[Case Study] A Japanese tea specialty store with a 200-year history challenges the world again after 124 years

I was surprised to hear that in recent years there are children who don't know about teapots. Shigeta Minoru (Handa Minoru) skillfully pours tea from a small teapot into a warm teapot while saying, “It means that PET bottles have become popular, and the style of drinking tea has changed, right?” It's in Asagaya, Tokyo”Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop” On the 2nd floor of the main store, we heard about tea's past, present, east, and west, and overseas expansion.

Unchanging tea and changing tea

When I put the tea that was offered in this way in my mouth, a round flavor spread that made me want to roll it with my tongue. When you swallow it, the rich blue scent comes through your nose, and you can feel that it is not just about hydration, but the quality of tea makes you want to face it.
“When tea classes are held in elementary school, some children are surprised that the tea is warm.”
Minoru, who speaks with a gentle tone and laughter, is the third generation of “Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop.” Nonetheless, if you go back in time to the history of the Shigeta family, it is an old family that has flourished in Saitama Prefecture since the Edo period.
The tea garden “Shigetaen” was built in Sayama City in 1815. We wanted people from overseas to know the true taste of Japanese tea, and we established Japan's first direct export company “Sayama Company” in 1875 to directly deliver good tea ourselves, and later exhibited at the Chicago Expo (1893). It also received a grand medal at the Paris Expo (1900).
However, the war began, and the dream of exporting Japanese tea came to a standstill. The largest tea plantation owned by the Shigeta family was also requisitioned by the country, and it became a flight training ground for the Aviation Academy.

In 1947, Minoru's grandfather opened “Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop” in Asagaya, saying “things are gone, but there are techniques for making tea.” They helped open organically cultivated tea plantations and were involved in the establishment of tea factories, etc., and delivered tea to consumers in Tokyo while working in three with producers.

“Polite” work adds value to taste

So what kind of tea is currently being sold by Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop?
“With the advent of PET bottles, teapots are no longer used, and direct production popularity has increased, so people don't buy them at specialty stores. In these market conditions, the conventional meaning of “purchasing finished products from wholesalers and selling them” has disappeared. Therefore, we are creating products where our technology adds value.”
Shizuoka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kagoshima — Tea leaves purchased in places famous for tea are transported to a factory in Ujitawaramachi, Kyoto, and unique “finishing” is performed. Specifically, there were two major processes.
One is the task of “polishing” tea leaves. Since tea leaves are mixed with shoots, stems, powder, fluff, etc., they are sorted many times, and in some cases, varieties are arranged while cutting.
The other one is “burning.” By applying heat to tea leaves and drying them, they bring out a gentle, sweet aroma.
“It's not that the stronger the scent, the better; it is necessary to identify tea leaves and lock in the aroma while retaining their characteristics.”
Minoru says happily that there is an original heating system where the heating temperature is checked in units of 1 degree in order to determine this.
“127 degrees, 128 degrees, 129 degrees, 130 degrees... I check them one by one. These time-consuming tasks may not be well known.”

Attracts tradition with its wide frontage

“If you ask me what a Japanese tea specialty store is, it probably means that they offer it including this kind of careful, old-fashioned way of making it and culture. However, if the price is high just because it takes time and effort, it cannot be delivered to many customers, so we are devising ways to make it more affordable. For example, make it an easy 30g size, make it a cute package, or make a regular flight where you can find your own preferences. After being intuitively selected, I hope they can feel, 'When I asked, I was actually particular. '”

Minoru took over the business in 2021. Until then, I had been working at major department stores selling Japanese ingredients overseas for 20 years. As expected, does capturing customer needs also mean “Ochanoko Saisai”?
So, the door to the room where I was listening to the story opened.
“Thank you for waiting!”

The popularity of Japan overseas and the special feeling of Paris

The person who appeared cheerfully was Fujita Mariko, who is Minoru's cousin and is in charge of the public relations field at Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop. The cute packaging design for tea bags is also Fujita's idea.
It has been decided that the store will open at “Japan Expo Paris 2024” to be held in July this year. It has been 124 years since the predecessor of the Shigeta family exhibited at the Paris Expo. We asked Mr. Fujita about the opportunity to challenge the world once again.
“It's a personal story, but I used to work at a publishing company selling manga translation copyright etc. to overseas publishers. I had several business trips to overseas book fairs and anime expos, so I knew the enthusiasm and atmosphere of the event. Above all, the Japan Expo in Paris was well known and admired, so when there was talk of exhibiting, I thought, “I want to show this.” In particular, I had the impression that French people have a high sensitivity to art and “Japanese” things even within Europe, and I felt that they also have a high affinity with Japanese tea.”

[This is also being read]Japan Expo Paris 2023 “WABI SABI Pavilion” Event Report

Bringing traditions overseas through experiences

A challenge amidst such enthusiasm. What is the content of the Tokyo Shigetaen Tea Shop booth?
“In addition to selling and tasting, I would like to create a booth where people can experience Japanese tea culture by making matcha, brewing tea in a teapot, for example, in the form of a workshop. There were also voices saying, “There is green tea overseas, but the correct way to brew it hasn't spread,” so I'm hoping that by bringing the experience together, we can tell you the true deliciousness of Japanese tea.” (Mr. Fujita)
This is truly a great opportunity for people from overseas to directly experience the technology that has been handed down to Shigetaen. There have been tea tastings at the Japan Expo until now, but this is the first experiential type where guests can brew it. It seems to be creating a buzz.

Japan Promotion plays a part in overseas expansion. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

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