Ishizuchi Kurocha

Ishizuchi Kurocha is an extremely rare fermented tea from the area around Mount Ishizuchi in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Historically, it was popular during the Edo, Meiji and Taisho eras, but disappeared in the modern Showa era. Recently, the efforts of researchers, local authorities and producers have revitalised production. To our knowledge, are currently only three producers of this tea.

The tea is harvested once a year in July on the mountain slopes. It is produced in a very similar way to goishicha using the two-stage fermentation process, nidan hakko. The leaves are steamed for 90 minutes and then thoroughly washed several times with fresh spring water. They then undergo an aerobic fermentation with a mould of the Aspergillus genus for 5-10 days. This step requires the unique climate, fresh air from Mount Ishizuchi and wooden boxes to prevent harmful bacteria. To ensure even distribution, the mould is spread on the leaves manually using a rubbing motion. The leaf is then lightly rolled and, in a second phase, anaerobic fermentation with lactic acid bacteria takes place, which lasts two to three weeks. Finally, the leaves are dried in the sun for two to three days.

More information on the production of this type of tea – Blogeintrag - Gohakkocha - japanische fermentierte Tees