Denroku Tea Garden

Denroku Tea Garden is a small, family-run tea farm located in the mountainous region of Kasuga, at the foot of Mount Ibuki.

Tea cultivated in this region is sometimes described as “Tenku no Koraicha (ancient mountain tea).” In Kasuga, tea cultivation has been passed down for over 700 years, not merely as an industry, but as part of everyday life.Even today, rare zairai tea plants (grown from seed rather than cloned cultivars) continue to thrive here. These native tea plants, often referred to as “Koraicha (ancient tea),” retain a natural diversity that is increasingly rare in Japan.

Tea produced in Gifu is collectively known as Mino-cha, with Mino-Ibi cha and Mino-Shirakawa cha being the most well-known categories. Kasuga cha is generally considered part of Mino-Ibi cha and is often distributed as “Ibi Kasuga cha.” However, Kasuga’s steep terrain and harsher climate set it apart from other Ibi tea areas. These conditions have helped preserve both zairai tea plants and low-intervention cultivation practices. At Denroku Tea Garden, both zairai and the widely grown Yabukita cultivar are cultivated, balancing individuality and consistency in their teas.