Yame, Tea production center in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Yame is a city in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture that spreads across hilly terrain and valleys planted with tea, bordered by mountain ranges to the east and south. The settlement consists of several smaller towns connected by rivers and rice paddies, clustered around tea processing facilities.
The region was the site of the Iwai Rebellion in the 6th century, when a local leader rose against central authority, commemorated today by a large burial mound in the north. In 2010, several smaller municipalities merged to form the current city, greatly expanding the administrative area.
The place takes its name from the old Yame-gun district, which appears in historical records and still defines the surrounding area. Local tea merchants maintain close ties with individual farming families who have worked the same hillsides for generations, rolling and steaming their leaves using inherited methods.
The area is best visited during the spring tea harvest, when the fields show fresh green and many processing facilities are in operation. Visitors planning to explore the rural hillsides should bring sturdy footwear, as some paths can be steep and unpaved.
The old burial mound in the north is among the largest of its kind in the region and takes the shape of a keyhole when viewed from above. This unusual design was a marker of high rank for the person buried there in the 6th century.
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