Manju no Mukashi

About the brand

Ujitawara Seichajo

宇治田原製茶場

Ujitawara Seichajo (宇治田原製茶場, 株式会社宇治田原製茶場) is a Kyoto-based tea company founded in Showa 1 (1926) and incorporated in 1957, headquartered in Ujitawara-cho — one of the historic tea-growing districts of the greater Uji region in Kyoto Prefecture. Under president Yasui Tokushige (安井徳重), the company employs around 160 staff and distributes more than 80 types of tea nationwide via mail-order and its online shop (chanoma.co.jp). They are best known as the creators of こいまろ茶 (Koimarocha) — a proprietary blend of gyokuro, deep-steamed sencha, light-steamed sencha, and high-grade Uji matcha designed to achieve deep green color and smooth, mellow flavor without bitterness. Koimarocha won a Monde Selection award and is widely distributed across Japan. In addition to blended teas, Ujitawara Seichajo maintains a full lineup of pure Uji matcha in 100g tins, spanning six ceremonial and everyday grades named in the traditional 昔 (mukashi) convention — from the premium hand-picked 万寿の昔 to the entry-level 明日香の昔. The company also runs a tea education program (茶育/chaiku) with mascot character Koimaro-kun dispatched to local schools. Address: 〒610-0281 京都府綴喜郡宇治田原町郷之口. TEL: 0120-19-1100. Hours: 8:30–17:00, closed year-end.