Inception of food culture(5)

Japanese Black Tea Reaches Russia, The United Kingdom, and Other Countries

In 1875, the government established a tea production training school in Yamaga City, a thriving tea production area in Kumamoto Prefecture, in a first step for Japanese black tea.The government aimed to make Japan a rich country by producing high-quality black tea there and exporting it.
The production of black tea progressed in Yamaga, and after a while its tea began to be exported to Russia and to UK, a black-tea center. However, the Russo-Japanese War caused exports to fall off and production to drop, and tea production stopped in 1960. Tea stores in Yamaga are re-creating the tea from that time.

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Michi No Eki Kahoku Oguri-go

Michi No Eki Kahoku Oguri-go is located at Oguri Pass on National Route 3, the gateway to northern Kumamoto Prefecture. Reproduced black tea is sold here and a tea shop serves samples and sells tea on weekends.

Location: 4186-130 Iwano, Kahoku-machi, Yamaga-shi, Kumamoto
PH: 0968-32-4111 (Michi no Eki Kahoku Oguri-go)
Website: Michi no Eki Kahoku Oguri-go Website (Japanese only)
http://ogurigo.jp/
Transportation: Drive north on National Route 3 from the direction of Kumamoto City for approx. 1 hr 20 min
/Drive north on National Route 3 for approx. 40 min from Ueki Interchange on the Kyushu Expressway.
Drive on Kyushu Jukan Expressway from the direction of Fukuoka and get off at Hirokawa Interchange. Then drive south on National Route 3 for approx. 40 min.
Parking: Available
(210 standard sized vehicles, 19 heavy vehicles, 4 vehicles for disabled persons)


Yamaga Footpath Kahoku-Haruide Course

This is a walking course on hills and fields that is 3.6 km long and takes about 90 minutes. Midway along the course is a tea store that has re-created black tea from the past. Have a rest and enjoy a cup of tea. You can also see an irrigation channel and stone bridge created in the Edo Period.

PH: 0968-43-0050 (Yamaga City Health Promotion Division)
Website: Yamaga City Health Promotion Division (Japanese only, Google translate button on the website)
http://www.city.yamaga.kumamoto.jp/www/contents/1539130579983/index.html