mountains in Yame became a point of interest for locals who began harvesting it for profit. 1863: Sales and demand for Yamecha increased as foreign traders in Nagasaki Prefecture began buying it. 1887: Sales of Yamecha dropped overseas due to stricter quality control laws of imported goods in the United States. Types of Yamecha could no longer be imported to the United States. 1914-1937: Yamecha tea farms became part of a reform which encouraged higher quality products. 2001-2012: Yamecha gyokuro won the national tea fair held by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for being the best gyokuro produced that year. It continued to win this award for 12 consecutive years, until a gyokuro from Uji surpassed it. Yamecha gyokuro still wins this award frequently. See also Gyokuro References Fukuoka Prefecture Tea Kyushu region