Bodai Sancha

Bodai Sancha is a rare post-fermented tea from Toyosawa, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture — known for its distinctive sour flavor created through natural lactic acid fermentation. Its name combines “Bodai,” the local area, and “Sancha,”meaning acidic tea, reflecting its refreshing, citrusy character and gentle tanginess.

Crafted biannually in autumn and winter, Bodai Sancha is produced through a meticulous process of harvesting, steaming, anaerobic fermentation, and sun drying. The autumn harvest, Shuto Bancha, uses mature leaves picked in October, while the winter harvest, Kancha, is collected from mid-January to February. The leaves undergo about four weeks of lactic acid fermentation before being eco-friendly sun-dried in greenhouses, resulting in tea with a black appearance and pale yellow brew.