The flavor of green tea is its fragrance
Aracha compounding room
Finishing room
We select high-quality organic materials
Making fragrant tea begins with selecting ingredients. To find the aracha, or unrefined tea, which serves as the raw material, the president himself goes to the market and carefully selects a product with a novel scent that exceeds his standards. In the unrefined tea blending room, about three tons of unrefined tea are combined a day, and dozens of kinds of unrefined teas are combined. Coupling is the process of blending unrefined tea of uniform quality. The carefully selected chirancha tea leaves are harmonized and balanced. The finishing room is fully automated to safely operate unattended during the busy season, even during the night. The shape of the unrefined tea is adjusted with a sorting machine and a cutting machine, quality sticks (stems) are sorted with a grain fan, and further sorting is performed by an optical sensor with a color sorter shortly before it moves on to the heating process which will determine its fragrance.
Pursue aroma with traditional charcoal roasting.
In the old days, charcoal was the heat source for roasting tea. Roasting over charcoal is a difficult task that requires a worker to carefully control the temperature while observing the color and smell. The task requires a lot of time and effort, but the resulting tea is rich and has a deep scent. We maintain the heating technology of our predecessors and strive every day to replicate the sweet and fragrant scent of the charcoal fire which was used at the time. By introducing our original roasting machine and slowly roasting it for twice as long as usual, we maximize the potential of the tea. Its mellow flavor is similar to the aroma of grilled seaweed. We add roasted incense while making use of the original aroma of the green tea. Our unique commitment is reflected in how we create products with their own unique scents. In addition to gas fires, we also use far-infrared fires to meet the detailed needs of our customers.
Burner (gas fire)
Burner (microwave)
Safety efforts
Thorough hygiene management ensures reliable quality, safety and security.
Having the goal of making tea with a good taste and aroma, we strive for thorough hygiene management with the aim of having quality and safety that our customers can trust. In 2007, we became certified in HAACP, a food hygiene management method. In order to keep the inside of the factory clean at all times, we carefully perform machine cleaning and equipment inspections every day, including disinfection, air showers, and strict checks according to seven principles and twelve procedures.
Before packing the product, we use visual checks and the latest foreign matter removal mechanisms to help remove foreign matter and invisible microorganisms.
In addition, we discuss improvements in the manufacturing process at meetings, and all employees work hard every day through monthly audits and study sessions.
Our thoughts
Don’t forget your quest, be willing to change, and always seek something better.
Baba, Factory Manager
Joined 1996
“We believe that it is our mission to create products that meet the needs of the times while preserving the taste of our company, which has continued from the previous president. While utilizing the latest machines, we will sharpen our five senses to the smell of the factory and the color of the tea leaves and strive to make better tea day by day.”
Yamanouchi, Manufacturing Department
Joined in 2020
“During busy seasons such as the new tea season, we fight to save every minute and second that we can, so we make thorough preparations to prevent mistakes and strive for efficient business progress. Keeping the president’s teachings in mind, avoiding greed, and always seeking better things, we will continue to make tea with sincerity so that people all over Japan and around the world can enjoy the aroma of tea. We will face the act of making tea head-on.”
Work on business with altruism.
President and CEO Ohashi
“I left behind my job as an office worker at the age of 27 and returned to Kagoshima to enter the industry with my father, the preceding president. The company has grown along with its employees, and we have managed to overcome difficult times such as the Lehman shock and factory fires. In the words of Honorary Chairman Kazuo Inamori, whom I respect greatly, ‘Work on business with altruism.’ We develop, manufacture, and sell products that meet customer needs. It’s not easy, but if you keep thinking with conviction, ideas and connections will create opportunities. You can overcome difficulties by tackling them with a tenacious attitude and a bright future will await you. However, people tend to do what comes easily to them, and if you aren’t always examining yourself, selfishness will rear its head. You may notice this and reflect on it again and again. Currently, we are doing trial-and-error to develop products that can be certified as foods with functional claims for health-conscious consumers, and it’s almost time to commercialize them. If this is achieved, we believe that the factory will be able to operate for a long time, benefit tea farmers, and fulfill the cause of the altruistic spirit. We will accept change and take on new challenges. We will continue to work as a team with our employees and aim not to be number one, but the only one.”
