4 Evidence
Information Disclosure / Organic JAS Certification and various inspection results
Our organic farms do not use any chemical substances including pesticides and chemical fertilizers that are approved for use in organic JAS certification system.
However, in order to investigate the presence or absence of scattering agricultural chemicals and radioactive contamination from surrounding farms, we periodically conduct inspections at specialized agencies to confirm the safety of the products.
Commitment to safety
We’re different from the rest!At Fujisako Tea Estate our tea is made to the highest standards of safety and security
Thorough cultivation spanning many years, rarely seen in Japan
I was brought to the brink of destruction because of agricultural chemicals – chemical fertilizers and insecticides. I can smile like I do today only because I stopped spreading those chemicals. I raise my crops naturally, without relying on pesticides or chemical fertilizers, just like the old days. I want to tell everyone about the wonderful power that Nature has.
I come from the town of Nishiki in Kuma district, Kumamoto Prefecture, born the eldest son of a Japanese tea-maker.
We began chemical-free tea production in 1978 and in 1985 we were awarded the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize. In 2007 we acquired the Organic Japanese Agricultural Standard and now we provide guidance to tens of young locals in the ways of chemical fertilizer and pesticide-free tea production.
Where we make our tea: Nishiki, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture
The tea is produced deep in the mountains, completely free from the clamor of the city. We also process all our tea on-site, so the cleanliness of the air and water is consistent right from planting to processing.
The area is famous locally as the "Origin of the Mist" and the large temperature swing between morning and night helps to make the most delicious tea. On our estate, the things that are natural – the soil, insects, water, and of course the tea – work together collectively and naturally. This is why, instead of using insecticides to exterminate pests, we look for assistance from beneficial bugs – the spiders, mantises and ladybugs – to do the job for us. We also harness the power of trillions of beneficial bacteria to keep the earth fertile. Good earth is rich in minerals, so much so that fawns and wild boar piglets come to eat it in the early spring.
“Nature provides everything we need”
Ochacha Honpo products are processed with painstaking care, but we leave the growing to Nature.
The scenery at Fujisako Tea Estate
Fujisako Tea Estate is located in the hilly
terrain of the Hitoyoshi Basin, surrounded on all sides by mountains over 700 meters tall. The 230 meter elevation guards against airborne pesticides and other harmful substances from
outside.
Evidence
Organic JAS certification
(Agricultural products)
Organic JAS certification
(Processed agricultural products)
Residue pesticide test results
(262 items implemented)
The organic JAS certification system does not perform residual pesticide test on products. Whether or not pesticides and fertilizers are used, the type is only by declaration from each farmer. Therefore, we are conducting residual pesticide testing voluntarily using a third party inspection agency.
Radioactivity measurement result
Catechins content inspection
当農園及び工場で生産される農産物と農産加工品は、日本国内だけでなく、EUなど海外での有機認証基準に対応しています。
Our agricultural products and processed agricultural products are compliant with organic certification criteria such as EU and USDA as well as in Japan.
