Attending the Safety Prayer Ceremony for the Start of the New Tea Season

On April 2, 2026, a safety prayer ceremony for the upcoming new tea harvest was held in Mizobe Town, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture.

The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Kirishima City, as well as local officials and members of the tea industry. Prayers were offered for the safety of this year’s operations and for the healthy growth of the tea leaves.

Imamura Tea Plantation also participated in the ceremony, marking the beginning of the new tea season together with the local community.

Kirishima City is a major tea-producing region that has received the first-place Regional Award multiple times at the National Tea Competition (Ordinary Sencha, 10kg category).

This Regional Award evaluates not only individual product quality, but also the overall quality level and production techniques of the entire region. In 2025, Kirishima City reclaimed first place for the first time in six years. In addition, Mr. Takahiro Kurazono of Kurazono Seicha Co., Ltd. received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, the highest individual honor at the competition. Kagoshima Prefecture has maintained the top Regional Award position for 22 consecutive years.

The Mizobe area of Kirishima City is recognized as one of Kagoshima’s leading tea-producing regions, alongside Chiran and Ei in Minamikyushu City.

It also ranks among the top in Japan for certified organic tea plantation area and was the first in Kyushu to produce organic tencha (the raw material for matcha), continuing to advance both quality and production technology.



Imamura Tea Plantation has been practicing organic cultivation in Kirishima for three generations.

This year’s new tea harvest is scheduled to begin from late April through early May.

We remain committed to safe operations and the consistent production of high-quality tea.