Fukuda Shinya 福田新也
3rd generation
Location : Sonogi
Farm size : 8,5 ha
Since 2004, tea farming and tea producing has been Fukuda Shinya’s “hobby” as he likes to put it. As the third generation of the family business, his main focus is to create a friendly approach to tea as domestic consumption declines progressively. He regularly meets new people and organises workshops to spread his knowledge and passion for tea in a very casual way. Fukuda is all about community and working together to support each other, the tea industry and especially the Sonogi tea region.
Farmer Fukuda has developed his own farming methods and fertiliser recipe. Fukuda feels one of his skills to set his tea apart is his extremely keen eye on the tea plant development. Depending on the type of tea he wants to make, by constantly looking at his fields, he is able to choose the very best timing for his harvests.
In 2018, he received two awards.
- 1st place at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery’s 72nd National Tea Competition
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery’s 46th Tea Competition
In 2018 Fukuda launched Forthees, a matcha project with the help of three fellow farmers : Ohyama, Nakayama and Onoue. This idea had been brewing in his mind for about ten years and in 2019 he reached his goal to create the first (and currently only) tencha factory in Nagasaki prefecture. Since then the four farmers have been perfecting this new craft together, producing different matcha grades that are gaining traction abroad and proudly promoted in local cafe’s of Sonogi.
Farmer Fukuda mainly produces tamaryokucha. However at Ikedoki Tea, we selected a wakōcha (black tea) that is many local residents’ favourite black tea in Sonogi. We agree that Fukuda’s wakōcha is an excellent example of a Japanese black tea, and this tea is always a staunch favourite at our tea tour tastings.
