Tea tourist itinerary moves the Ribeira Valley Vale do Ribeira, in the interior of São Paulo, preserves the tradition of tea cultivation brought by Japanese immigrants and is home to the only factory in the country to produce black tea on a large scale. The Tea Route, in Registro and Sete Barras, highlights the tradition of cultivation and production of the drink, nationally recognized for its quality and history linked to Japanese communities. The plantations are open to visitors, with participatory harvesting and manufacturing experiences. ✅Click here to follow the g1 Santos channel on WhatsApp. With guided tours, cultural activities and tastings, the project brings residents and tourists closer to tea-related practices, promoting sustainability and local identity. Cultivation takes place in a humid environment and fertile soil, ideal for the plant. The leaves are harvested manually and undergo steaming, pre-drying, drying, roasting and grinding, resulting in different flavors and aromas. The raw material is Camellia sinensis, an Asian species responsible for all types of traditional tea, such as green, black and oolong. What differentiates the flavors is the process. The tradition of cultivation in the region is strongly linked to the history of the Japanese communities that settled in the interior of São Paulo from the 1930s onwards. Disclosure / Registration Tourism Secretariat In a report by TV Tribuna, Ryogo Amaya said that his family maintains the only factory in the country to produce black tea on a large scale. "The plan was to plant rice, but what worked was tea. My grandfather started in the 30s, because of the climate, and what worked was tea." In the 1980s, the sector faced an economic crisis, with a drop in domestic consumption and difficulty competing with the international market. Many factories closed and cultivated areas were reduced. Miriam Yamamaru, from Sete Barras, remembers that her parents arrived in 1952 and started planting at the encouragement of acquaintances. "Tourism depends on tea and tea depends on tourism. Reviving [this tradition] was important [...] The biodiversity, the forest, this nature, I think it attracted the eyes of those who come 'here'". Black tea lowers blood pressure and contributes to heart health Disclosure VIDEOS: g1 in 1 minute Santos