Japanese tea has regional brands for marketing purposes.
Sometimes it is a historic name, and sometimes it is registered through the Regional Collective Trademark System (地域団体商標制度).
Since these trademarks can be newly registered, expired, etc., this isn’t an exhaustive list:
Miyagi prefecture: Monocha (桃生茶), from Mono town.
Tochigi prefecture: Kanumacha (鹿沼茶), from Kanuma city. Itagacha (板荷茶), From Kanuma city. Kurobanecha (黒羽茶), from Ootawara city.
Ibaraki prefecture: Sashimacha (猿島茶,) from Sashima region. Okukujicha (奥久慈茶), from Daigo town. Furuuchicha (古内茶), from Shirosato town.
Saitama prefecture: Sayamacha (狭山茶). Kawagoecha (河越茶, 川越茶), from western region of Saitama prefecture. Chichibucha (秩父茶), from Chichibu city. Kodamacha (児玉茶), from Kodama district.
Chiba prefecture: Sakuracha (佐倉茶), from Sakura city. Yachimatacha (八街茶), from Yachimata city.
Kanagawa prefecture: Ashigaracha (足柄茶).
Nagano prefecture: Akaishimeicha (赤石銘茶), from Shimoina district. Kisoji no kaori (木曽路のかおり), from Kiso valley.
Yamanashi prefecture: Nanbucha (南部茶), from Nanbu town.
Shizuoka prefecture: Shizuokacha (静岡茶). Numazucha (沼津茶), from Numazu city. Fujicha (富士茶), from Fuji city. Susonocha (裾野茶), from Susono city. Honyamacha (本山茶), between Abe river and Warashina river. Abecha (安倍茶), from the Abe river basin. Shimizu no ocha (清水のお茶), from Shimizu ward in Shizuoka city. Asahina gyokuro (朝比奈玉露), from Asahina area in Fujieda city. Okabecha (岡部茶), from Fujieda city. Fujiedacha (藤枝茶), from Fujieda city. Shidacha (志太茶), from Shida plateau. Haibaracha (榛原茶), from Haibara district. Kawanecha (川根茶), from Kawanehon town. Shimadacha (島田茶), from Shimada city. Kanayacha (金谷茶), from Shimada city. Sagaracha (さがら茶), from Makinohara city. Omaezakicha (御前崎茶), from Omaezaki city. Kakegawacha (掛川茶), from Kakegawa city. Kikugawacha (菊川茶), from Kikugawa city. Ogasacha (小笠茶), from Kikugawa city. Fukuroicha (袋井茶), from Fukuroi city. Iwatacha (磐田茶), from Iwata city. Tenryucha (天竜茶), from Tenryu district in Hamamatsu city. Hamamatsucha (浜松茶), from Hamamatsu city. Enshumori no cha (遠州森の茶), from Mori town.
Niigata prefecture: Murakamicha (村上茶), from Murakami city.
Toyama prefecture: Batabatacha (バタバタ茶).
Ishikawa prefecture: Kaga boucha (加賀棒茶), from Kaga region. Nakaicha (中居茶), from Nakai district in Anamizu town.
Gifu prefecture: Minocha (美濃茶). Ibicha (揖斐茶), from Ibi district. Minoshirakawacha (美濃白川茶), from Shirakawa town.
Aichi prefecture: Nishiocha (西尾茶), and Nishio matcha (西尾抹茶) from Nishio city. Mikawacha (三河茶), from Mikawa town. Shinshirocha (新城茶), from Shinshiro city. Toyohashicha (豊橋茶), from Toyohashi city. Asuke kancha (足助寒茶). Toyohashicha (豊橋茶), from Toyohashi city.
Mie prefecture: Isecha (伊勢茶). Suizawacha (水沢茶), from Suizawa town. Suzukacha (鈴鹿茶), from Suzuka city. Kameyamacha (亀山茶), from Kameyama city. Misugicha (美杉茶), from Misugi town. Odaicha (大台茶) from Odai town. Wataraicha (度会茶), from Watarai town. Iinancha (飯南茶) from Iinan town. Kahadacha (香肌茶), from Kahada gorge. Ishigurecha (石榑茶), from Inabe city.
Shiga prefecture: Omi no cha (近江の茶). Asamiyacha (朝宮茶), from Asamiya area. Tsuchiyamacha (土山茶), from Tsuchiyama town.
Kyoto prefecture: Ujicha (宇治茶), from Uji region. Kyobancha (京番茶). Wazukacha (和束茶), from Wazuka town. Ayabecha (綾部茶), from Ayabe city. Ryotancha (両丹茶), from Ryotan region.
