Aki Bancha

Origin of ingredients

Kirishima, Kagoshima prefecture

Terroir

Kirishima is a town on the island of Kyūshū in southern Japan. The surrounding area is dominated by Mount Kirishima, an active volcano that dominates a mountainous landscape with a subtropical climate; summers are hot and humid and winters mild. Kirishima receives precipitation throughout the year, with a rainy season in summer. The soils are volcanic, due to the activity of the volcanoes in the Kirishima range. These fertile soils are well suited to tea production. Water resources are remarkable in the Kirishima region, fed by regular rainfall and groundwater. Several rivers cross the region, with the Amori River (天降川, Amorigawa) passing close to Kirishima. In addition, due to its volcanic activity, numerous lakes and craters have formed and become remarkable hydrological features of the region. Because of the altitude, the region's forests are home to a wide variety of sub-alpine and alpine trees, including Japanese cedars, oaks and maples.

Kirishima is famous for its Kirishima-Yaku National Park, which covers an area of around 548.32 square kilometers. A true biodiversity hotspot, the park is home to rare endemic species. Yakushima Island, a Unesco World Heritage site, is part of the park and is renowned for its population of Japanese monkeys and Sika deer, which live in harmony with Japanese cedars, some of which are over 7,000 years old.