【CRAZY GOOD③ (English Ver.)】 “Good things will never disappear.” Tea production from the soil up - Kenichiro Shimokubo of Isao Shimokubo Tea Manufacturing

"Tealabo Channel" is a project that directly visits the makers of 'Chiran-cha', a Kagoshima brand of tea, and delivers their hidden thoughts to young people.

Japanese tea is grown in various regions throughout the country, and each region has its own unique climate, varieties, and growing methods. Coincidentally, “Chiran-cha” exists because of these differences. We wish to share with you the stories of the makers of Chiran tea, which is most notably characterized by its deep green color and sweetness as a result of the temperate climate throughout the year.

In this sixth installment, we spoke with Kenichiro Shimokubo of Isao Shimokubo Tea Manufacturing.

How a Baseball Player Started Making Tea

Shimokubo mentions his baseball journey began at a young age during his elementary school days. As a high school student, he was able to propel his team into the prefectural tournament, a high honor in the competitive high school baseball culture of Japan. Even after enrolling at a university in Fukuoka, his days were spent immersed in baseball.

"Back in those days, we had to stop what we were doing and greet our seniors whenever we saw them, and we couldn't even drink water during club activities." He spoke nostalgically of his episodes from his baseball days.

After graduating from college, he returned to take over the family business of making tea. At first, he enjoyed working in the tea fields as a way to build up his physical strength. It was at a tea fair that Mr. Shimokubo had a a sudden realization. Amidst the various technical terms and conversations about tea among the seniors, Shimokubo was shocked at how little knowledge he had.

At the time, many of his successors had studied tea cultivation and production at the Shizuoka Prefectural College of Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Professionals, which made Mr. Shimokubo even more anxious. He considered attending university again to learn more about tea, but instead decided to take advantage of his presence in the fields, and elected to learn about tea while working in the fields.

"The other successors already had knowledge of tea, so they started at the production stage, but I didn't have any knowledge, so I started by working in the field. Now I think that was a good thing in hindsight.”

Now that you have become more dedicated to tea production, What do you find yourself doing now?

Making tea begins from the soil

Currently, Isao Shimokubo Tea Company grows a total of 19 varieties of tea, each variety receives different soil, fertilizers, and growing methods. Shimokubo puts special emphasis on soil preparation, and has come to enjoy the process of trial and error when doing so. We asked him further about "soil preparation" and where his fascination originates.

When Shimokubo started tea production, he had a chance to visit a farm where they were making fertilizer from rice husks and cattle manure. There, crops and livestock, such as cows, were noticeably healthy and showing continuous growth. Seeing this, Shimokubo became interested in fertilizer production and started making fertilizer at his parents' composting yard, which was not being used effectively at the time.

Then a few years ago, I came across “bamboo powder". By using this powder, lactic acid bacteria are produced, which improves root growth and increases the sugar content of tea. Moreover, since it is a naturally derived raw material, it has no adverse effects on the environment or people.

He happily shared that the environment of his tea field had improved after he used a fertilizer mixed with lactobacilli in a tea field that had previously been weakened by a bad fungus called centipede grass. We were also happy to hear his story.

Shimokubo is constantly struggling to make more effective use of bamboo powder.

"Just as different people grow tea in different ways, it is natural to change fertilizers and growing methods depending on the time of year and conditions. We would like to make a variety of teas that suit each variety based on a solid foundation.”

We were overwhelmed by the passion of Mr. Shimokubo, who spoke smilingly but emotionally.

Making tea with brothers

Isao Shimokubo tea manufacturing is currently run by the brothers, with the elder brother, Shimokubo, engaged mainly in cultivation and production and the younger brother in sales. And what's more, the younger brother is a former professional baseball player. It appears baseball and tea both run in the Shimokubo family. Running a company with siblings may seem difficult, but we asked them about their situation.

"From a business standpoint, I was told not to run a business with my brother. But I think we are doing well because we have separate roles: I make the tea and my brother promotes the tea all over the country. I can't beat my brother's name recognition.”

Shimokubo laughs as he reflects on when the brothers first started running the business together, they were often told they would never be successful. However, Shimokubo declares that his brother's influence, matched with his own skill in cultivation and production are able to create products that reach and resonate with so many customers around the country. Suddenly, the strength of their brotherly bond, even after all these years, became undeniably apparent to us.

In addition, Isao Shimokubo Tea Manufacturing is seeking to expand sales channels for its tea while at the same time maintaining the trust of its customers. Just as important as spreading the word about Kagoshima tea, it is also essential for tea production to have a strong connection with customers who love Shimokubo Isao Tea Manufacturing.

How to grow tea and people in the future

Shimokubo strives to approach each day in the field with a spirit of challenge and ambition. His wish is to inspire more tea makers to follow in his path.

Currently, there are two full time staff members working at Shimokubo Isao Tea Manufacturing. While the team has employed a handful of other staff members, the roster remains relatively small. Even so, the production is running smoothly because each staff member is able to find his or her own are of expertise to hone in on- even Shimokubo's wife supports his efforts in various ways! It appears that If you are able to make use of your strengths at work, every day you will be able to find enjoyment in your efforts.

Isao Shimokubo Tea Manufacturing practices such a wonderful way of working.

"I want to nurture people who think and act on their own and try to find work that only they can do, instead of waiting for instructions. Good products will never disappear, so the tea industry will be more exciting if tea makers work on tea production with more passion,”

says Shimokubo. Perhaps what the tea industry and Kagoshima both need from now on is neither technology or manpower, but simply raw, human passion.

In a tea industry where the production volume and the number of tea producers are decreasing, there are people who are making tea with a straightforward approach to tea production, and there are tea makers like Shimokubo who have a passion for their craft. With these thoughts in mind, doesn't that make even your most ordinary cups of tea, just a bit more extraordinary than before?

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Kenichiro Shimokubo
Shimokubo Isao Seicha Co., Ltd.

Born in 1975 in Ei Town, Minamikyushu City. Kenichiro is the second-generation successor of a tea farming family. After graduating high school, he attended a junior college in Fukuoka Prefecture. Following a career in the hotel industry, he returned to his hometown to take up tea farming. Currently, he cultivates 19 tea varieties and manages everything from soil preparation to sales.

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