In The Emperor's Tea Garden - Japan (1931)

"Even as you and I, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan, drinks tea. But very particular tea, grown on very particular tea plants..." High angle of large number of women working on a tea plantation. "The Imperial pickers, each garbed in the distinctive costume worn by all tea workers, call it a day." Panning C/U of the women who wear patterned kimonos and white hats. The women leave the plantation carrying their baskets. They tip the leaves they have picked into a box. "Not even an Emperor can drink all the tea produced by the Imperial plants, so there's a big market for what's left. Sorting it out -" Panning shot of the warehouse where large number of women kneel at low tables sorting the leaves. "But sorting the Emperor's tea, these imperial sorters have a table - the floor would never do! Think of the social standing!" High angle shot of four women sorting the leaves at great speed. "The high-speed express distributes the Imperial Tea throughout the Empire." Two rickety carts laden down with packets of tea are pushed towards the camera. Note: Kobati Ugi in Japan. See also "In the Emperor's Tea Garden - Kobati Ugi Japan - EP306 which is the American Pathe Review item which preceded this. Interestingly, British Pathe's intertitles are almost exactly the same as the American version. The images are exactly the same. The British version does not state where the tea garden is, the American version does. Safety print exists of the American version - same images, different intertitles. Tin EP306 Was an item in Eve's Film Review issue number 515. FILM ID:938.13 A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. http://www.britishpathe.tv/ FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT http://www.britishpathe.com/