Shirakawa Chaen

Shirakawa Chaen (株式会社 屋久島白川茶園) is a family-run organic tea farm on Yakushima Island (屋久島), Kagoshima Prefecture, founded in March 1971 by Shirakawa Mitsuhide (白川満秀) and first planting tea fields in 1985. Located in Shito, Yakushima (〒891-4201 鹿児島県熊毛郡屋久島町白谷858-13), the farm operates approximately 6 hectares of tea fields and its own on-site processing factory. Yakushima's unique climate — where subtropical and temperate zones meet, with abundant rainfall and cool mountain air — gives their teas a naturally mellow umami without harsh astringency. All cultivation is fully organic and JAS-certified, relying entirely on the power of nature without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Their product range spans organic gyokuro (including a rare matcha-gyokuro hybrid), matcha, benifuuki (known for anti-allergy methylated catechins), black tea, pu-erh, oolong, and hojicha — all sourced from the island's exceptional terroir. Shirakawa Chaen also maintains a Tokyo office in Katsushika Ward for distribution. Their matcha (屋久の抹茶, 30g) is a rare Yakushima-origin stone-ground powder at ¥1,280.