World News for Students of English

06-05-2025 15:00

Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan is working to expand overseas sales of tencha tea leaves, which are used to make matcha.

Matcha is becoming very popular around the world due to its health benefits and antioxidant properties. Kagoshima grows the most unrefined tea leaves in Japan and is increasing production to meet global demand.

Farmer Kamimuro Kazuhisa from Shibushi City used to grow regular green tea, sencha. But due to falling prices, he switched to tencha, which sells for double the price. Growing tencha requires special care, including covering tea plants from sunlight for three weeks. Kamimuro invested 1.4 million dollars in special equipment to dry the leaves.

Overseas interest in matcha is so strong that orders come in before the tea is even harvested. Despite the high demand, tencha production remains low because few people are entering the market. A local company is helping producers connect with international buyers and hopes to process and export matcha directly from Kagoshima.

Difficult words: prefecture (a political region or local government area in some countries), antioxidant (a substance that protects the body from damage), unrefined (in a natural state, without having been through a chemical or industrial process).

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