Hyogo prefecture: Tanbacha (丹波茶), from Tanba-Sasayama city. Moushicha (母子茶), from Moushi district in Sanda city.
Nara prefecture: Yamatocha (大和茶). Tsukigasecha (月ヶ瀬茶), from Tsukigase region. Yamazoecha (山添茶), from Yamazoe village.
Wakayama prefecture: Kishucha (紀州茶). Irokawacha (色川茶), from Irokawa region in Nachikatsuura town. Kawazoecha (川添茶), from Shirahama town. Otonashicha (音無茶), from Hongu town.
Tottori prefecture: Shikanocha (鹿野茶), from Tottori city. Chizucha (智頭茶), from Chizu town. Hiboshicha (日干し茶).
Shimane prefecture: Shimanecha (島根茶). Hakutacha (伯太茶) and Hakuta bancha (伯太番茶), from Hakuta area in Yasuragi city. Izumocha (出雲茶), from Izumo city. Karakawa bancha (唐川番茶), from Karakawa district in Izumo city.
Okayama prefecture: Okayamacha (岡山茶). Kaitacha (海田茶), from Kaita district in Mimasaka city. Katsuyamacha (勝山茶), from Maniwa city.
Yamaguchi prefecture: Yamaguchicha (山口茶). Onocha (小野茶), from Ube city.
Tokushima prefecture: Awacha (阿波茶), Awa bancha (阿波晩茶). Kancha (寒茶), from Kaiyo town. Boke bancha (歩危番茶), from Oboke valley.
Kagawa prefecture: Kagawacha (香川茶). Takasecha (高瀬茶), from Takase town.
Ehime prefecture: Ehimecha (愛媛県茶). Kihakucha (鬼北茶), from Matsuno town. Uwacha (宇和茶), from Uwa town. Kumacha (久万茶), from Kumakogen town. Shingucha (新宮茶), from Shikokuchuo city. Ishizuchi kurocha (石鎚黒茶) from komatsu town.
Kochi prefecture: Tosacha (土佐茶). Goishicha (碁石茶), from Otoyo town. Shimantocha (四万十茶), from Shimanto city.
Fukuoka prefecture: Yamecha (八女茶). Hoshinocha (星野茶), from Hoshino village.
Saga prefecture: Ureshinocha (嬉野茶). Karatsucha (唐津茶), from Karatsu city.
Nagasaki prefecture: Nagasakicha (長崎茶). Sechibaracha (世知原茶), from Sechibara area in Sasebo city. Gotocha (五島茶), from Goto city.
Kumamoto prefecture: Kumamotocha (熊本茶). Yabecha (矢部茶), from Yamato town. Sagaracha (相良茶), from Sagara village. Kahokucha (鹿北茶), Kahoku village. Minamatacha (水俣茶), from Minamata city. Takemacha (岳間茶) from Kahoku village.
Oita prefecture: Oitacha (大分茶). Kitsukicha (きつき茶), from Kitsuki city. Inbicha (因尾茶), Inbi area in Saiki city. Yabakeicha (耶馬溪茶), from Nakatsu city.
Miyazaki prefecture: Miyazakicha (宮崎茶). Miyakonojocha (都城茶), from Miyakonojo city. Hyuugacha (日向茶), from Hyuuga city. Nobeokacha (延岡茶), from Nobeoka city. Gokase kamairicha (五ヶ瀬釜炒茶), from Gokase town. Takachiho kamairicha (高瀬穂釜炒茶), from Takachiho town.
Kagoshima prefecture: Kagoshimacha (鹿児島茶). Satsumacha (さつま茶), from Satsuma town. Miyanojocha (宮之城茶), from Satsuma town. Hiokicha (日置茶), from Hioki town. Matsumotocha (まつもと茶), from Matsumoto area in Kagoshima city. Chirancha (知覧茶), from Minamikyushu city. Makurazakicha (枕崎茶), from Makurazaki city. Kirishimacha (霧島茶), from Kirishima city. Takarabecha (財部茶), from Takarabe town. Sueyoshicha (末吉茶), from Sueyoshi town. Shibushicha (志布志茶), from Shibushi city. Ariakecha (有明茶), from Ariake town. Kanoyacha (かのや茶), from Kanoya city. Tashirocha (田代茶), from Kinkocho town. Oonejimecha (大根占茶), from Kinkocho town. Tanegashimacha (種子島茶), from Tanegashima island. Misobecha (みぞべ茶), from Kirishima city. Eicha (えい茶), from Minamikyushu city.
Okinawa prefecture: Okinawacha (沖縄茶). Yanbarucha (やんばる茶), from Nago city.
January 26, 2022
Great article and geography lesson!
January 26, 2022
Thanks Bill.
I hope that it wasn’t too confusing.