<Makinohara City Tea Industry Promotion Council x Re-Chabatake Project> Signing of 'Public-Private-Agricultural Cooperation Agreement' for Regeneration of Abandoned Tea Fields

The 'Re-Chabatake Project', operated by the creative boutique FACT Inc. (HQ: Meguro-ku, Tokyo / Representative Director & CEO: Masato Mitera), has signed a public-private-agricultural cooperation agreement with the Makinohara City Tea Industry Promotion Council. The agreement aims to regenerate the increasing number of abandoned tea fields and promote the sustainable development of Makinohara tea. The signing ceremony took place on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Sagara Government Building of Makinohara City Hall.

This agreement promotes a new initiative where farmers, local government, and private companies collaborate to pass on the tea fields of Makinohara, one of Japan's leading tea-producing regions, to the next generation.

■ The Social Issue of 'Abandoned Tea Fields'
While Makinohara City in Shizuoka Prefecture is known as a premier tea-producing region in Japan, the increase in abandoned tea fields due to labor shortages and the aging population of farmers has become a pressing regional issue.

Makinohara City currently promotes three core pillars: deep-steamed tea, contract cultivation for beverages, and 'Tencha' (matcha raw material) cultivation for which global demand is rising, while utilizing national subsidies to support producers. Additionally, as a countermeasure against abandoned cultivated land, the city is focusing on alternative crops. In areas such as sloping lands, it is promoting the 'Naminori Lemon' domestic lemon brand, which has currently expanded to 15 hectares.

■ Regenerating 500 Tsubo of Abandoned Tea Fields: Activities of the 'Re-Chabatake Project'
The Re-Chabatake Project, led by FACT, is an initiative to regenerate abandoned tea fields in collaboration with local farmers, tea wholesalers, and regional operators.

Since May 2025, the project acquired about 500 tsubo of abandoned tea fields in Makinohara City and, with the cooperation of tea farmer Naohiro Oishi, spent one year regenerating them. In May 2026, the first new tea was harvested from the regenerated fields. The regeneration process has been continuously shared via Instagram, documenting everything from the realities of abandoned fields to clearing, fertilizing, and harvesting as video content, helping to raise awareness of the issue.

Furthermore, the project developed 'Chabatake Gin' using the regenerated tea leaves. Through collaborations with bars in Tokyo, it communicates the new appeal of abandoned tea fields and Japanese tea culture. Currently, the student organization 'Agroad' from Tokyo University of Agriculture is also participating, and regeneration activities for the second 'Re-Chabatake' site are underway.

■ Future Activities: 'A New Way to Engage with Tea Fields, Connecting Cities and Producing Areas'
The Re-Chabatake Project believes in preserving tea fields not just as farmland, but as a part of Japan's original landscape and culture for the future. Therefore, the project will fully launch an 'abandoned tea field ownership model', allowing urban enterprises and individuals to participate in regeneration. It aims to build a new regional co-creation model connecting government, farmers, and urban residents.

In addition, at FACT's Nakameguro office, in cooperation with Kawamura Suikaen, a tea wholesaler in Makinohara City, the project plans to open a 'Re-Chabatake' tea stand using tea leaves harvested from the regenerated fields. It intends to deliver not only the tea leaves themselves but also the underlying stories and cultural values.

The Re-Chabatake Project aims to build a sustainable model to connect Japan's tea fields to the future by promoting the expansion of abandoned tea field regeneration, the development of ownership models, product development using regenerated leaves, the creation of sales and information hubs in urban areas, and regional co-creation involving students and companies.