--- title: "Nakai Tea Farm: Organic Wazuka Grower Since the 1600s" description: "Nakai Tea Farm grows organic Okumidori matcha in Wazuka, including smooth Washimine and umami-rich Superior with a thick mouthfeel." image: "https://best-matcha.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/nakaiteafarm_logo.webp" --- # Nakai Tea Farm: Organic Wazuka Grower Since the 1600s > Nakai Tea Farm grows organic Okumidori matcha in Wazuka, including smooth Washimine and umami-rich Superior with a thick mouthfeel. Source: https://best-matcha.com/shop/nakai-farm Created: 2025-10-08T18:37:28+00:00 Modified: 2026-08-05T13:44:12+00:00 Author: Emilie Schol When **Nakai Tea Farm** founder experienced pesticide residue in his bloodstream in 1986, he made a life-changing decision. He abandoned all chemicals in his Wazuka, Kyoto tea fields, choosing health over profit. That single act of conviction transformed his family’s operation into one of Japan’s pioneering organic matcha producers. ### A Legacy Built on Sacrifice The transition wasn’t easy. The first year without pesticides brought a devastating 70% crop loss as diseases, pests, and weeds ravaged the unprotected tea plants. Neighbors questioned the decision. Financial pressures mounted. But the founder persisted, building the company’s factory and machinery by hand with his family’s support. Over three decades, the tea trees slowly regained their *natural vitality*, proving that organic cultivation could succeed in an industry dominated by conventional methods. In 2016, his son Toshitaka Nakai assumed leadership, carrying forward the mission his father started with such determination. ### What Sets Nakai Apart **Nakai Tea Farm** stands out in the crowded matcha market through genuine commitment rather than marketing claims. Their approach centers on three core principles: - **True organic certification** earned through decades of pesticide-free cultivation, not recent conversions - *Handcrafted infrastructure* designed specifically for their organic process - Multi-generational knowledge passed from father to son The farm’s location in Wazuka, Kyoto places it in one of Japan’s most respected tea-growing regions. This terroir, combined with *organic farming practices*, produces matcha with distinctive flavor profiles that reflect both place and method. ### Recognition Through Persistence Today, **Nakai Tea Farm** has gained recognition throughout Japan for proving organic tea farming’s viability. What began as one farmer’s health crisis evolved into a model for sustainable agriculture that prioritizes environmental and human wellness equally. The farm produces **organic Japanese matcha** that carries the weight of its history in every cup. Each batch represents not just tea leaves but a family’s unwavering dedication to principles that once seemed impossible to maintain. For matcha enthusiasts seeking authenticity and genuine organic practices, Nakai offers a story as rich as its tea. --- ## Site identity - Organization: Best Matcha (Emilie Schol) - Description: Best Matcha is a specialized marketplace and educational platform for comparing Japanese matcha brands, products, grades, prices, and preparation guidance. It connects tea enthusiasts with producers and provides source-conscious guides for making informed choices. - Website: https://best-matcha.com ```json [{"@type":"WebPage","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com#website"},"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US","datePublished":"2025-10-08T18:37:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-05T13:44:12+00:00","primaryImageOfPage":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/nakaiteafarm_logo.webp","width":411,"height":457,"caption":"Logo of the brand Nakai Tea Farm"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#brand"},"hasPart":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What makes Nakai Tea Farm's Wazuka Tea Nakai Superior different from their Uji Matcha Washimine?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Wazuka Tea Nakai Superior represents the farm's top-grade matcha, specifically noted for its exceptionally smooth texture with no bitterness and thick mouthfeel. It features a sweet, vegetal aroma with notes of white chocolate and strong umami (savory taste).\nUji Matcha Washimine is their ceremonial-grade offering, crafted with precision for a more balanced taste profile. While both use the same Okumidori (deep green) cultivar, the Superior grade undergoes more selective processing to achieve its signature velvety smoothness and enhanced sweetness."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why did Masao Nakai, the 6th tea master, switch to organic cultivation in 1980?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Masao Nakai made this pioneering decision in 1980 when few producers were concerned about organic methods. His vision centered on creating an agricultural system that coexists with the natural mountain environment of Wazuka, Kyoto. This radical shift reflected his commitment to consumer health and environmental preservation, leading him to co-found JONA, Japan's first organic certification agency. Today, his son Michio Nakai, the 7th tea master, continues this tradition that made them the first tea farm in Japan to receive JAS organic certification."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does Nakai Tea Farm's use of herring fish compost affect their matcha quality?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Nakai Tea Farm enriches their tea fields with nutrient-rich compost made from herring fish, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable and regenerative agriculture. This organic fertilization method provides essential nutrients that enhance the Okumidori cultivar's natural ability to produce smooth, full-bodied flavor profiles while maintaining their strict organic certification standards across JAS, USDA, and EU organic requirements."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are the specific flavor ratings for Nakai's Uji Matcha Seisho?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Uji Matcha Seisho, named after Seishoji Buddhist temple near the farm, has these specific characteristics:\n\nUmami strength: 3\/5\nAstringency: 3\/5\nColor: 4\/5\nTexture: 3\/5\n\nThis Standard Ceremonial Grade matcha offers a balanced profile that makes it accessible for both newcomers and experienced matcha drinkers, representing the farm's dedication to quality across all their grade levels."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can you explain Nakai Tea Farm's shading process for their Okumidori cultivar?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Nakai Tea Farm employs direct covering techniques, shading their Okumidori leaves for approximately three to four weeks before harvest. This extended shading period maximizes the development of desirable flavor compounds that give their matcha its characteristic smooth, non-bitter taste. The Okumidori cultivar, while challenging to cultivate, responds exceptionally well to this shading method, producing the velvety smoothness found in products like their Washimine Ceremonial Matcha."}}],"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#webpage"},{"@type":"Brand","name":"Nakai Tea Farm","slogan":"Organic matcha masters since the 17th century","description":"Nakai Tea Farm grows organic Okumidori matcha in Wazuka, including smooth Washimine and umami-rich Superior with a thick mouthfeel.","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/nakaiteafarm_logo.webp","width":411,"height":457,"caption":"Logo of the brand Nakai Tea Farm"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/nakaiteafarm_logo.webp","width":411,"height":457,"caption":"Logo of the brand Nakai Tea Farm"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.nakaiorganicteagarden.com","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nakai_organic_tea_garden\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NAKAIMATCHA","https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps?cid=231359332254658704"],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#webpage"},"subjectOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#products"},"@id":"https:\/\/best-matcha.com\/shop\/nakai-farm#brand"}] ```