"Kirishima Tea" Now Served at Unagi Kappo Ebisutei

— A blissful cup from Kirishima to follow a meal of Kyushu-raised unagi —

Imamura Tea Plantation (located in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture; Representative: Hirotsugu Imamura), heir to the vast nature and traditions of Kirishima, will begin serving its "Kirishima Tea Tokujo Sencha" (premium-grade sencha) on Monday, December 15 at the long-established restaurant "Unagi Kappo Ebisutei" (located in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture; fourth-generation owner: Maaku Miyajima; hereinafter "Ebisutei").

■ Unagi and Japanese tea — two icons of Japan's food culture

Unagi (freshwater eel) and Japanese tea, both emblematic of Japan's food culture, have seen their value reappraised in recent years against a backdrop of growing health consciousness and sustainable values around the world. While demand for matcha and sencha continues to expand across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, the future of domestically raised unagi is drawing attention from the standpoint of resource conservation and sustainable use, in light of the Washington Convention (CITES).

Amid these currents of the times, this initiative was born as the producers and chefs who have long supported Japan's food culture confront, each from their own standpoint, the question of what to pass on to the next generation — and how.

■ Domestic unagi, and tea raised by the nature of Kirishima

Ebisutei devotes itself to unagi cuisine, working primarily with domestically raised unagi and honoring the flavors of fine producing regions season by season. In this initiative, the Kyushu-raised unagi that Ebisutei regularly serves and the Tokujo Sencha raised by the same Kyushu nature at Imamura Tea Plantation come together as a single cup to close the meal — an opportunity for Imamura Tea Plantation, too, to consider a new expression of Japanese food culture.

■ Comment from Maaku Miyajima, fourth-generation owner of Unagi Kappo Ebisutei

"Unagi is a treasured part of Japan's food culture, but with the discussions surrounding the Washington Convention, the perspective of protecting this resource grows stronger every year. Working with unagi from across Japan, including Kyushu-raised unagi, we hope to pass on a sustainable unagi culture we can be proud of to the next generation. In that light, it feels deeply meaningful that tea from Kirishima, grown in the same land of Kyushu, should join the meal so naturally as the finishing cup."

Profile photo of Maaku Miyajima, fourth-generation owner of Unagi Kappo Ebisutei, Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture

■ Comment from Hirotsugu Imamura, Representative of Imamura Tea Plantation

"Tea is indispensable to Japan's food culture — not merely a beverage, but something like the final brushstroke that completes the experience of a meal. If this Tokujo Sencha, raised amid the nature of Kirishima, can stand alongside the flavor of Ebisutei's unagi and make the moments after the meal deeper and more serene, nothing would make me happier."

Profile photo of Hirotsugu Imamura, Imamura Tea Plantation

■ About Unagi Kappo Ebisutei

Located in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture, Ebisutei is a long-established unagi kappo restaurant with a proud history of more than 100 years, carrying the culture of Japan's classic ryotei dining into the present day. With artisan techniques handed down from generation to generation, the restaurant continues to preserve its traditional flavors — domestically raised unagi carefully prepared and grilled to fragrant perfection with a secret sauce. Now under its fourth-generation owner, Ebisutei honors its heritage while thoughtfully adapting to the times, and has long been cherished as a place for celebrations, special gatherings, and community occasions. Guided by its brand concept, "Ageo's smiles, here again," it will continue to carry its flavors and spirit of hospitality into the future.