. |
List of cultivation characteristics of Kyoto Prefecture recommended tea varietiesPDF
Cooperation: Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Research Institute