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- How KOUKAEN Makes Tea
- KOUKAEN makes tea.
We begin by building healthy soil, then grow our own tea trees.
Tender leaves are hand‑picked with care and, through the owner’s skill and experience,
finished into fragrant tea that makes you think,
“I want another cup,” “I want this every day.”
We pour our hearts into every step from field to cup.
That is the KOUKAEN way.
- Great Tea Begins with the Soil
- It may be obvious, but tea trees are living plants.
The flavor in your cup depends deeply on the quality of the soil where roots grow.
To reach the taste we seek, we start with soil —
using organic fertilizers, minimizing pesticides,
avoiding pruning, and leaving as much as possible to nature’s wisdom —
while cultivating our own tea trees.
- The Human Touch Makes the Difference
- In first‑flush season, KOUKAEN’s fields
are filled with the cheerful voices of local women pickers,
and the refreshing aroma of sun‑kissed leaves.
Our pickers select only the tender new buds,
hand‑picking them one by one.
Tea harvested by hand has a noticeably richer umami and aroma
you can taste in every comparison.
- Fire, Judged to Perfection — Tea That Blooms with Aroma
- Depending on the condition of the year’s leaves,
the steamed and dried crude tea receives one more step: hiire (roasting).
If the temperature is too high or too low, the aroma suffers.
But with just the right heat, our tea becomes
“fragrant and unforgettable” — the hallmark of KOUKAEN.
This step can never be neglected.
KOUKAEN Teas
- Matcha
- Enjoy the full aroma and deep umami of hand‑picked leaves —
a pure expression of KOUKAEN’s craftsmanship.
- Deep‑Steamed Sencha
- Nature’s power and careful handwork weave together
into a taste that invites cup after cup.
- Genmaicha with Matcha
- Hōjicha (Roasted Green Tea)
- Green Tea /
Hōjicha Latte
- Baked Sweets
- KOUKAEN Gift Sets
You Can Also Find KOUKAEN Products Here
- JR‑Central “Ii Mono Tanbou”
- MUJI “Shokoku Ryohin”
About KOUKAEN
- Our Past and Our Future
- KOUKAEN is based in Yoshihara‑chō, Toyota City — a tea‑growing area since the Edo period.
Since our founding in 1945, three generations have continued a fully in‑house approach:
cultivating tea trees, producing tea, and selling directly.
With the warm support of our local community and the loyal patronage of our customers,
we will keep striving to craft ever more delicious tea.
- Introducing the Third‑Generation Owner, Yoshitaka Noba
- Holds Tea Appraisal Skill Level 6 — the highest rank in Aichi Prefecture.
Winner of the 68th Kyoto Prefecture Tea Appraisal Competition (Individual Division).
Teas he crafts have earned high recognition at competitions inside and outside the prefecture.
- “A Teahouse” — A Place to Relax
- Many customers visit KOUKAEN every day —
some to pick up their daily tea, others to simply enjoy a peaceful cup.
While preserving our teahouse traditions,
we want everyone to feel at ease and savor the joy of good tea.
That is the spirit with which we open our doors.
KOUKAEN
67 Yashikibata, Yoshihara‑chō, Toyota‑shi, Aichi 473‑0916, Japan
TEL (0565) 52‑3810
FAX (0565) 41‑5667
Hours: 9:00–19:00
Closed: Wednesdays