May 1st is Hachiju Hachiya (88th Night).

Information about the Shincha hand-picking experience
It is said that if you drink tea picked on the 88th day of the year counting from February 3 (the first day of spring), you will be healthy and free from misfortune for the rest of the year.
Come join us in hand-picking Shincha (new tea) leaves from the “Yabukita” tea fields which have been passed down from generation to generation from the ancestors of the main Ikeda family!
The Shincha (new tea leaves) will be made into “Hanzucha” at the nearby tea factory of Ikeda Seicha, LLC. In the past, people in the Hioki area (Ikeda’s roots) used to drink “Hanzucha” daily. Recently, the number of people who can make “Hanzucha” is declining. We have a great desire to preserve the culture and tradition of the local “Hanzucha,” which is at the roots of tea making.
Please come and experience the taste and the making of everyday tea in the Kagoshima Hioki area.

Meeting time: Thursday, May 1, 2025, 9:30am