[Sayama City, Saitama] New Tea for Sayama New Tea Festival is Ready! Limited to 1,500 Packs

The 'Sayama New Tea Festival' will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (Showa Day). The new tea to be served at the festival was manufactured on Sunday, April 26, by the Sayama City Tea Industry Association and the Sayama City Hand-rolled Tea Preservation Society at Yamato Kurihara-en (342 Mizuno, Sayama City). On that day, about 350 kilograms of hand-picked raw leaves brought from various local farmers were collected at 10:00 AM and processed into 'Ara-cha' (crude tea) at the factory. Subsequently, the tea was refined by local tea merchants and packed into 40-gram bags.

Approximately 1,500 packs were completed and will be sold for 1,000 yen each (tax included) at the festival. They will also be used for free tea service to visitors.

### Sayama New Tea Festival Details - **Date & Time:** Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (Holiday), 10:00 to 13:30 (*Tea sales start from 10:30) - **Location:** Sayama City Hall (1-23-5 Irumagawa, Sayama City) *Parking available but limited. - **Access:** 10-minute walk from the West Exit of Sayama-shi Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. - **Sales:** 1,000 yen per pack (40g). - **Organizer:** Sayama New Tea Festival Executive Committee (Chairman: Suguru Okutomi).

### Contents - Sales and tasting of Sayama new tea, sales of hand-rolled tea. - Tea picking experience (picked leaves can be taken home). - Demonstration of hand-rolled tea making. - Sales of fresh vegetables and local products from Tsunan Town, Niigata (sister city). - Kitchen car stalls. - Free tea service served by new city employees.

In addition to the main festival, original drawings by Shoji Ikehara, a children's artist residing in Sayama, will be exhibited on May 7 and 8 at the City Hall entrance hall. The exhibition themed 'Sayama Tea' from the series 'Scenery of Sayama to be Preserved' will be accompanied by a free tea service.

### Shoji Ikehara Profile Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa, and living in Sayama, Saitama. He established a unique 'Dou-e' style based on Japanese folk tales. He worked on the art and direction for the TV show 'Manga Nippon Mukashibanashi' and serves as a Tourism Ambassador for Sayama City.