Tea Farm

A Superior Experience with Taruwaki-en's Mountain Teas

LILIKU exclusively sources its tea leaves from Taruwaki-en, a tea farm ideally situated within the mountains of Shizuoka's famed green tea region Kawane. Located over 2,000 feet above sea level, Taruwaki-en's fields produce leaves that are recognized for their well-balanced flavors and aromas.

Known as mountain tea, or “Oyama no Ocha,” LILIKU’s offerings are considered superior to those whose leaves are harvested in the flatlands of Japan, and for good reason. Kawane’s pristine mountain climate provides Taruwakien’s tea plants with moderate sunlight, optimal humidity, and daily temperature swings that are necessary for producing mountain tea's renowned delicate appearance and lasting aroma.

Taruwaki-en's Approach to Organic Farming

Since 1990, the fields and tea plants of Taruwaki-en have been carefully cultivated each season to ensure that the harvested leaves are able to provide peak flavors and aromas when steeped.

In 2002, the farm was passed down from father to son, and with new beginnings came an emphasis on adopting pesticide-free, certified organic methods. This ecological practice, along with the fields' ideal locations in Kawane, have afforded Taruwakien the ability to grow some of Japan’s highest-quality tea leaves. And through their careful processing that involves a shorter steaming time, customers can enjoy a wholly unique aroma reflecting the refreshing mountain climate.

At Taruwaki-en, every stage from cultivation to processing the leaves is handled with the strictest attention to detail, and all leaves are sourced from dedicated fields owned by the farm. Please enjoy this environmentally friendly Kawane tea delivered directly from Japan’s premier tea growing region.

Taruwaki-en's Commitment to Tradition

Carrying on the farming heritage established by Taruwakien’s founder Yoshiaki Taruwaki, second-generation Yasuaki Taruwaki began to reflect on the meaning of tea’s “true taste.” In this pursuit, he incorporated traditional methods of tea cultivation, which were no longer being practiced by modern farmers who chose to apply excessive amounts of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Furthermore, it is because of this sustained effort to create natural, healthy soil (including the use of homemade organic fertilizers) that Taruwakien has successfully cultivated fields of vibrant tea plants by taking on the challenge of coexisting with nature so that the world can share in the delicious tea of Kawane.