Kurihara Tea Farm

Specialists in gyokuro tea leaf cultivation and processing, the Kurihara family began in 1922 as a wholesaler. In 1942 the first master decided to move his wholesale business to the Yame region, famed for its Yamecha, and start growing tea himself. His son, Kippei Kurihara is now a respected member of the Yame City legislature while sons Yuji and Akio begin to take over the tea agriculture business.

The Kurihara Brothers Akio and Yuji

Akio Kurihara is the primary farmer in the family and accomplishes the task of cultivating delicious gyokuro and sencha teas with the help of his family and neighboring farmers in the small town of Yabemura (population approx 1000 people).

Akio is also a 4-time winner in Southern Japan tea hand rolling competitions, and places consistently in the top 5 in the gyokuro categories of regional and national tea competitions. Most recently, at the 2019 Fukuoka Tea Competition, he won the top Minister's Prize in the Gyokuro Category (awarded only when there are at least 100 entries.