The "Chagusa-ba farming" method is a traditional farming technique that involves cutting grasses such as Japanese pampas grass and bamboo grass around tea fields from autumn to winter and laying them on the fields to improve tea quality, improve soil quality, and conserve biodiversity. This
farming method is particularly common in Shizuoka Prefecture and was designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2013.
The birthplace of the Chagusaba farming method is the Higashiyama district of Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture. This district is known as the central location for "Shizuoka's Chagusaba farming method."
Chagusaba farming is a traditional farming method in which grasses such as Japanese pampas grass and bamboo grass are laid between the rows of tea plants. This method is used to produce high-quality tea while protecting biodiversity.
The Higashiyama district of Kakegawa City is particularly known for its thriving tea-grassland farming method, and this landscape is one of the reasons why it was designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)
Grass cutting:
From autumn to winter, grasses such as Japanese pampas grass and bamboo grass are cut in the grassy areas (tea grass fields) around the tea plantations.
Mulching:
Cut grass is spread between the rows of tea plants. This protects the tea roots from the cold, retains soil moisture, and suppresses weed growth.
Composting:
The grass that is laid down gradually decomposes into organic compost, enriching the soil. It can also be expected to improve the taste and aroma of tea.
Tea grass fields:
Tea grass fields are managed through mowing, which preserves the natural environment and provides a habitat for diverse flora and fauna.
Benefits of the tea grass field farming method:
Improved tea quality: The growing environment for tea leaves improves, resulting in better taste and aroma of the tea.
Soil improvement:
Organic composting increases soil fertility.
Weed control: Laying down grass can suppress weed growth.
Biodiversity conservation:
Tea grass fields provide an environment where diverse flora and fauna can thrive.
This farming method has been recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) for its harmony between agriculture and the natural environment.
It is praised as an excellent farming method that, while being a traditional agricultural technique, also contributes to environmental conservation.
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are a system recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that designates unique traditional agricultural, forestry, and fisheries systems that have been passed down through generations while adapting to society and the environment. Specifically
, the GIAHS designates globally important regions that integrate agricultural biodiversity, traditional local knowledge, culture, and landscapes, with the aim of conserving and promoting their sustainable use.
Traditional agricultural, forestry, and fisheries systems:
This refers to agricultural, forestry, and fisheries systems that have been passed down for many years while adapting to changes in the times and environment.
Living Heritage:
This refers to something that is not only a legacy of the past, but whose activities continue in the present and should be passed down in a sustainable manner to future generations.
Comprehensive system: This
system is evaluated as a comprehensive system that includes not only agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, but also the associated culture, landscape, and biodiversity.
Sustainable use:
This involves not only conservation, but also leveraging its value to contribute to regional revitalization and economic activity.
Purpose of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems:
Conservation of Biodiversity:
Traditional agricultural, forestry, and fisheries systems maintain environments in which diverse organisms can live and thrive, and thus contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.
Cultural preservation:
The aim is to pass on the region's traditional knowledge, skills, culture, and landscapes to future generations.
Regional Revitalization:
Certified regions are expected to enhance their brand value and contribute to the revitalization of the local economy by attracting tourists and expanding sales channels for agricultural products.
In Japan, the first regions to receive this certification were "Noto's Satoyama and Satoumi" and "Sado's Satoyama, where people coexist with crested ibises," in 2011.
The main difference between Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and World Heritage Sites is that
World Heritage Sites focus on immovable properties such as buildings and historical sites, and aim for strict protection, while Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems focus on entire regions where agriculture, forestry, and fisheries are practiced, and aim for both conservation and sustainable use.
Noto's Satoyama and Satoumi (Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture)
Sado's Satoyama coexisting with the crested ibis (Sado City, Niigata Prefecture)
Shizuoka's tea grassland farming method (Kakegawa City and surrounding areas, Shizuoka Prefecture)
Aso's grasslands and sustainable agriculture (Aso region, Kumamoto Prefecture) The agricultural,
forestry, and fisheries cycle of Kunisaki Peninsula and Usa connected by oak forests and reservoirs (Usa region, Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita Prefecture)
Ayu of the clear waters of the Nagara River (upper and middle reaches of the Nagara River, Gifu Prefecture)
The plum system of Minabe and Tanabe (Minabe and Tanabe region, Wakayama Prefecture)
The mountainous agricultural and forestry complex system of Takachiho-go and Shiiba-yama (Takachiho-go and Shiiba-yama region, Miyazaki Prefecture)
Osaki cultivated land (Osaki region, Miyagi Prefecture)
Wasabi cultivation area of Shizuoka (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Nishi-Awa (Tokushima Prefecture)
Copyright © KAKEGAWAcha.com 2025
