The Takeo family has been farming tea for nearly a century, and began taking a great interest in 1985 in the effect that agricultural chemicals was having in the environment. Actually, it was the change in the growth of a bamboo grove next to their tea fields that brought this to Kazuo Takeo’s notice. At the time, environmental pollution such as acid rain was making headlines, and began to doubt the safety of his pesticides and fertilizers.
So, Takeo-san began the decade long process to first convert all of his tea fields to organic cultivation, then the multi-year process to certify his tea fields as organic in Japan. Since 2000, the Takeo family has sold only certified organic tea.
The Takeo Family
Father Kazuo, Mother Takeo, Son Hideyuki (whom we work with closest)
MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
As much as possible, we’d like to create tea that is as close to its natural state. Are chemicals safe to use in agriculture? We don’t really know, but we feel it is better to be safe because you can’t peel off the skin on tea like you do with fruits. You, our customers, should have the safest tea leaves that we can make.
About
NAME
Takeo Family Tea Garden (Takeo Chagyo Co., Ltd.)
SIZE / # of FIELDS
12.3 acres on 9 fields
ANNUAL PRODUCTION
About 15 tons
CULTIVARS
Yabukita, Mishou
ESTABLISHED
1976
ALTITUDE
50 – 100 meters
ESTABLISHED
1925: Established a factory, 1969: Incorporated, 1993: Converted all fields to organic cultivation, 2000: Received JAS Organic Certifications
